Football Guy Josh Heupel Wanted Lockers for Christmas as a 4-Year-Old

As the number countdown to Vols football that I change on a whiteboard at my desk every morning has reached the 40s, I have begun to feel that annual feeling of unrealistic hope which will lead to certain heartbreak. But after seeing this little tidbit about Josh Heupel, I'm ready to go.

ESPN has had one of these weird fun facts about every coach as they've come to the podium at SEC Media Days, but this is a move only a true Football Guy could pull off. Heupel has been learning to lead a locker room since before he could even read.

WJHL — When he was 4, he wanted football lockers for Christmas

In an article published in 2001 in the magazine “Bigger Faster Stronger,” Josh’s mom Cindy told writer Greg Shepard that Josh’s “vision of greatness” began early. She said as a child, Josh would re-enact games for family first as a coach, then as the quarterback. When he was 4, he asked Santa for lockers to hold his collection of hundreds of footballs, she said.

Every kid wants a jersey or a football. My coach had so many footballs that he needed a mini locker room built in his home as a pre-schooler.

I'm very happy we got the guy who was ALWAYS my No. 1 choice for the job. When you can get a Football Guy like this who puts an obnoxious amount of points on the board, you don't even call anybody else.

All jokes aside, I just want Tennessee to be fun to watch. Even losing games 52-42 would be a nice change of pace. Just score. And as much as I'm going to feel differently by about Week 4, I am incredibly excited for college football. We're so close.

In Heupel We Trust.