Destin Wade talks 'fit' with Heupel
Josh Heupel’s reputation coming to Rocky Top is a coach who develops quarterbacks with an offense that is fun and exciting to watch.
Something the former UCF coach did very well in Orlando was putting athletes on the field and finding the best ways for them to succeed.
In-state athlete Destin Wade could benefit from that type of coaching.
The Summit Hill standout quarterbacked his team to the class 5-A state title this year but has the intangibles to find the field in several spots. That’s something the four-star realized over the past week when analyzing this new offense coming to Knoxville.
“It’s a great fit for me as a quarterback and for running the ball,” Wade told Volquest. “With me being an athlete and moving in different ways, I could be a dual-threat, and not just at quarterback, but at other positions as well.
“I do that when I go to camps. I definitely need to work on my progression, route running and releases, but I think I’m an athlete who could benefit in this type of offense.”
Both Wade and his twin brother, Keaten Wade, rank as top-10 prospects in the state of Tennessee – coming in at No. 10 and No. 4, respectfully. The older brother [by two minutes] Destin, is tabbed as the 28th-best athlete in the class of 2022 and owns a 5.8 Rivals Rating.
“I have about 18 offers right now,” Wade said. “I plan on releasing a top-10 here soon – probably in the next few weeks.”
The Spring Hill, Tenn. native told Volquest that Tennessee would likely make the cut and that gives Heupel a chance to get back into the race.
“He called and talked to both of us [Keaten, too] that first night on the job. We were some of the first guys he called,” Wade said. “He said we were priorities in this class and wants us to get onboard with the Vols to make an impact.
“He said that the early meetings with the team have been going really well and that he’s ready to get this thing going.”
The new Volunteer coach also had some jokes during the phone call, apparently.
“He said he liked twins,” Wade laughed. “He was really easy to talk to – making jokes and all. He asked us who eats the most food or if we still bunk in the same room. It was a good conversation.”
Since that conversation over a week ago, Heupel has kept in contact with Wade through a couple of text messages. The athlete said the new Vol head man plans to keep in touch and wants the twins to come visit Knoxville as soon as things begin to open back up.
This offseason, Wade continues to train for his upcoming senior campaign. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound athlete hopes Summit can run it back one more time. In the meantime, the athlete is playing basketball for his school.
