By Jimmy Hyams / @JimmyHyams
The Georgia Bulldogs are 9-0, ranked No. 1 by the AP during a season for the first time since 1982 and they have the best defense the SEC has seen since Alabama in 2011.
For all that Kirby Smart has done for the program, he could not get the SEC Coach of the Year vote from CBS’ Rick Neuheisel.
His ballot would feature Josh Heupel.
The hype for Heupel is real,’’ Neuheisel told me in a one-on-one interview.I think he’s the coach of the year.
“Kirby Smart is going to get a lot of that attention because he deserves it. Because he has so many good players and you’ve got to remember, now, he got them all there. The recruiting job is part of the deal as well.
“But for Josh Heupel to come into the situation he found himself in and to deliver in the way he has delivered, not only wins and losses, but with the way the kids are playing and the way the fans have bought in, it is has been absolutely fun to watch the energy that has been at Neyland Stadium.
“The energy is back, the passion is back and he did it with a roster that had to be completely retooled in a very short period of time. So my hat’s off to him and the entire staff, and he’d get my vote for coach of the year in the SEC.’’
Since the start of last season, UT has lost 45 players that could be on the roster: 39 transfers, two that retired for medical reasons, four that were let out of their National Letter of Intent.
UT now has 77 on scholarship (counting super seniors).
The Vols have gone from averaging 21.5 points (111th in the nation) to 38.2 (15th).
They’ve gone from averaging 141.5 rush yards per game (88th) to 217.1 (18th).
They’ve gone from averaging 346.2 total yards per game to 457.7 (21st).
And they’re doing it with a quarterback that didn’t start the first two games, two running backs that have been banged up much of this season and a piecemeal offensive line that has incurred multiple injuries.
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