Tennessee HC Josh Heupel is under pressure to live up to extension

On one hand, Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel has to be feeling very good. After going 37-15 in four seasons as head coach of the Volunteers and leading them to the College Football Playoff last season, he's received a major contract extension.

On Tuesday, it was announced that Heupel will be a Vol through the 2030 season.

"The revival of our football program under Josh's leadership has made everyone in Big Orange Country proud to be a Vol," Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White said in a statement. "Josh has brought Tennessee Football back to its rightful place among the nation's elite programs, and he and his staff have fostered a positive culture within the team. Our commitment to supporting Josh and his staff remains strong and unwavering."

That's big news for Heupel and Tennessee. This is the best stretch of football the Vols have had in quite some time. He's being rewarded, and Tennessee has to feel like it has one of the best coaches in college football.

It sounds like a win-win, but now the pressure is on for the former Oklahoma quarterback turned head coach.

Making the College Football Playoff is no longer the goal. That goal has been realized last season. Now, it's the floor for his program.

Tennessee is saying that it believes that Heupel can lead this program back up the mountain by giving him this extension, but now he needs to prove the Vols right or this will end in nothing but disappointment.

CFP trips are great, but this is a school that is hungry for titles. Tennessee's last SEC championship win was in 1998. That was also the last time the Vols were national champions.

"I am excited about the future of Tennessee football, and I can't wait to run through the T once again with Vol nation proudly supporting us," Heupel said.

Vol nation is definitely behind Heupel, but the clock has started ticking.