Scrugham: I was wrong about Josh Heupel, generational play caller

In August of last year, I wrote a column explaining some concerns I had about Josh Heupel. I was worried about how his defense had performed in the biggest moments of his career. In addition, I pointed out that the Vols’ schedule was fairly difficult and Will Levis and Anthony Richardson could make huge leaps in their junior years. I predicted the team would go 7-5.

I could not have been more wrong. The Vols crushed even the highest of expectations with the best offense in the country. Josh Heupel made Hendon Hooker into a Heisman contender, Jalin Hyatt into a Day 1 or Day 2 NFL draft pick, and the Vols into the number 1 team in the country heading into the Georgia game.

While the Georgia game turned ugly and the South Carolina meltdown was an embarrassment, those were two small blemishes in an otherwise historic season. The monumental 5249 win over Alabama on a “Tennessee Saturday Night” featured the most points scored against Nick Saban since Sept. 7, 1996.

In spite of the season’s countless accolades, the most impressive thing Josh Heupel did was put Joe Milton into next season’s Heisman conversation with a dominating win over Clemson.

Any Michigan fan can tell you Joe Milton was one of the most inaccurate, raw quarterbacks in Big 10 history. If Josh Huepel and new offensive coordinator Joey Halze can revitalize Milton’s career, then any quarterback can thrive and develop in their system.

Josh Heupel ended fifteen years of mediocre Tennessee football because he is the best offensive play-caller in the nation. It didn’t matter that the Vols defense ranked 128 out of 131 FBS teams in passing yards allowed. Their offense was the best in the country with 44.5 points per game, more than even Ohio State with its cupcake schedule.

Heupel’s signature spread wide formation stretches defenses thin by positioning widerecievers as far apart as possible, employing creative pre-snap and post-snap motions, and maintaining a lightning-fast tempo. His unique offense builds on the philosophies of Mike Leach, Kliff Kingsbury, Lincoln Riley and others to create a distinctive scheme that is unlike any other in modern college football. As defenses adapt in future seasons, Heupel’s ability to innovate should allow him to stay one step ahead of the great defensive coaches.

Going forward, Josh Heupel has positioned the Vols in a “high ceiling, high floor” situation. If the Vols defense remains below average or even mediocre, the offense is still enough to keep the Vols competitive against nearly every team in the country (high floor). And if the de- fense can improve with some promising new recruits and transfers, the sky is the limit.

I was wrong about Josh Heupel because I did not realize how generational of a play caller he is. Danny White hit a home run by hiring an offensive mastermind. As long as Heupel is Tennessee’s coach, the Vols will be one of the best football teams in the country. And now that he has his hands on two future first-round pick quarterback talents … look out.