Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel's contract, Rick Barnes salary draw reader response | Adams

SEC coaching salaries are skyrocketing. So, as you would expect, some of my astute literary contributors have noticed.

And they haven't been shy about sharing their opinions.

Mark writes: 9 million happy smiles

The toughest thing I’ve had to do, budget-wise, for the last umpteen years, is trying to justify spending season ticket dollars for UT football. One year my wife jokingly suggested I seek counseling. (I wasn't sure she meant budget or emotional...I didn't ask)

But I’ve reached down deep and spent the money hoping the next season would be different. (a fool's errand?)

I felt committed and invested.

Now finally, we have leadership (AD Dann White) who's committed and investing in the right areas.

It sends a clear message to the sports world:

Tennessee is BACK!

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My response: Glad you are happy about Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel's new $9 million salary but you still might need counseling (based on some of your emails). I’m available for $50 an hour video counseling sessions. Professionals probably will charge you more than twice that.

Think about it.

Mike writes: I just saw a listing of the highest paid college football coaches in America. In my opinion, you could cut Kentucky coach Mark Stoops’ salary in half and he would still be paid at least five times what he is worth.

My response: Stoops and his family would vehemently disagree with you. But anyone else has to be mystified that a “basketball school” would pay its football coach more than $8 million a year. For that kind of money, he also should help Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari recruit.

Stoops has done a nice job at a program known for mediocre or worse football. He has made the Wildcats a bowl regular and produced two 10-win seasons.

But an $8 million salary is championship money. And does anyone believe Kentucky is on the verge of winning anything more than a state championship?

Shemp writes: My friends have been in a discussion of why it would be better for UT to be a number 2 seed (instead of No. 1) in the NCAA Tournament so that when we lose in the first or second round as “one and done” normally does it would be less embarrassing.

Rick Barnes is a great coach and maybe a greater human being but based on results he is by far the most overpaid college basketball coach.

My response: I can appreciate the frustration of UT fans who are accustomed to seeing the Vols play like world beaters during the regular season only to falter early in the NCAA Tournament.

Perhaps, this is the season when Barnes’ Vols rise above their history of postseason failure and reach the Final Four. Of course, I also predicted Tennessee would make the Final Four last season.

Counterpoint: If Stoops is worth more than $8 million to coach Kentucky football, then Barnes’ $5 million-plus salary is a bargain for Tennessee basketball.

Nicholas writes: If Coach Heupel’s offense is unstoppable—-I don’t think the Georgia game was all about the Georgia defense—-why don’t other SEC teams use it?

My response: Given Tennessee’s success (the Vols led the nation in points per game and total offense this past season), more coaches are apt to give Heupel’s up-tempo, spread offense a try. But it’s still too extreme for most coaches.

It doesn’t just put a strain on opposing defenses. The fast pace can put a strain on your own defense.

It also requires an offensive staff that can call plays and manage an offense at a breakneck pace. Heupel and his staff can do that. It’s not for everybody, though.

And it’s not just the system that makes this offense so productive. Heupel is an elite play caller who is adept at spotting and capitalizing on opponents’ defensive shortcomings.

Glenn writes: With the players who have left via the transfer portal and the experienced ones who are coming in, it appears the Vols have immediately helped themselves in some positions of need. But evaluating the talent that has left compared to what is coming in, has the overall team talent level improved or remained about the same?

My response: Tennessee hasn’t made the same splash in the transfer portal as some SEC teams, most notably LSU and Ole Miss. But the Vols have gained more in quality than what they lost.

Tayven Jackson, a former four-star recruit, might prove to be a good college quarterback at Indiana. But he was No. 3 on Tennessee’s depth chart.

Moreover, UT has helped a defense by adding two transfers from BYU. Linebacker Keenan Pili and cornerback Gabe Jeudy-Lally both should start.

Tennessee likely added another starter in offensive lineman John Campbell, a Miami transfer.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Josh Heupel salary: Tennessee football coach draws reader response