Josh Heupel speaks to relationship with Oklahoma and Hall of Fame status as a player

Josh Heupel does not think he has a complicated relationship with Oklahoma as the former star quarterback gets set to play the Sooners as the Tennessee coach in 2024.

“The relationship with Oklahoma really isn’t complicated,” Heupel said. “I’ve got nothing but great memories of the people and my time there. I certainly do. … Everybody there helped shape who I am and where I’m at today and still got a lot of friends and teammates that live back there. So the opportunity to go back to Oklahoma, I wish they were coming to Knoxville first, but I said that jokingly. But looking forward to that opportunity, that’s a long ways down the road, man. Focused on ’23, but that’ll be a unique day in my career, obviously, to go back there.”

Asked about his own playing career, and how much the Tennessee players know about it, Heupel said they don’t know enough, and he would put some highlights together to show them at the start of fall camp.

Heupel is also on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot this year, and said he recalled last year when one of his teammates, Roy Williams, went in.

“Those things only happen because of the players that I got an opportunity to be in the locker room with every single day,” Heupel said. “Forever grateful to all of those guys … it was a special team and it’s certainly made a huge impact in my life. Part of why I’m up here today, to be honest. So forever indebted to those guys and very appreciative, but humbled by that recognition as well.”

Josh Heupel says his relationship with Oklahoma isn’t complicated. Still thinks fondly of his time there and says it will be a special moment to return to Norman in 2024. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/KSjaYVJaLK

— Summer of George (@GeorgeStoia) July 20, 2023

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.