Tennessee Vols HC Josh Heupel deserves a lot more credit than he's getting for how he's handled major offseason storyline

Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel deserves a lot more credit than he's receiving for how he's handled a major offseason storyline.

One of the biggest stories surrounding the Vols this offseason is Tennessee's game in Norman against Oklahoma on September 21.

Not only is it Oklahoma's first conference game as a member of the SEC, but it'll be the first time that Heupel has returned to Norman as a competitor since he was let go as the Sooners' offensive coordinator after the 2014 season.

Heupel, who led the Sooners to a national championship as a quarterback in 2000, was asked numerous questions about returning to Oklahoma on Tuesday at SEC Media Days.

And the fourth-year head coach couldn't have handled it any better.

Heupel answered each question, without showing frustration (though he did jokingly say that he thought he'd only get one question about Oklahoma) and without making it about himself. He admitted that it will be unique to return to Oklahoma and stand on the opposite sideline, but he made it clear that the game is about this year's Oklahoma and Tennessee teams.

"It'll be unique, my viewpoint that day, just seeing the stadium from a different perspective," said Heupel. "And I say that, simply just changing sidelines. At the end of the day, that Saturday in September, I think, maybe early October, it's about Tennessee and Oklahoma and this year's teams. Go prepare the same way that you do, and do it fiercely, and be ready to go play."

Tennessee's had plenty of coaches in the past that would've had a more self-centered approach to a game like this (looking at you, Butch Jones). Heupel's main focus, however, is on winning the game and preparing his players. And he knows that he if harps on his return to his alma mater than it will take away from his team's preparation. More than that, Heupel knows that football games, ultimately, should be about the competitors on the field, not the coaches on the sidelines. The players, after all, are the ones that have to execute the game plan, not Heupel.

Tennessee's head coach has proven to be elite when it comes to handling the media. Heupel rarely (if ever) generates negative headlines with polarizing takes. He does his best to keep his team from having to deal with the ramifications of his comments. And he always tries to keep the focus on the players playing the game.

It's a subtle thing that will go mostly unnoticed, but Heupel deserves some praise for the way he continues to adeptly handle his interactions with the media -- especially when it comes to his return to Oklahoma.

Related: Josh Heupel reveals who will call plays for the Tennessee Vols in 2024