Josh Heupel discusses Tennessee having higher expectations in 2022

2022 SEC media days: Josh Heupel discusses Tennessee having higher expectations in 2022

The Southeastern Conference media days are taking place at the College Football Hall of Fame and The Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 2022 media days are taking place July 18-21 and SEC Network is televising the annual event.

Second-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel took part in media days Thursday.

Heupel was asked about success Tennessee experienced in 2021, and now having expectations higher this season.

“I don’t want to be anywhere where there isn’t hunger to be better,” Heupel said. “The expectations are never going to be higher outside of the building than they are inside of the building. Getting our kids to understand, not soak in the outside noise. They’re going to hear it, they’re going to see it, but it changes the way you strain, focus, go about your daily habits.

“A year ago what was being said outside of our program had nothing to do with who and what we were as a program. When I came up here for media day a year ago, to who and what we were when we opened up the season last fall, and how we competed every single week. The outside noise will have nothing to do with who we are this fall either. We have to do a great job of continuing on this journey, competing, finishing our summer workouts here next week, then having a great training camp doing it one day at a time.”

Tennessee finished the 2021 season 7-6 and appeared in the Music City Bowl.

The Vols will host Ball State at Neyland Stadium in Week 1 to kick off the 2022 campaign. Tennessee announced its season opener will be played Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. EDT. SEC Network will televise the season-opening matchup at Neyland Stadium.

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