Josh Heupel, the head coach of the Tennessee Vols, just made the top five when On3 ranked the 16 SEC head coaches on Monday.
Heupel was ranked No. 6 by On3, placing him only behind Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.
From On3: Despite inconsistent quarterback play in 2023, Heupel led the Vols to their greatest season in almost 25 years the previous year. Despite this, the team managed to win nine games. But with the Nico Iamaleava era beginning this autumn with 2025 5-star commit George MacIntyre in the wings, that shouldn’t be a problem going forward.
Some of the top quarterback and wide receiver prospects in the nation are drawn to Heupel’s aggressive style, but if the Vols
The main reason Heupel ought to be in the top five in On3’s rankings is the “mess” he inherited in the beginning of 2021.
It’s not that I believe Heupel is a better coach than Sarkisian or Kiffin—Kiffin has a little better SEC record over the last three years, but nevertheless, I think Heupel should be placed higher.
Heupel, in my opinion, ought to be ranked higher than Kalen DeBoer, the new head coach of Alabama, who has never overseen an SEC game.
(The same can be said for Sarkisian, but he has an advantage because of his victory in Tuscaloosa last season over Nick Saban and Alabama.)
As a total unknown, nobody can predict how DeBoer will perform in his role as head of the SEC.
