Time for Heupel to exit Frost Boulevard

Josh Heupel and Scott Frost have similar histories. Well, not so much similar as in almost identical.

OU hero Heupel is the new football coach at Tennessee, after a three-year run at Central Florida, where he succeeded, yes, Frost.

Frost left Orlando for his alma mater, Nebraska, and if Heupel has the same success at Tennessee as Frost has had in Lincoln, Heupel's time in Knoxville will be more Rocky than Top.

The backgrounds of Frost and Heupel are stunningly akin.

Both grew up in the Midlands, Frost in Wood River, Nebraska, which is 354 straight south of Heupel's Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Both became transfers in college. Frost went to Stanford, before landing at Nebraska. Heupel went to Weber State and eventually Snow Junior College, before landing at OU.

Both became nationalchampionship Big Red quarterbacks. Frost's Cornhuskers won the 1997 title. Heupel's Sooners

won the 2000 title.

Both went into coaching and quickly became known as offensive gurus. Frost eventually was offensive coordinator at Oregon. His 2014 Ducks played in the nationalchampionship game. Heupel eventually was quarterback coach, then offensive coordinator, at OU. His 2008 Sooners played in the nationalchampionship game.

Both became head coach at Central Florida at age 39. Frost's 2017 UCF team went 13-0 and beat Auburn 34-27 in the Peach Bowl. Heupel's 2018 UCF team went 12-1 and lost 40-32 to LSU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Both stamped UCF as a mid-major power. Frost's two-year record of 19-7 was a winning percentage of .731. Heupel's three-year record of 28-8 was a winning percentage of .777.

Both were hired as head coaches by proud programs that had seen better days. Frost at Nebraska, Heupel at Tennessee.

Nebraska last won the national championship in 1997. Tennessee last won the national championship in 1998.

Nebraska's last conference title, the Big 12, came in 1999. Tennessee's last conference title, the Southeastern, came in 1998.

Nebraska's last major bowl, the Rose, came in 2001. Tennessee's last major bowl, the Fiesta, came in 1999.

Nebraska's last division title, the Big Ten West, came in 2012. Tennessee's last division title, the SEC East, came in 2007.

Frost is Nebraska's fourth head coach in the last 14 years. Heupel is Tennessee's sixth head coach in the last 14 years.

Frost has gone 12-20 in his three years at Nebraska. Heupel has begun his Tennessee odyssey.

Time for Heupel to exit Scott Frost Boulevard.