‘It’s been a little bit of a culture shock’ – Insider details how Tennessee’s players are adjusting to new strength coach Derek Owings

The Tennessee Vols made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by swiping strength coach Derek Owings from the Indiana Hoosiers. Owings left Indiana to join the Vols’ coaching staff the day after the Hoosiers beat the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game. Tennessee hired Owings to replace Kurt Schmidt, who had served […]

Zach Ragan — Tennessee Volunteers News Writer
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The Tennessee Vols made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by swiping strength coach Derek Owings from the Indiana Hoosiers.

Owings left Indiana to join the Vols’ coaching staff the day after the Hoosiers beat the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game.

Tennessee hired Owings to replace Kurt Schmidt, who had served as the Vols’ strength coach since 2021.

“Derek wanted this job, and that’s him understanding what Tennessee wants to be in this league and his belief in the resources and who we are and what we’re about in this building,” said Vols head coach Josh Heupel to On3 this week.

Vols insider details how Tennessee’s players are adjusting to Derek Owings

VolQuest’s Austin Price joined 104.5 The Zone’s Ramon and Will Tuesday for his weekly appearance and he detailed how Tennessee’s players are adjusting to Owings, who has been on the job for a little over a month now.

“He’s very impressive,” said Price of Owings. “He’s got a plan. He’s very passionate about the stuff that he believes in…the full sugar Gatorade is gone, the fried chicken is gone. He’s really trying to change the mindset of Tennessee football.

“And in talking to a bunch of the kids, I mean, it’s been a little bit of a culture shock. But they’re really excited, and they feel like this was the change necessary for them to take the next jump as a football program. And the players have responded well to it, because he’s one of those, much like Jim Knowles or Rodney Garner, he is going to jump your rear, but he is going to love you hard. He’s really diligent about trying to make Rocky Top, and make Tennessee, into a contender — much like Indiana was the last couple of years with him up there in Bloomington.”

“He’s doing the little things to try to make Tennessee better,” continued Price. “To try to help this team be in better shape, to be more disciplined.”

Owings is a gamechanger for the Vols. Tennessee wasn’t far away from being a much better team last season than their 8-5 final record indicated. Many of their losses came down to the small details. Those small details are what Heupel is hoping Owings can help the Vols improve on dramatically this offseason.

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