Dave Arslanian served as Josh Heupel’s head coach at Weber State from 1996-97.
Heupel signed with Weber State out of high school and redshirted his freshman 1996 season.
Entering spring practices in 1997 as a redshirt freshman, Heupel was competing for the Wildcats’ starting quarterback position. He was competing against John Fassel, current Dallas Cowboys’ special teams coordinator, and UCLA transfer Steve Buck.
“When we had Josh, we also had signed two transfer kids,” Arslanian told Vols Wire. “Buck from UCLA and Fassel from the University of Pacific who had just dropped football. Those were our three quarterbacks that were competing and Josh was in the hunt.
“We redshirted Josh as a freshman and then that spring he was in the hunt with those guys. I think he felt like he could probably win the job and I felt like he probably could, too.”
During Weber State’s spring game, Heupel suffered an ACL injury.
“In the spring game, you don’t touch the quarterbacks,” Arslanian said. “They ran a blitz and Josh had just thrown the ball and the linebacker came running by and just kind of tapped him on the shoulder. Josh was planted on his right foot because he just finished his throw, and it just twisted enough he tore his ACL.”
After suffering the injury, Heupel showed his determination and competitive edge to put himself in position to play during the 1997 season.
“Our doctors evaluated him and said it was going to take 6-12 months to rehab,” Arslanian said. “Josh and his dad got on the phone and they found a doctor in Indianapolis that was doing surgeries on ACLs and getting great results. Josh ends up going there and having the surgery. June, July and August – two and a half months later – he is ready to start two-a-days. We wouldn’t let him, but we did let him practice once a day.
“He ends up not being able to play the first couple of games, but he is then ready to play. We started working him in there and he ended up taking over the starting job about mid-year. Just his sheer determination, that was Josh Heupel.”
Heupel would finish his collegiate career at Oklahoma from 1999-2000 as a starting quarterback.
He would lead the Sooners to the 2000 BCS national championship, and finishing second in the Heisman Memorial Trophy voting that season.
Heupel finished behind Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke in the final voting. The two quarterbacks were weeks away from playing each other in the BCS national championship game.
Arslanian discussed how Heupel’s competitive edge was shown following Weinke winning the Heisman Trophy and a preview of Oklahoma’s 13-2 victory over the Seminoles.
“He was at the Heisman awards and my wife and I were watching the show, and when they announced Weinke as the winner, Josh is sitting next to him, I saw the look on Josh’s face and I turned to my wife and said Weinke and Florida State are in trouble – Josh is going to destroy them,” Arslanian said. “I just remember the look on Josh’s face when they announced Weinke.
“I just remember that look – it was just true Josh Heupel.”
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