Kirby Smart and Josh Heupel: Reflecting on the Wild Year of 2020 in College Football
The year 2020 was one of the most unpredictable in college football history. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, teams faced unprecedented challenges, including schedule disruptions, roster limitations, and strict health protocols. Two head coaches—Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel—found themselves navigating these turbulent times in vastly different circumstances.
At the time, Smart was in his fifth season as Georgia’s head coach, leading a perennial powerhouse that had its eyes set on a national championship. Meanwhile, Heupel was the head coach at UCF, working to maintain the momentum of a program that had made waves in the Group of Five. The contrast in their situations in 2020, compared to where they stand today, makes looking back at that season all the more fascinating.
By 2020, Kirby Smart had already solidified Georgia as one of the premier programs in the nation. The Bulldogs had played for a national championship in 2017 and were consistently competing for SEC titles. However, 2020 presented unique challenges, including an all-SEC schedule and the constant threat of roster changes due to COVID-19.
One of the defining moments of Georgia’s 2020 season came at the quarterback position. Entering the year, Jamie Newman, a transfer from Wake Forest, was expected to be the starting quarterback. However, in September, he opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns, throwing Georgia’s plans into chaos. This led to a back-and-forth quarterback battle involving D’Wan Mathis, Stetson Bennett, and later JT Daniels.
Bennett, a former walk-on, became the unlikely starter for much of the season, guiding Georgia to key wins but struggling against elite defenses. Georgia finished the regular season 8-2, with losses to Alabama and Florida keeping them out of the SEC Championship Game. However, they rebounded with a thrilling Peach Bowl victory over Cincinnati, setting the stage for future success.
Despite the challenges, Smart laid the foundation in 2020 for Georgia’s eventual back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. The adversity faced that season—especially at quarterback—shaped the team’s resilience and strengthened the depth that would later pay off.
While Kirby Smart was dealing with quarterback uncertainty at Georgia, Josh Heupel was leading UCF through an unusual season in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Heupel, who had taken over as UCF’s head coach in 2018 following Scott Frost’s departure, had maintained a high level of success, but 2020 was a tough year for the Knights.
UCF finished 6-4, a disappointment by the program’s recent standards. The offense remained explosive, led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who threw for over 3,500 yards and 32 touchdowns. However, the defense struggled, leading to close losses in games where UCF’s high-scoring attack wasn’t enough to compensate for defensive lapses.
The season ended with a Gasparilla Bowl loss to BYU, marking a difficult conclusion to a frustrating year. By early 2021, Heupel was on the move, accepting the head coaching job at Tennessee after Jeremy Pruitt was fired. The move signaled a major shift for Heupel, as he stepped into one of the most scrutinized jobs in the SEC.
The lessons learned in 2020 helped Kirby Smart evolve as a head coach. The quarterback uncertainty of that season likely played a role in his decision to stick with Stetson Bennett in 2021, despite competition from former five-star recruit JT Daniels. That decision paid off, as Bennett led Georgia to its first national title in 41 years.
Had Georgia not experienced the trials of 2020—particularly the need for roster adaptability—it’s possible the Bulldogs’ championship breakthrough would have been delayed.
For Josh Heupel, 2020 was the final chapter of his UCF tenure before taking on a much bigger challenge in the SEC. When he arrived at Tennessee in 2021, the program was reeling from NCAA violations and roster turnover. Yet, in just two seasons, Heupel turned Tennessee into a legitimate contender, highlighted by a historic 2022 win over Alabama.
His up-tempo offensive system, which he fine-tuned at UCF, translated well to the SEC. By 2023, Tennessee was competing at a high level, proving that Heupel’s coaching philosophy could succeed in the nation’s toughest conference.
The 2020 college football season was chaotic, and Kirby Smart and Josh Heupel both faced their own versions of adversity. For Smart, it was about navigating quarterback uncertainty and keeping Georgia in contention. For Heupel, it was about sustaining UCF’s high-flying offense while dealing with defensive struggles before ultimately making the leap to the SEC.
Now, in 2024, these two coaches are among the most influential in college football. Smart has established Georgia as the premier program in the sport, while Heupel has revitalized Tennessee, restoring its place among SEC contenders.
Looking back, 2020 was a defining year that helped shape both men’s coaching careers. It was a year of unpredictability, but one that ultimately set the stage for future success.