Why Vols HC Josh Heupel was 'nervous' at one point during the offseason
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel admitted on Tuesday that he was nervous at one point this offseason. That's a sentiment that Tennessee fans likely shared. Heupel made the comment on Tuesday during an appearance on SEC Nation where he was asked about the NCAA recruiting investigation surrounding UT football that wrapped up last week. […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel admitted on Tuesday that he was nervous at one point this offseason.
That's a sentiment that Tennessee fans likely shared.
Heupel made the comment on Tuesday during an appearance on SEC Nation where he was asked about the NCAA recruiting investigation surrounding UT football that wrapped up last week.
Tennessee was hit with a hefty fine (over $9 million), a loss of 10 additional scholarships (to bring the total to 28 during the Heupel era), and a loss of 36 official visits over the next five years. The Vols weren't hit with a postseason ban.
Despite being "in the know" during the investigation (at least on Tennessee's end of things), Heupel was nervous that the NCAA could still go scorched earth on UT.
"Really excited about where we’re at. Was nervous before the announcement came," said Heupel. "During the process you really don’t find out until a couple hours before it goes public. Trusted in our administration and what they had done, but you don’t know until you know. Was really excited to really that information to our team, to our staff and to our recruits and their families as well.”
The expectation was always that Tennessee would avoid a postseason ban. But Heupel's comments show that avoiding a bowl ban was far from a sure thing. His comments also show the unpredictability of the NCAA, a governing body that seemingly makes up the rules as it goes along at times.
Fortunately for the Vols, they can finally move on from the dysfunction of the Jeremy Pruitt era and leave the uncertainty of an NCAA investigation in the rear view mirror.
And Heupel can relax a bit now. He doesn't seem like an anxious guy, but I imagine the possibility of a bowl ban would have any major college football coach a bit on edge.
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Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
