Former Vols coach has reportedly 'emerged' in head coaching search for vacant college football job
A former Tennessee Vols assistant coach has reportedly "emerged" in the search for a new head coach at East Carolina. Mike Houston, who had been the head coach at East Carolina since 2019, was fired after the Pirates got off to a 3-4 start in 2024. On Tuesday, On3's Pete Nakos reported that former Tennessee […]
A former Tennessee Vols assistant coach has reportedly "emerged" in the search for a new head coach at East Carolina.
Mike Houston, who had been the head coach at East Carolina since 2019, was fired after the Pirates got off to a 3-4 start in 2024.
On Tuesday, On3's Pete Nakos reported that former Tennessee offensive coordinator Tyson Helton has "emerged" in the last week as an option to replace Houston in Greenville.
"One name that has emerged in the last week is Western Kentucky head coach Tyson Helton," wrote Nakos while discussing the East Carolina job.
Helton, who is the brother of former USC head coach Clay Helton, has served as the head coach at Western Kentucky since 2019.
Vols fans probably don't have many memories of Helton on Rocky Top. The former Houston quarterback spent just one season in Knoxville. Helton was former Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt's first offensive coordinator. He left Tennessee after the 2018 season to accept the head coaching job at Western Kentucky.
The Vols went 5-7 during Helton's lone season leading the offense. The most memorable moment of that season came when Tennessee won on the road against Auburn. Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano passed for 328 yards in that win against the Tigers.
Helton has done a nice job at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers won at least eight games in four of Helton's first five seasons leading the program (including three 9-win seasons). And they're on pace to reach that mark again in 2024 after getting of to a 6-2 start this fall.
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