Josh Heupel previews the challenges of December calendar with looming 12-team CFP

This is the last season of the four-team College Football Playoff. For coaches like Josh Heupel of Tennessee who want to compete for spots in the CFP in the future, that’s going to create a very challenging month of December.

That’s because of how busy the December calendar already is for coaches. Most high school recruits now sign in December to go along with the transfer portal. On top of that, coaches need to do bowl prep. That’s only going to get exacerbated by potentially multiple rounds of CFP preparation.

“If you look at the placement of the first round of playoffs, everything that is going on in those first couple weeks of December, how do you add in preparation for a game of that size and magnitude during the course of what is happening,” Josh Heupel said. “It was not like I was not on the phone or flying somewhere or in somebody’s house or at a school every minute of the day. There is not enough time to accomplish everything that you needed to at this point in the season or at this point in the calendar, let alone if you are preparing for a game like that.”

Because of those extensive challenges, Josh Heupel expects that there are going to need to be changes in the calendar in some form. However, he doesn’t necessarily know how it needs to change just that it needs to be looked at.

“That is where, again, the calendar of how everything unfolds, the game has changed so quickly, so dramatically. I do think it is something that we have to look at,” Heupel concluded.

The CFP is expanding. How that works in practice and how it changes different program’s approaches to the season remains to be seen. However, it’s clear that what’s expected from the top coaches in the sport and their staff is only going to become more extensive.

Josh Heupel discusses new challenges in recruiting

Beyond just the calendar changing, there are numerous new challenges in recruiting, as Josh Heupel explained.

“The dynamics are different in that your roster has an opportunity to leave at the end of the year, as they look for the right place, right time, right fit for themselves. I think you look at our ability to retain a majority of our roster. You look at the guys that chose to come back for another year, a lot of veteran guys. Some of ’em had opportunities to move on to the next level. And feel like, you know, the culture, the energy, the ability to develop here, that it was right for them to come back for another year, too,” Heupel said.

“I think the hardest thing in today’s landscape is the uncertainty of the numbers. That can be with your entire roster. It can be with position groups. Because of the portal, the recruitment of these guys, and I’m talking about, you know, the fact the kids will still be going into the portal here [at the] end of January, you’re constantly evaluating your roster, where you’re at, what are the needs that you have? You’re looking for athletic traits. At times you feel like you need experience. At times you feel like, you know, those guys that are on campus that you need to develop and get them ready to play by the time you kick off next year.”