2 of Tennessee's top SEC rivals had interest in stealing a key Vols assistant coach this offseason
A couple of the Tennessee Vols' top SEC rivals had some recent interest in pursuing a key UT assistant coach according to VolQuest's Brent Hubbs. Tennessee's had to replace two assistants this offseason — De'Rail Sims is replacing Jerry Mack as the Vols' running backs coach and William Inge is replacing Brian Jean-Mary as the […]
A couple of the Tennessee Vols' top SEC rivals had some recent interest in pursuing a key UT assistant coach according to VolQuest's Brent Hubbs.
Tennessee's had to replace two assistants this offseason — De'Rail Sims is replacing Jerry Mack as the Vols' running backs coach and William Inge is replacing Brian Jean-Mary as the program's linebackers coach.
That number could've been three, but the Vols were able to hold on to wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope, who garnered interest from Alabama and Georgia according to Hubbs.
"I think it's big to keep him (Pope)," said Hubbs on Friday during an appearance on 104.5 The Zone's Ramon, Kayla, and Will. "Because your continuity factor is there. I think he's done a good job with the wide receivers. Even before he was an on-the-field coach, Jalin Hyatt talked about how important he was for him. I think the continued development of that position and keeping your continuity is important."
"Georgia certainly had some interest," added Hubbs. "I don't know if he was No. 1 on the board or No. 3 on the board or where he was, but they definitely had some interest in him and had reached out. He's a guy that Alabama had interest in him at one point as well. So I think he's pretty well thought of out there. Everything says he's going to come back and be at Tennessee. I think he's going to be one of the coaches that gets an extension on his contract."
In years past, that situation probably goes down differently. I'm not sure assistants on previous coaching staffs at Tennessee would've passed up an opportunity to leave for Alabama or Georgia.
Not only is this proof that Tennessee has an elite wide receivers coach in Pope, but it also shows that the positive culture that Josh Heupel's built over his first three years in Knoxville isn't just real, it's very sustainable.
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