Watch: Josh Heupel makes a decision that's wildly popular with Tennessee Vols players
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel announced on Monday that Kelsey Pope will replace Kodi Burns as UT's wide receivers coach. (Burns left the Vols last month to take the wide receivers coach job with the New Orleans Saints.) Pope served as an offensive analyst on Tennessee's staff in 2021. Heupel made the announcement in […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel announced on Monday that Kelsey Pope will replace Kodi Burns as UT's wide receivers coach.
(Burns left the Vols last month to take the wide receivers coach job with the New Orleans Saints.)
Pope served as an offensive analyst on Tennessee's staff in 2021.
Heupel made the announcement in a team meeting and the reaction of the team, who obviously already know Pope very well, was incredible.
Check it out.
I'd say Heupel made a decision that the players — even non-wide receivers — loved.
As for Pope, he came to Tennessee in early 2021 after serving as the wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator at Garrnder Webb in 2020. In 2019, Pope was the wide receivers coach at Tennesse Tech.
Heupel spoke about the decision to hire Pope via a press release from Tennessee.
"Kelsey was a natural fit for this role and someone our players trust and have the utmost respect for," said Heupel. "He has a clear understanding of what it takes for our wide receivers to be successful in this offense. He knows how to connect with people and cultivate relationships, and he's going to be a tireless recruiter."
Pope, who is from Alabama, played college football at Samford University where he finished his career as the program's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
