Josh Heupel’s rise at Tennessee is born out of Oklahoma firing that was blessing in disguise

Joe Castiglione lets the word hang in the air like a harvest moon.

His succinct answer stands on its own. It requires no elaboration.

Two syllables. Seven letters.

That’s all Castiglione needs to explain how Oklahoma feels about Josh Heupel.

“Beloved,” Castiglione, Oklahoma’s veteran athletics director, told me this week.

No equivocation.

Heupel remains an Oklahoma legend, and Castiglione said the school plans to treat him as such in the pregame before the No. 13 Sooners host No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday.

“We’re working through all of that, but we will absolutely recognize him in a way that is appropriate,” Castiglione said.

And then the game will begin, with Heupel standing on the opposing sideline as the red-hot coach of the Vols, thanks in part to the fact that Oklahoma fired him a decade ago, the inflection moment of Heupel’s coaching career.

The January 2015 day that Bob Stoops canned Heupel, his former star quarterback and longtime lieutenant, placed an even bigger chip on Heupel’s shoulder.

It also freed Heupel of his bonds to his alma mater and afforded him the chance to restart.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel walks on the field before his team’s game against Kent State at Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024.

Heupel set out from Norman to freely build the offense he wanted to operate. That offense put Heupel on a path to restoring Tennessee to prominence, rather than face the burden of Stoops’ shadow.

Heupel’s career shines as bright as ever.

So, is he ready to call his 2014 firing a blessing in disguise?

“Yeah, absolutely,” Heupel said Wednesday. “Proud of a lot of what we did or I was a part of while I was (at Oklahoma), but I wouldn’t change anything.

“I’m fortunate and blessed to be here and absolutely love it on Rocky Top.”

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/josh-heupels-rise-tennessee-born-091212201.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2024-09-19 09:12:12

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