Josh Heupel sounds much different than Jeremy Pruitt while discussing Tennessee fans
65,098 fans attended the Tennessee Vols' spring game in 2018. It was Tennessee's first spring game with Jeremy Pruitt serving as the program's head coach. After the game, Pruitt admonished the Vols fans who didn't show up for Tennessee's final spring practice. "I think we all need to look in the mirror and see who […]
65,098 fans attended the Tennessee Vols' spring game in 2018.
It was Tennessee's first spring game with Jeremy Pruitt serving as the program's head coach.
After the game, Pruitt admonished the Vols fans who didn't show up for Tennessee's final spring practice.
"I think we all need to look in the mirror and see who we want to be," said Pruitt after his first Orange and White game.
“The ones that were here, I’m proud they were here," added Pruitt. "They’re fired up. They’re ready to get going. And then there were some people that wasn’t here that had legitimate reasons. They couldn’t be here. Then there were some people that wasn’t here that, why wasn’t they here?"
Pruitt quickly learned that lecturing Tennessee fans about their fandom — it's easily one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports — wasn't a good idea. Perhaps that was the first sign that the Pruitt era wasn't going to have Vols fans proclaiming "feels like 98".
Current Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has a much different approach when talking about UT fans. The third-year Vols head coach praises Tennessee fans every chance he gets — even after only 58,000 fans showed up for this year's Orange and White game (there are plenty of college football programs that can't get that many fans for a regular season game, by the way).
Heupel gave Tennessee fans a lot of love this week during an appearance on The Swain Event, even giving UT fans some credit for the Vols' quick turnaround and culture change.
"I think that's (the fans) one of the great things about being here," said Heupel. "And I felt like it would be that way. It's probably even greater and there's more more urgency from our fan base than maybe I even anticipated. And certainly, they have been a huge part of creating the momentum inside of our football program. Our guys have gone out and worked and competed. They see the connection and the love that they have for one another and how hard they play on Saturdays."
"But the energy that our fan base has brought has helped us on the field," added Heupel. "It creates urgency for our current players — you know, 365 days out of the year. But it's a massive help in recruiting, too. And I can't thank them enough for how they show up and show out each and every time they have an opportunity to."
There's no doubt that Heupel has a deep appreciation for Vols fans. And it shows in the way that he references fans as opposed to the way Pruitt referenced fans. For Pruitt, Tennessee was a chance to be a head coach. For Heupel, it's a chance to build something special at a place he feels is special.
