Former Oklahoma HC Bob Stoops gives Tennessee Vols HC Josh Heupel a massive compliment

Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel and former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops have quite the history.

Heupel, who was a quarterback at Oklahoma from 1999 to 2000, won a championship with Stoops and the Sooners during the 2000 season.

After a brief NFL career, Heupel returned to Oklahoma in 2004 as a graduate assistant. Heupel took over as the Sooners' quarterbacks coach in 2006. In 2011, he was named Oklahoma's co-offensive coordinator, a position that Heupel held until he was let go by Stoops following the 2014 season.

The relationship between Stoops and Heupel has been described as icy -- even a decade after Heupel was essentially fired by Stoops.

Bob Stoops gives Josh Heupel a huge compliment

Despite the supposed icy relationship, Stoops still holds Heupel in high regard.

During a recent appearance on The Family Business podcast, Stoops gave Heupel a pretty big compliment.

"Oh no question," said Stoops when asked if he thinks Heupel is one of the most important players to play for Oklahoma. "I said it in my book, The Making of a Head Coach , that we've had so many Heisman winners at quarterback, national award winners, NFL players through the years since I've been here. I just mean we may have had more talented guys, but I don't believe -- to me, he's the most valuable player of all of them. Because he was one of the true leaders to start it.

"He, and guys like Rocky Calmus and on and on. Certain guys got it started. And had the mindset to win. Obviously the way he (Heupel) played -- I don't think there's a more important position than quarterback. To lead us to an undefeated season is definitely -- he was a huge piece of getting it all started."

I don't know what Stoops' plans are for September 21 when Heupel and the Vols visit Norman for an early season showdown, but I'm betting he'll be in Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (especially since it's Oklahoma's first ever SEC game).

And I'm sure all eyes will be on the field before the game to see if there's any interaction between Heupel and the coach that fired him almost 10 years ago.

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