VFL Riggs Jr. praises Heupel for Tennessee turnaround

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Former professional running back Gerald Riggs Jr. stays very busy as a father, athletic trainer and football coach at Cleveland High School.

But, like the VFL, it also tries to control its volunteers. It hasn’t been too difficult lately, as the Big Orange has returned to the national college football conversation.

Under head coach Josh Heupel, the Vols are 27-12, have a pair of bowl wins and have finished each of the last two seasons inside the Top-20.

Expectations remain high for UT heading into the fourth year of Heupel’s tenure, but Riggs Jr. is excited about the program’s trajectory. He believes the boss has begun to instill the right mindset in his team.

“It’s definitely been exciting,” Riggs Jr. said Sunday. “Josh (Heupel) has done a great job – he and his staff that he has hired – have turned things around. “They are excited about the program and you can tell the guys are happy to be there and ready to go out and give their all for Tennessee.”

“We’re used to being on top and having the opportunity to play for championships,” he continued. “I think Josh is on his way – he’s got the program and everyone thinks that way.”

Tennessee opens the 2024 season in just under three months, when it hosts Chattanooga on Saturday, August 31.

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