Mizzou offensive coordinator takes head coaching job at UCF
The University of Central Florida announced Josh Heupel will be its next football coach on Tuesday morning. Heupel spent the last two years as Mizzou’s offensive coordinator under head coach Barry Odom.
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A Mizzou spokesman tells me he is not sure just yet if Josh Heupel will coach for MU in the Tigers’ bowl game against Texas on Dec. 27.
“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to represent UCF. What makes this opportunity so unique is the vision of the leadership from President John Hitt, Provost Dale Whitaker and Director of Athletics Danny White. Their vision for this becoming one of the premier programs in the country makes this an exciting opportunity. That vision, the amazing campus, along with the recruiting base not only allows you to have immediate success but sustained success. I’m very excited to get a staff together and get to work with our wonderful student-athletes,” Josh Heupel said in a UCF release.
Heupel’s Mizzou offense is currently ranked No. 7 in the nation, averaging 511.5 yards per game. MU is No. 10 in the country in scoring, putting up 39.3 points per game. In Heupel’s first year with the Tigers in 2016, MU led the SEC in offense and was ranked No. 13 in the nation.
Heupel was also the quarterbacks coach for Mizzou. He guided Drew Lock to a record setting 2017 campaign. Lock is the SEC and Mizzou single-season touchdown passes record holder (43) with a bowl game left to play. It is uncertain if Lock will be back for his senior season. He could declare for the NFL draft.
In his career, Heupel has coached many other successful quarterbacks, including Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Jason White (Oklahoma) and Landry Jones (Oklahoma).
Before joining the Tigers staff, Heupel was an assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State in 2015.
Heupel takes over a UCF program coming off its best regular season in school history. The No. 10 Golden Knights are 12-0 and will play Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1, 2018 at 11:30 a.m.
