‘It’s always been a dream of mine’ – Josh Heupel drops quote after win against Syracuse that Vols fans won’t forget anytime soon
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel was extremely pleased with the number of UT fans who made the trip to Atlanta for the season opener against the Syracuse Orange. Those Vols fans made an impact on the game, too. “I feel like it was pretty loud in there,” said Syracuse running back Yasin Willis after […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel was extremely pleased with the number of UT fans who made the trip to Atlanta for the season opener against the Syracuse Orange.
Those Vols fans made an impact on the game, too.
“I feel like it was pretty loud in there,” said Syracuse running back Yasin Willis after Tennessee’s 45-26 win. “So we didn’t really communicate with each other as much as we were supposed to. You can’t play this football game without the communication part, so that played a big role in it.”
Heupel was asked by a reporter after the game what it was like to turn Atlanta into “Rocky Top South”.
The fifth-year Tennessee head coach responded that he’s always dreamed of being part of something that fans really care about.
“We got the greatest fan base in college sports,” said Heupel. “I was looking out my hotel room last night. Bunch of orange walking around, you saw it this morning. You could feel it when we walked into the hotel yesterday.
“Our fans show up, they travel, they’re passionate, they care. 365 days out of the year. And that’s what makes this such a special place. The fan base is as good as it gets. And it’s always been a dream of mine to be a part of something that people care about, and they certainly do in a big way here.”
It’s truly incredible what Heupel has accomplished since arriving at Tennessee in early 2021. It hasn’t been perfect — there have still been some painful losses along the way — but Heupel has brought Tennessee football back to life in terms of national relevance. Regardless of what the national media thinks, the Vols are now an annual College Football Playoff contender because of Heupel.
The good news for Vols fans is that it seems like Heupel couldn’t be happier to call Rocky Top home. He appreciates the fans in a way that previous Tennessee coaches didn’t. And I think that’s something Vols fans sincerely appreciate from Heupel.
Tennessee Volunteers News
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Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Jarrett Guarantano commented this week on one of his most infamous moments at UT. Guarantano, who played at Tennessee from 2016 to 2020 before finishing his career at Washington State in 2021, had been expecting to play in the Vols’ season opener against Georgia Tech in 2017. But that’s not what […]
