Just In: Why Josh Heupel doesn’t have a general manager for Tennessee football like most SEC teams
In an era where the college football landscape is rapidly evolving — especially within the high-stakes environment of the SEC — many programs have embraced a professional-style structure by hiring a general manager to oversee recruiting, roster management, and NIL strategy. But at Tennessee, head coach Josh Heupel continues to steer the Volunteers without one.
While programs like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU have formalized front-office roles to keep pace with the complexities of modern college football, Heupel has taken a different approach. His decision not to appoint a designated general manager isn’t about resisting change — it’s about trust, structure, and operational philosophy.
Since arriving in Knoxville in 2021, Heupel has emphasized collaboration across his coaching staff and support team. Rather than centralizing control under a GM title, Heupel relies on a group effort that includes key roles in player personnel, recruiting strategy, and NIL coordination.
“We’ve built a really strong infrastructure with people who specialize in different areas,” Heupel said in a recent interview. “It’s not about one title — it’s about how we function as a team. Everyone has a clear role and we communicate constantly.”
That structure includes personnel director Brandon Lawson, who handles much of the recruiting logistics and evaluation work, and several off-field analysts who support scouting and film review. Tennessee’s NIL efforts, led in part by its partnership with the Spyre Sports Group collective, also operate independently from a singular GM figure.
This model may be unconventional compared to schools that prefer the NFL-style hierarchy, but it hasn’t hindered Tennessee’s success. Under Heupel’s leadership, the Vols have put together back-to-back top-15 recruiting classes and have remained a strong presence in the SEC East.
Still, questions persist among fans and analysts about whether the program will eventually join the growing list of schools that have installed a general manager — especially as roster turnover, the transfer portal, and NIL become more difficult to manage.
“There’s no right or wrong way to do this,” said an anonymous SEC assistant coach. “Some coaches want that GM buffer to handle the business side. Others, like Heupel, prefer to stay hands-on with every part of the program. It just depends on your style.”
For now, Heupel appears confident in the system he has built — one that values cohesion over titles. But with the pace of change accelerating in college football, it’s possible that Tennessee may eventually adopt a more defined GM role if the need arises.
Until then, Heupel’s streamlined, staff-driven model remains a reflection of his leadership — practical, focused, and built on mutual trust.
And as long as the Volunteers continue to win and recruit at a high level, there’s little reason to question the results.
