Tennessee Vols: Jeremy Pruitt announces changes to coaching staff
Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt finally announced assistant coach assignments for the 2019 season on Friday. Pruitt confirmed that Tennessee will have six offensive coaches. Jim Chaney — Offensive coordinatorTee Martin — Passing game coordinator/wide receiversChris Weinke — Quarterbacks (previously running backs)David Johnson — Running backs (previously wide receivers)Brian Niedermeyer — Tight endsWill Friend […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt finally announced assistant coach assignments for the 2019 season on Friday.
Pruitt confirmed that Tennessee will have six offensive coaches.
- Jim Chaney — Offensive coordinator
- Tee Martin — Passing game coordinator/wide receivers
- Chris Weinke — Quarterbacks (previously running backs)
- David Johnson — Running backs (previously wide receivers)
- Brian Niedermeyer — Tight ends
- Will Friend — Offensive line
Pruitt acknowledged that he wanted a coach to specifically coach quarterbacks, instead of having an offensive coordinator being distracted by the rest of the offense. That means Chaney won't coach a specific position in 2019.
Defensively, Kevin Sherrer will move from defensive coordinator to special teams. New hire Derrick Ansley, who Pruitt poached from the NFL, will be the Vols' primary defensive coordinator in 2019 (Pruitt confirmed that Ansley will call the defensive plays). Ansley will also coach the secondary. Those duties were broken up last year between Charles Kelly (safeties) and Terry Fair (cornerbacks).
Here's how it breaks down.
- Derrick Ansley — Defensive coordinator/secondary
- Chris Rumph — Outside linebackers/co-defensive coordinator
- Kevin Sherrer — Special teams/inside linebackers (previously defensive coordinator)
- Tracy Rocker — Defensive line
Pruitt called himself the fifth assistant on the defensive side of the ball.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
