Comment from 2026 4-star recruit that signed with Vols may hint at whether Tim Banks will return to Tennessee in 2026

Fans are wondering if Tim Banks will return as the Tennessee Vols’ defensive coordinator in 2026.

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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The Tennessee Vols have had a terrific first day of the early signing period.

Earlier on Wednesday, Tennessee flipped four-star edge rusher Carter Gooden from UCLA and four-star athlete Legend Bey from Ohio State.

The Vols kept the good vibes going on Wednesday afternoon by landing four-star edge rusher Jordan Carter, a former Texas A&M commit.

Carter, 6-foot-3/245 lbs from Douglasville, GA, is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 22 player in the state of Georgia.

Comment from Jordan Carter may hint at Tim Banks’ status for the 2026 season

One of several big questions that Vols fans have going into the offseason is whether defensive coordinator Tim Banks will return in 2026.

Banks has served as the Vols’ defensive coordinator since 2021.

In 2024, Tennessee had the No. 7 scoring defense in the nation.

The Vols didn’t fare nearly as well in 2025, finishing the regular season with the No. 92 scoring defense in the nation.

Tennessee’s drop off in 2025 was due in part to injuries, though missed tackles and missed assignments were a problem throughout the season. The Vols, though, were also very young this season, which contributed to some of those issues.

It’s unclear if Vols head coach Josh Heupel is inclined to make a change at defensive coordinator. But it’s certainly a move that’s expected to be on the table.

Some comments that Carter made to On3 after flipping to Tennessee, however, suggest that the four-star recruit is expecting Banks to coach the Vols’ defense in 2026.

“Coach G (Rodney Garner) can develop defensive linemen,” said Carter. “Development was so important to me. He coaches his players hard, he knows how to push them, and I like who he is as a coach. Being able to play for Coach G in Coach Banks’ defense is a good fit for me.”

That quote doesn’t mean for sure that Banks will be back next season (no staff moves were expected to be made by Tennessee before the early signing period, for what it’s worth). But it definitely indicates that Carter is expecting Banks to return. And I think it’s fair to wonder if he was told that before officially flipping to Tennessee on Wednesday.

We should know for sure in the coming weeks if any staff changes are going to be made at Tennessee. If Heupel is going to make a move, it needs to happen before the end of the month. Otherwise, he could have trouble finding the right coach(es) to hire.

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