Tennessee Vols: How will Tee Martin fit on Jeremy Pruitt's staff?
According a report from ESPN's Chris Low early Tuesday morning, former Tennessee Vols legend Tee Martin is joining Jeremy Pruitt's staff on Rocky Top. Martin, who led the Vols the 1998 national championship, was recently relieved of his duties as USC's offensive coordinator. Martin was on staff at USC from 2012-2018. Prior to his time […]
According a report from ESPN's Chris Low early Tuesday morning, former Tennessee Vols legend Tee Martin is joining Jeremy Pruitt's staff on Rocky Top.
Martin, who led the Vols the 1998 national championship, was recently relieved of his duties as USC's offensive coordinator. Martin was on staff at USC from 2012-2018.
Prior to his time at USC, Martin served as wide receivers coach at Kentucky from 2010-11. He was also the quarterbacks coach at New Mexico in 2009.
Bringing Martin on staff at Tennessee is a major coup for Pruitt. Martin is one of the best recruiters in the country and he's a proven position coach.
But how does he fit on the staff?
At the moment, there isn't technically an opening on Tennessee's staff. The lone opening was filled last week when Jim Chaney was hired to replace Tyson Helton as the Vols' offensive coordinator.
Pruitt inadvertently foreshadowed that some staff shakeup was on the way when he wouldn't tell Jimmy Hyams during a radio interview on WMNL last week what Chaney's additional job duties will be in 2018. The assumption is that Chaney will coach quarterbacks, but that hasn't been confirmed yet.
There are two candidates to leave Tennessee's staff right now — running backs coach Chris Weinke and wide receivers coach David Johnson.
Former Vols beat reporter John Brice reported on Monday that Auburn has interest in Johnson.
If Johnson departs for Auburn (or somewhere else), then Martin can slot right in as the Vols' wide receivers coach, which would make the most sense. If Weinke leaves, then Johnson could slide over to running backs (a position he's coached before) and Martin could coach wide receivers.
There's also the possibility that Martin receives a "pass game coordinator" title, which would mean a bit more money for the former Vol quarterback. Martin was listed as the passing game coordinator at Kentucky in 2011 and USC in 2014/15.
Regardless of what Martin's title ends up being at Tennessee, there will absolutely be some staff movement in the next couple of days.
Featured image via ESPN
