The status of the relationship between former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops and Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel is one of college football's biggest mysteries. 

Stoops and Heupel made magic together in 2000 as the coach/quarterback duo led the Sooners to an undefeated season and a national championship. 

Heupel eventually joined Stoops' coaching staff after his playing days were over.

In 2004, Heupel was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma. He spent a year on Mike Stoops' staff at Arizona before returning to Norman in 2006 as the Sooners' quarterbacks coach. Heupel had co-offensive coordinator responsibilities added to his plate in 2011. 

Heupel was let go by Stoops after the 2014 season. Oklahoma went 8-5 that season and they had the No. 21 scoring offense in the nation and the No. 56 scoring defense in the nation (Stoops' brother, Mike, was the defensive coordinator at the time…so you can draw on your own conclusions on why Heupel was let go instead of Mike Stoops). 

The rumor around college football has long been that Heupel hasn't spoken with Stoops since he was let go. 

While we don't know for sure if that's the case or not, Heupel mentioned at SEC Media Days last month that his relationship with Oklahoma isn't complicated (though he didn't reference Stoops). 

Tennessee is set to travel to Oklahoma in 2024 (the Sooners' first official season in the SEC). 

Heupel said it will be a "unique" day in his career to return to Norman as the Vols' head coach. 

Bob Stoops offers comment on Josh Heupel and the Vols' matchup against Oklahoma in 2024

Last month, Stoops was asked during an interview on his YouTube channel about which games on Oklahoma's 2024 schedule he's most looking forward to seeing. 

And he immediately mentioned the Tennessee game. 

"I think the fans will embrace Josh Heupel coming back here with Tennessee," said Stoops. "How can you not be excited about Alabama? That's always exciting….But those two stick out: Coach Heupel bringing Tennessee back and Alabama's always exciting." 

Stoops didn't say much about Heupel, but it's rare these days that even mentions Heupel so the comments felt at least a little bit noteworthy. 

I get the feeling that Stoops wishes the relationship with Heupel was in a better place. And maybe at some point it will be. There's no doubt that Heupel and Stoops had an incredible two-year run together as a player/coach duo. 

The big secret about Tennessee in 2023 that no one in college football is talking about

There’s a big secret about the Tennessee Vols in 2023 that no one in college football is talking about

Featured image via Doug Hoke / USA TODAY NETWORK