Tennessee Vols assistant identified by national media outlet as a future head coach
A Tennessee Vols assistant coach was identified this week by 247Sports as a potential future head coach. 247Sports named nine assistant coaches this week that could become head coaches soon. And they included Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks on their list. From 247Sports: This may be an outside-the-box pick, given that defense is not what […]
A Tennessee Vols assistant coach was identified this week by 247Sports as a potential future head coach.
247Sports named nine assistant coaches this week that could become head coaches soon.
And they included Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks on their list.
This may be an outside-the-box pick, given that defense is not what one thinks about when considering Tennessee. Add in the Vols’ struggles in that department at points over the last couple years, and Banks may not be the best candidate. But context matters. Tennessee’s defense got decimated by the transfer portal when Jeremy Pruitt was fired, and the cupboards were left shockingly bare. When considering what he was left with, the work Banks has done thus far is very impressive. Now, with good work done in the portal and in high school recruiting, 2023 could be a breakout year for him. He was also involved in Duke’s coaching search last year, so there is legitimate interest in him.
Some Vols fans might be surprised to see Banks on this list, but I don't think they should be.
Banks has done a nice job with Tennessee's defense — especially considering the lack of depth the program had when he arrived in early 2021.
The former Penn State defensive coordinator went with a "bend but don't break" approach this season. Teams moved the ball between the 20s against Tennessee fairly easily. But once teams got in the red zone, the Vols' defense usually came up big.
Tennessee had the No. 13 red zone defense in the nation in 2022. The only SEC teams that were better were Texas A&M and Georgia.
That's a big reason why the Vols had the No. 36 scoring defense in the nation (22.8 points per game) despite finishing No. 91 in yards per game given up (405.3 yards per game).
Something else to consider is that success as a coordinator doesn't guarantee anything when it comes to being a head coach. We've seen plenty of successful coordinators fail as head coaches. We've also seen coaches like Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel have a rough time as coordinator (the Houston Texans had the No. 32 scoring defense in the NFL during Vrabel's lone year as their defensive coordinator) only to find success as a head coach.
Banks is a well-respected coach that's extremely smart. He was one of the few defensive coordinators that wasn't afraid to work opposite Tennessee's up-tempo offense (that scared away some potential options). That type of mindset is an attractive trait in a head coach. If the Vols take another big step forward defensively in 2023, I wouldn't be surprised if Banks is a head coach somewhere in 2024.
Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
