Tennessee HC Josh Heupel's Oklahoma days and insane work ethic comes to light ahead of 2023 season: "He never took a day off"

Josh Heupel is the coach of the Tennessee Volunteers and achieved a lot of success with them last season.

Although Heupel's offense was a key reason for Tennessee's success last year, it shouldn't have been a surprise given how good he was as a player. Heupel helped lead Oklahoma to a national title and finished second in the Heisman voting.

It shouldn't have been a surprise that Heupel had so much success, as his backup Patrick Fletcher revealed that Heupel never took a day off in training.

“He led by example. He never took a day off,” Fletcher, Heupel’s backup in '99, told the OU Daily.

“He was the last one to leave after everybody was done with practice. He stayed with (director of strength and enhancement coach Jerry Schmidt) after he worked on these drop drills where he worked on certain foot mechanics or he’d throw more bucket drills. … It was always something getting him better.”

Although Heupel took no days off, due to injuries, he never got to play a game in the NFL, but he turned to coaching, where he had immediate success.

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Josh Heupel has nothing but 'great memories' in Oklahoma

Now, with Oklahoma set to join the SEC next year, many fans are wondering what Josh Heupel's reception would be like. However, the coach of the Volunteers has said he has no bad memories from his time as a Sooner.

“The relationship with Oklahoma really isn't complicated,” Heupel said. “I’ve got nothing but great memories of the people and my time there."

Josh Heupel was the quarterback coach and co-offensive coordinator with the Sooners, but in 2015, his contract was not renewed. It was a tough day for Heupel, and Fletcher knew that his former teammate was upset with the firing.

“That was a tough way for him to go out,” Fletcher said. “Unceremoniously, in my opinion, for all he did for the program, and it was just a crazy time. … I root for him all the time, so I'm hoping he'll do well, just not against us.”

Eventually, Tennessee and Heupel are set to travel to take on the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024 in Oklahoma's first year in the SEC. That game will, no doubt, be circled on Heupel's calendar and many other people's, as it will mark Heupel's return to Oklahoma.