Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart each had to take college football teams back to previous coaching stops where they experienced championship success.
Now it’s Josh Heupel’s turn.
Tennessee’s fourth-year mentor is guiding his No. 6 Volunteers into Norman, Oklahoma, this weekend, where he will encounter the No. 15 Sooners and countless memories. Heupel quarterbacked Oklahoma to the 2000 national title under the guidance of Bob Stoops, and he wound up coaching under Stoops for 11 seasons, including as co-offensive coordinator and play-caller from 2011-14.
Saturday night’s showdown of 3-0 teams, which will be Oklahoma’s first as a Southeastern Conference member against an SEC opponent, will be televised by ABC at 7:30. Oklahoma third-year coach Brent Venables was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach of the 2000 Sooners, who earned the program’s seventh and most recent Associated Press national crown.