OFFENSE
Jim Chaney
Position: Offensive coordinator Position in 2018: Georgia offensive coordinator/tight ends coach
The skinny: Tennessee spared no expense to fill its offensive coordinator position after Tyson Helton left to become Western Kentucky’s coach. The Vols used a three-year, $4.8 million deal to lure Chaney from Georgia. This is his second stint at Tennessee.
He served as offensive coordinator for Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley. Along with UT and Georgia, Chaney has been the offensive coordinator at Cal State Fullerton, Purdue, Arkansas and Pittsburgh.
Will Friend
Position: Offensive line coach Position in 2018: Tennessee offensive line coach
The skinny: Friend is Pruitt’s former college roommate and longtime friend. He’s preparing for his second year in charge of Tennessee’s offensive line, a unit that needs to show improvement after hamstringing the offense in backto-back seasons.
David Johnson
Position: Running backs coach Position in 2018: Tennessee wide receivers coach
The skinny: Johnson moves to different position in his second season on staff to make room for Tee Martin coaching wide receivers, Johnson coached running backs during his four seasons at Tulane.
Tee Martin
Position: Wide receivers coach/ passing game coordinator/assistant head coach
Position in 2018: Southern California offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach
The skinny: Pruitt brought Martin, the quarterback on the Vols’ 1998 national championship team, back to UT after he became a casualty of USC’S 5-7 campaign in 2018, ending his sevenyear stint in Los Angeles. Martin fits well as Tennessee’s wide receivers coach, but the bigger deal with this hire is Martin’s proven track record as a recruiter.
Brian Niedermeyer
Position: Tight ends coach Position in 2018: Tennessee tight ends coach
The skinny: Niedermeyer has become a key member of this staff for his work as a recruiter. He was named the 2019 247Sports national recruiter of the year after helping Tennessee assemble the nation’s 12th-ranked class.
Chris Weinke
Position: Quarterbacks coach Position in 2018: Tennessee running backs coach
The skinny: Given the necessary shuffling to Tennessee’s offensive staff, it makes sense for Weinke to coach the Vols’ quarterbacks. He won a Heisman Trophy at that position at Florida State and coached quarterbacks in the NFL with the St. Louis/los Angeles Rams.
DEFENSE Derrick Ansley
Position: Defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach
Position in 2018: Oakland Raiders defensive backs coach
The skinny: Ansley gains control of Tennessee’s defense in his first year on staff. He also will take over Tennessee’s defensive backs after safeties coach Charles Kelly departed for Alabama and Pruitt fired cornerbacks coach Terry Fair. Ansley twice worked with Pruitt on Nick Saban’s staff, including the 2016-17 seasons, when Pruitt was the Tide’s defensive coordinator and Ansley coached defensive backs. Ansley served as Tennessee’s cornerbacks coach in 2012.
Tracy Rocker
Position: Defensive line coach Position in 2018: Tennessee defensive line coach
The skinny: Rocker is an SEC journeyman who has also coached at Mississippi, Arkansas, Auburn and Georgia. He’s back for his second season working with the Vols’ D-line. His challenge will be fortifying a unit that is light on veterans.
Chris Rumph
Position: Outside linebackers coach/ co-defensive coordinator
Position in 2018: Tennessee outside linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator
The skinny: Rumph is another staff holdover who is a veteran hand, having coached at Memphis, Clemson, Alabama, Texas and Florida.
Kevin Sherrer
Position: Special teams coach/inside linebackers coach
Position in 2018: Tennessee defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach
The skinny: To make room for Ansley, Pruitt reassigned Sherrer to special teams coach. He also remains in charge of inside linebackers. Pruitt noted Sherrer’s background as a high school assistant, which Pruitt said prepared Sherrer to coach anything.