Josh : Returning to Oklahoma as Tennessee’s coach will be ‘unique
Josh hasn’t played on Owen Field in nearly ten years. In fewer than four months, the former national championship-winning quarterback and Oklahoma assistant will return to the visiting sideline.
This fall, Oklahoma will host Tennessee team as part of their maiden SEC schedule. The will pay a visit to Norman on September 21, marking the Sooners’ first league game in the SEC.
Beyond being a watershed moment for Oklahoma’s program, it will be a homecoming of sorts for , who spent two seasons as a quarterback for the Sooners and another nine on staff, including four as co-offensive coordinator.
is in his fourth year as head coach at Tennessee, where he had a 27-12 record in his first three seasons, finishing above.500 each time. That includes an 11-win season in 2022 and a 9-4 record last season, when the finished 17th in the AP poll.
Prior to taking over at Tennessee, served as head coach at UCF, where he went 28-8 in three seasons. He coached former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel for two seasons (2020 and 2021).
began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 2004, following his playing days. Heupel, a former junior college transfer, enrolled with Oklahoma in 1999 and was the team’s starting quarterback for two seasons under Bob Stoops. During his two seasons, he completed 63.2% of his throws, totaling 6,852 yards and 50 touchdowns to 29 interceptions. He led the Sooners to the BCS national title in 2000, the most recent of the program’s seven national championships, and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up before being taken in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft.
After a season as a graduate assistant at his alma university, became tight ends coach at Arizona as part of Mike Stoops’ staff. He returned to OU the following year as quarterbacks coach, where he coached Sam Bradford during his Heisman campaign in 2008. At the completion of the 2010 season, was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and play caller. However, after an 8-5 season in 2014, in which the Sooners finished 85th nationally in passing offense, with quarterback Trevor Knight completing only 56.6% of his passes for 2,300 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, was fired because the school did not renew his contract.
