‘Tennessee is feverishly working to get him a new deal completed’ – It sounds like Vols are trying to keep a key assistant coach
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel has some coaching staff decisions to make this offseason.
The Tennessee Vols’ coaching staff could look a little different in 2026.
Several Vols assistant coaches are on expiring contracts, and others could choose to leave for other jobs.
There’s also the possibility that Vols head coach Josh Heupel could choose to move on from some coaches (though nothing is believed to be imminent at this time).
For now, there are no guarantees on who will return next season and who won’t.
One assistant, however, who it sounds like the Vols are working hard to keep is wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope.
Tennessee is working to get a new deal completed with Kelsey Pope
Pope, who has served as the Vols’ wide receivers coach since 2022, is quickly emerging as one of the top wide receivers coaches in the nation.
The former Samford wide receiver has done an elite job on the recruiting trail, landing several top wide receivers in 2025 (Travis Smith Jr, Radarious Jackson, Joakim Dodson). Pope was even better during the 2026 recruiting cycle, signing five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys and four-star wide receivers Legend Bey and Tyreek King. Pope also helped recruit four-star athlete Joel Wyatt, who could play wide receiver, safety, or outside linebacker in college.
Additionally, Pope showed he can develop wide receivers at a high level by helping Mike Matthews, Braylon Staley, and Chris Brazzell enjoy breakout seasons in 2025. All three wide receivers went over 700 yards this season, with Brazzell topping 1,000 yards.
VolQuest’s Austin Price joined WNML’s Josh and Swain this week, and he noted that Tennessee is “feverishly” working on a new deal for Pope.
“You’ve got most everybody on a returning contract, except for a couple of coaches,” said Price. “A guy like Kelsey Pope, whose contract is expiring, Tennessee is really feverishly working to get him a new deal completed, and get him under contract for the next couple of years.”
Getting Pope locked down should certainly be a top priority for the Vols this offseason. Pope is one of the best recruiters in college football, and he’s already been pursued in the past by Alabama and Georgia. Tennessee would be wise to get this deal done as quickly as possible.
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