Vols’ Pruitt loses O- line assistant to Gamecocks,
Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt is now in need of an offensive line coach and a defensive line coach.
Will Friend, the offensive line coach of the Volunteers the past three seasons, was named Sunday to the same position at South Carolina under new coach Shane Beamer. Friend will be reunited with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who is being retained by Beamer after serving as the interim coach when Will Muschamp was fired last month.
Friend was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach under Bobo at Colorado State for five seasons (2015-19).
“Will has had a history of developing excellent offensive linemen during his coaching career,” Beamer said in a Gamecocks release. “He knows what it takes to compete in the SEC and brings a drive and energy that we want on our staff.”
Tennessee left guard Trey Smith earned All- Southeastern Conference first-team honors the past two seasons under Friend’s tutelage, while tackles Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright were Freshman All-SEC selections in 2019.
Beamer has named seven of his 10 full-time assistants — Bobo, Friend, running backs coach Des Kitchings, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson, tight ends coach Erik Kimrey and special teams coordinator Pete Lembo. Kitchings, Peterson and Rocker are being retained from Muschamp’s staff as well.
All of Beamer’s hires are pending approval of the university’s board of trustees, who are scheduled to meet Jan. 4.
Pruitt has been without a defensive line coach since firing Jimmy Brumbaugh on Oct. 18, the day after the Vols were surprisingly thumped 34-7 by Kentucky in Neyland Stadium. Pruitt assumed the defensive line chores for the final six games of what turned out to be a disappointing 3-7 season.