New Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles reportedly makes hire that could mean another Vols assistant won’t return in 2026
Tennessee Vols defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is filling out his defensive coaching staff.
Recently hired Tennessee Vols defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has reportedly hired a new assistant coach.
According to CBS Sports college football insider Matt Zenitz, Tennessee is hiring Penn State’s Andrew Jackson to a “front seven coaching role”.
Knowles and Jackson were together at Penn State in 2025 (Jackson was the Nittany Lions’ assistant defensive line coach this past season).
Jackson served as West Virginia’s defensive line coach from 2021 to 2024.
What does this hire mean for the rest of Tennessee’s defensive coaching staff?
The addition of Jackson to the Vols’ coaching staff is interesting since Tennessee is expected to bring veteran defensive line coach Rodney Garner back in 2026.
Jackson has spent most of his post-playing career as a defensive line coach.
So what does this move mean for the Vols’ coaching staff?
We’ll likely know the answer before end of the weekend. But it would make sense for Jackson to focus on the EDGE/Leo position. If that’s the case, it likely means that outside linebackers coach Levorn Harbin (AKA Coach Chop) won’t return to Tennessee in 2026.
It’s also possible that Jackson could coach linebackers, but since he has no experience in that area, that is probably unlikely.
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The Tennessee Vols finished the 2025 season with an 8-5 record after falling to Illinois in the Music City Bowl.
