Vols insider gives expected timeline for Tennessee running backs coach hire
The Tennessee Vols are in need of a running backs coach after Jerry Mack left earlier this month to become the Jacksonville Jaguars' new running backs coach. Mack joined Tennessee's staff in 2021 when Josh Heupel took over as the program's head coach. This past season, under Mack's guidance, Jaylen Wright became the first Vols […]
The Tennessee Vols are in need of a running backs coach after Jerry Mack left earlier this month to become the Jacksonville Jaguars' new running backs coach.
Mack joined Tennessee's staff in 2021 when Josh Heupel took over as the program's head coach. This past season, under Mack's guidance, Jaylen Wright became the first Vols running back to rush for over 1,000 yards since Jalen Hurd in 2015.
VolQuest's Brent Hubbs joined 104.5 The Zone's "Ramon, Kayla, and Will" on Friday and he gave the latest on Tennessee's search for a new running backs coach.
"Josh Heupel's moved pretty fast on this one," said Hubbs. "He's interviewed a couple of guys, already had some conversations with some guys. I think that's a search that can end in relatively short order. I'm not saying today or even Monday. But I think by the end of next week you could be close to having that thing wrapped up, and having that vacancy filled before spring practice begins on March 18."
Hubbs mentioned TCU RBs coach Anthony Jones, Oregon RBs coach Carlos Locklyn, and Arkansas RBs coach Jimmy Smith as potential options to replace Mack at Tennessee.
Miami RBs coach Matt Merritt, who was an analyst at Tennessee in 2021 under Heupel, could also be an option — though it's worth noting that Merritt was just hired at Miami earlier this month, which could make that potential hire a bit tricky for the Vols.
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