JOURNAL SPORTS
Josh Heupel has won a national championship as a quarterback, been the Heisman Trophy runner-up and won an SEC Coach of the Year award most recently, but before that, he was a standout in the Independence Bowl and is ranked as the No. 13 player on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
A local media panel chose the top 50 and then ranked them based on career achievements and performances in the local bowl, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this fall.
Heupel had a banner day at the 1999 Independence Bowl against Ole Miss, the last college football game of the 20th century, ending at 11:03 p.m. on December 31, 1999. Completing 73.6 percent of 53 passes, his 390 passing yards set the record for most passing yards in a single Independence Bowl. The record stood until 2018.
He also added three touchdown passes, along with one interception, on his way to being named the 1999 Offensive Player of the Game despite Oklahoma falling to the Rebels, 27-25.
After spending two seasons at Weber State and one season at Snow College, Heupel transferred to Oklahoma for the 1999 season – Bob Stoops’ first season as head coach of the Sooners. He immediately started lighting up the box scores, as he threw for 3,460 yards and 30 touchdowns in 11 games in 1999. He led the Big 12 Conference that season in pass attempts (500), completions (310), passing yards, passing yards per game (314.5), passing touchdowns and interceptions (15). He was named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and second-team All-Big 12.
Oklahoma built on the 1999 season and its Independence Bowl appearance in 2000, going undefeated and winning the BCS National Championship that season. Heupel once again passed for over 3,000 yards – tossing for 3,392 yards and 20 touchdowns. He earned a laundry list of accolades that season – winning the Walter Camp Award, Archie Griffin Award and Chic Harley Award while also being named the AP College Football Player of the Year, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and chosen a consensus All-American and first-team All-Big 12. He also finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
After his illustrious college career, Heupel was selected in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft, but after two seasons of attempting to make it, he transitioned to coaching. After becoming a highly successful quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, Heupel got his first crack at being a head coach at UCF in 2017. He led the Knights to a 12-1 record in their first season and won the American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game.
In 2021, Heupel became head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. After a 7-6 season in his first season in Knoxville, he helped lead the Vols to their most victories in a season since 2001, going 11-2 and winning the Orange Bowl that season. He was named the SEC Coach of the Year.
In his first five seasons at Tennessee, Heupel has led the Vols to a 45-20 record, two bowl victories and one College Football Playoff appearance.
In his eight-plus seasons as a head coach between UCF and Tennessee, Heupel sports a 75-28 record.
The next player on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 12, will be announced on Monday, September 21. Players will be announced individually every week, with No. 1 being announced on Monday, December 7.
The first 37 players on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, as previously announced (with position, school and years played in the I-Bowl):
No. 14 – Art Monk (WR, Syracuse, 1979); No. 15 – Von Miller (OLB, Texas A&M, 2009); No. 16 — Wesley Walls (DE/TE, Ole Miss, 1986); No. 17 – Joe Morris (RB, Syracuse, 1979); No. 18 – Ray Childress (DT, Texas A&M, 1981); No. 19 – Sidney Rice (WR, South Carolina, 2005);
No. 20 – Brad Smith (QB, Missouri, 2003 and 2005); No. 21 – Derrick Mason (WR, Michigan State, 1995); No. 22 – Garrison Hearst (RB, Georgia, 1991); No. 23 – Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech, 2023); No. 24 – Tim Krumrie (NG, Wisconsin, 1982); No. 25 – Muhsin Muhammad (WR, Michigan State, 1995); No. 26 – Ja’Mar Toombs (RB, Texas A&M, 2000); No. 27 – Otis Wilson (LB, Louisville, 1977); No. 28 – A.J. Green (WR, Georgia, 2009); No. 29 – Rocky Calmus (LB – Oklahoma, 1999); No. 30 – Flozell Adams (OT – Michigan State, 1995);
No. 31 – Willie Blade (DT, Mississippi State, 2000); No. 32 – Scott Thomas (S, Air Force, 1983 & 1984); No. 33 – Chad Hennings (DT, Air Force, 1984); No. 34 — Dameyune Craig (QB, Auburn, 1996); No. 35 – Geno Atkins (DT, Georgia, 2009); No. 36 – Rondell Mealey (RB, LSU, 1997); No. 37 – Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama, 2007); No. 38 – Weldon Brown (CB, Louisiana Tech, 2008); No. 39 – Andre Smith (OT, Alabama, 2006 & 2007; No. 40 – Tiki Barber (RB, Virginia, 1994);
No. 41 – Puka Nacua (WR, BYU, 2021); No. 42 – Gary Kubiak (QB; Texas A&M, 1981); No. 43 — Seneca Wallace (QB, Iowa State, 2001); No. 44 – Todd McClure (C, LSU, 1995 & 1997); No. 45 – Gary Anderson (K, Syracuse, 1979); No. 46 – Booger McFarland (LB, LSU, 1995 & 1997); No. 47 – Tremaine Edmunds (LB – Virginia Tech, 2015); No. 48 – Bill Musgrave (QB – Oregon, 1989); No. 49 – Larry Anderson (DB – Louisiana Tech, 1977); No. 50 – Lorenza Baker (LB – Louisiana Tech, 1990).