The Southeastern Conference media days took place July 18-21 at the College Football Hall of Fame and The Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Second-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel took part in media days July 21.
Heupel was asked how Tennessee’s program goes about managing name, image and likeness when it comes to possibly interacting with any sort of collective.
“I think there’s great opportunity in it,” Heupel said. “I mentioned Hendon (Hooker) and what he’s been able to do, have an impact on our community, on youth inside of our community in particular. It’s an opportunity to educate and empower our student-athletes, which is what college football and the collegiate experience is all about. I think it’s dramatically changed the way that young people come into your program, how thoughtful they are about every situation that they’re involved in, how they’re portrayed in what’s out there on social media, the decisions they’re making every night of the week. I think in those ways it’s such an empowering tool for our student-athletes.
“I just go back to myself as a player. Certainly the most powerful thing that I had was my teammates and the logo that I was playing for. At the same time, though, I think I was creating some value there, too. I would have liked to have had an opportunity to have been afforded to take part in NIL. Would have liked to have worn my starting left tackle jersey or worn his shirt. I look at my own kids, Jace and Hannah, that get a chance to run around the house or run with their friends and wear a Cedric Tillman and Hendon Hooker shirt or jersey. I think there’s empowering opportunities through NIL.”
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