Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel reportedly brought part of the Jeremy Pruitt era back to Rocky Top during the offseason.

But before you freak out, it’s a good move by Heupel.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, former Vols offensive coordinator Jim Chaney is working with Tennessee as a remote analyst.

“The former Vols offensive coordinator joined coach Josh Heupel’s staff as a remote analyst in late July prior to the 2025 season, a UT spokesperson confirmed to Knox News on Sept. 18,” wrote Mike Wilson this week.

Chaney served as Pruitt’s offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020. He also served at Tennessee as Lane Kiffin’s offensive coordinator in 2009 and Derek Dooley’s offensive coordinator from 2010 to 2012.

The Missouri native served as Kirby Smart’s offensive coordinator at Georgia from 2016 to 2018. Chaney has also spent time at Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Pittsburgh, and with the New Orleans Saints in the NFL, among other stops.

Bringing Jim Chaney back is a smart move for Tennessee Football

At first glance, bringing back a member of the coaching staff who was embroiled in a massive recruiting scandal at Tennessee may raise some eyebrows.

Chaney, however, wasn’t implicated in the scandal that resulted in Pruitt losing his job at Tennessee.

It’s unclear exactly what Chaney’s role is with the Vols. But since he’s serving as a remote analyst, we know he’s not out there on the practice fields.

Chaney is probably helping break down the offensive and defensive film of opponents, perhaps using his expertise and years of experience to identify some things Tennessee can exploit.

It’s a great move because it gives the Vols another set of experienced eyes. And because Chaney is working remotely, he’s more likely to point out some things that others in the room don’t see. He’ll provide a fresh perspective that isn’t contaminated by groupthink.

I don’t think the Vols’ early-season offensive success is happening because the program brought Chaney back. But Chaney has likely helped Tennessee’s coaches better prepare their offensive game plans.

You gotta credit Heupel for being willing to look outside of his inner circle for some offensive help. Evolving is an important part of sustaining offensive success in the SEC. And it certainly appears that Heupel is more than willing to evolve.

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