Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel watches the game in the first half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College Football Analyst Says Josh Heupel's Offense Doesn't Develop Quarterbacks

Originally posted on Tennessee Volunteers on SI
By Jonathan Williams | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 11:15 AM ET

College football analyst Joel Klatt says Josh Heupel's offense doesn't develop quarterbacks.

Since Josh Heupel was hired as the head coach at Tennessee, the offense has taken leaps and has earned the respect as one of the most consistent offenses in college football. It has also produced some high-level college football players, names like Hendon Hooker, Jaylin Hyatt and Dylan Sampson just to name a few.

However, one college football analyst is not a huge fan of what Heupel is doing at Tennessee.

Joel Klatt was actually discussing Nico Iamaleava transferring to UCLA and how money was not the only reason he wanted out of Knoxville. "If it was, he wouldn’t have gone to UCLA," Klatt said.

Instead, Klatt pointed to Heupel's offense and how it doesn't allow a quarterback to grow as a prospect.

"That offense that Josh Heupel runs is almost like a glorified high school offense," Klatt said. "It’s the old Art Briles offense that they ran at Baylor, and the reason that it doesn’t develop a quarterback is because everything is a half-field read. So it’s wide receiver choice routes on one side of the field, which is why none of those Baylor quarterbacks made it in the NFL."

Tennessee has seen two quarterbacks be drafted into the NFL since Heupel has taken over. Both Hooker and Joe Milton are currently in the NFL, however, Hooker was recently released by the Detroit Lions and head coach Dan Campbell said a change of scenery might help Hooker.

Heupel's offense is certainly a bit unorthodox compared to other offenses, but it has also produced results over the years, and ultimately, that's his job.