Tennessee Vols assistant named as option for recently opened head coaching job
One of the key reasons Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel has been able to build a great culture during his first 21 months on Rocky Top is because of the continuity he has with his coaching staff. Not only has Heupel been able to keep his staff together (with the exception of wide receivers […]
One of the key reasons Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel has been able to build a great culture during his first 21 months on Rocky Top is because of the continuity he has with his coaching staff.
Not only has Heupel been able to keep his staff together (with the exception of wide receivers coach Kodi Burns, who took an NFL job with the New Orleans Saints), but the assistants at Tennessee all share the same values, vision, and work ethic.
One member of Heupel's staff, however, could be on the move after this season.
The Athletic's Bruce Feldman believes that Vols running backs coach Jerry Mack could be an option to replace Will Healy as UNC-Charlotte's head coach.
Healy, a Chattanooga native, was fired on Sunday.
Mack is working with the hottest offense in college football at Tennessee. The 41-year-old from Memphis knows this area well from his four seasons as the head coach at FCS NC Central, where he went 31-15 and 26-6 in the MEAC. He also has won three HBCU Football Coach of the Year awards.
It's far too early to say how likely it is that Mack will be Charlotte's top target. I imagine they'll have quite a few names on their list as they look to replace Healy.
But Mack is certainly a name that makes sense. He has previous head coaching experience in North Carolina and he's part of the most electric offense in college football right now. It wouldn't surprise me if he emerges as a top option, though we'll have to wait and see if that's the case.
On Tennessee's end of things, fans should hope that Mack stays in Knoxville. The continuity is obviously important but so are Mack's recruiting connections.
Memphis is an extremely important recruiting area for the Vols. And Mack, as a Memphis native, is key for Tennessee when it comes to being successful in the far west part of the state.
As the Vols continue to find success under Heupel, we'll see more of his assistants being targeted for head coaching jobs and promotions. That's the price of success. And while it's something that Heupel will have to learn to navigate, he also should have no shortage of options to replace outgoing assistants.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
