Tennessee hires Josh Heupel as AD Danny White uses UCF connections to poach Vols' new coach - CBS Sports

Freshly hired Tennessee athletic director Danny White is turning to a familiar face as UCF coach Josh Heupel has been named the Volunteers' next coach.

Heupel, 42, led the Knights to a 28-8 record in three seasons after White hired him to replace Scott Frost; White has now hired him again, this time to replace Jeremy Pruitt.

In total, Pruitt finished his three-year tenure with a 16-19 (10-16 SEC) mark after replacing Butch Jones following the 2017 season.

Heupel will be the school's sixth coach since that season.

The university quickly tabbed White as Fulmer's replacement, and the former UCF athletic director wasted little time in hiring a football coach.

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Penn State coach James Franklin, Minnesota coach P.J.

After a brief stint at Utah State, Heupel spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the SEC as Missouri's offensive coordinator under Barry Odom, helping to develop quarterback Drew Lock into a First Team All-SEC performer in 2017.

White then hired Heupel at UCF to replace Frost, who was leaving for Nebraska after leading the Knights to a 13-0 season in 2017

UCF finished fifth nationally in total offense in 2018, second in 2019 and second in 2020, according to the NCAA; however, the Knights were undone this past season by lackluster defense