Charlotte Head Coach Praises Tennessee's Program; Looks Forward to Returning to Knoxville
As a young Will Healy leaned over the railing at Neyland Stadium in 1998, it was never a thought in his mind that he would later be preparing to take on the Volunteers during his adulthood as the head coach of a program on the rise. Healy, the 35-year old head coach of the University of Charlotte 49ers, grew up close to the Vols — his best friend was a Tennessee fan, and he took many trips to Knoxville throughout his childhood to witness Coach Fulmer’s team in person.
Healy, who was an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, made his first return to Knoxville back in 2014; he was frozen in awe as he watched the T formed by the Pride of the Southland Marching Band expand in width as the Vols surged through it. “I was an assistant at Chattanooga, my wife’s actually taken a picture of me standing on the sidelines, because I was like ‘I don’t care what the pregame talk is, I’m going to watch this T thing expand and I’m going to be on the field when this team runs through the T,” said Healy, reminiscing of the first time he returned to Tennessee, during a recent interview with WNML. “I’d been in the stands so many times as a youngster watching it, that it was almost like being a Tennessee fan my whole life and then watching the team run through the T and be like, ‘Oh my goodness, we’ve gotta play these dudes in about 10 minutes.’”
Healy continued to praise the University of Tennessee Football Program’s prestige, history, and potential during the rest of the interview — and reiterated just how excited he was to return to Knoxville on September 5th. “It’ll be surreal,” Healy told WNML. “I think that (Neyland Stadium) is the Mecca of College Football. My dad, uncle, and granddad all played at Georgia Tech, so I grew up a Georgia Tech fan, but my best friend was a big Tennessee fan and I’d go to games (in Knoxville) and I’d be the first one leaning over the edge asking for Tee Martin’s wristband and Peerless Price’s and Cedrick Wilson’s.”
“I know the history of Tennessee football. Obviously went to camp as a youngster, 5-9, 149-pound high school quarterback wondering why the heck Randy Sanders and Phillip Fulmer weren’t recruiting me,” laughed Healy. “(Playing Tennessee will be a) surreal moment for me and (they’re) a tremendous program — huge test for our program. But if we’ve got any guys that want to play in the National Football League or you want to put your brand on the national stage, going to Neyland Stadium’s a pretty good start.”
Healy also made his admiration for Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt well known during the interview with WNML — praising Pruitt’s ability as both an in-game coach and a recruiter. “I think Coach Pruitt has done a tremendous job,” said Healy. “I think obviously what they’re doing in recruiting right now is insane. I think that the progress they made, especially the second half of the season last year, is really impressive. I’ve always known he was a great football coach.”
“I used to recruit his dad’s high school, so I knew about him, but I didn’t really know him. He may not know who the heck I am, but I look forward to getting a chance to meet him and be around him.” said Healy eagerly. “I know he’s exceptional at what he does, obviously one of the best defensive minds in the game — and I really do no coachspeak — being a Tennessee guy I’m impressed with what he’s done to bring some life back into Tennessee football.”
Healy will make his return to Neyland Stadium on September 5th — assuming no delays due to the COVID-19 Pandemic occur — to take on the coach he called “one of the best defensive minds in the game.” He will look to replicate what Georgia State did in 2019, but with high expectations for the Volunteers, it could be very tough to surprise Tennessee as the Panthers did last season.
