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re: Why do Vols tolerate Heupel?
Posted on 7/19/26 at 11:25 pm to GarnetNBlack
Posted on 7/19/26 at 11:25 pm to GarnetNBlack
quote:I don't think so either.
LSU and Tenn have roughly the same record over the past 5 years (see posts above). LSU deemed it time to move on from Kelly for various reasons.
The question the OP states is whether or not it’s time for Tenn to move on from Heupel.
I don’t think so.
The difference between LSU and Tennessee right now is this-
Tennessee still remembers wandering in the desert for a decade after Fulmer left.
LSU had a stretch of 2 .500 seasons with O, the only such seasons we've seen since Saban came. Yeah, we fired Kelly because we felt he wasn't winning enough. That's 9-3, 9-3, and 8-4 in his three full seasons, with a trip to Atlanta and a Heisman winner. Justified or not, LSU demands title runs. Remember, that's the rationale for firing Miles after a similar stretch, too. When it looks like things aren't building upwards, the natives still get restless.
Maybe one day we'll frick around and fire somebody for only going 9-3, and become Nebraska. But it hasn't happened yet, so we're a bit quick on the trigger still.
2
Posted on 7/19/26 at 11:55 pm to Scoob
Good observation about Tenn wandering after Fulmer. You’re absolutely correct . . . once a fanbase has become irrelevant (at least based on previous history), they are reluctant to make 180° turns like LSU just did with Kelly/Kiffin.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 12:42 am to Vulcan Materials
Pig like man. Reminds them of Phil.
Pig Man
Pig Man
This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 12:52 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 2:24 am to Vulcan Materials
quote:
He’s Brian Kelly. He’s James Franklin.
How about Drinkwitz? I am going g to want gim gone if he doesn't win at least 10 regular season games this season.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 7:03 am to UrbJones33
quote:
What was really interesting to see was how well Brian Kelly was gonna do at LSU when he was hired. He was a "Can't miss, homerun hire" by most LSU fans on this board the day he was hired.
half the tiger rant board was in a full scale meltdown
Posted on 7/20/26 at 7:23 am to Scoob
quote:
Yeah, we fired Kelly because we felt he wasn't winning enough.
In the time Kelly and Heupel overlapped in the SEC, Heupel won more games, spent more weeks ranked, had a playoff appearance, beat Bama more, had a better home winning percentage, and finished ranked higher in the season, in addition to beating Kelly in Death Valley by 30. So, objectively, Heupel was doing better than Kelly without a Heisman Trophy winner.
If Heupel had been at any other SEC school these last 5 years except Bama, he would not have been fired yet. I am as critical of him as any sports fan, but he has no reason to get fired yet.
2022
Kelly: 10-4 #16
Heupel: 11-2 #6
2023
Kelly: 10-3 #12
Heupel: 9-4 #17
2024
Kelly: 9-4 unranked
Heupel:10-3 #9
2025
Kelly: 5-3 unranked
Heupel: 6-2 #14
If Heupel had been your coach and not Kelly these last few years, he would be your coach again this year, too. I am not saying the fat man is perfect, but people calling for his job right now are dumb and dont know ball
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