Next DC? My Guess is William Inge gets a SERIOUS look.

[vegasvolfan]

Josh likes to promote within. So does Danny. It's not a bad promo....

William Inge owns over two decades of collegiate experience and has coached in back-to-back College Football Playoffs. He was officially announced as Tennessee’s linebackers coach on Feb. 21, 2024, and enters his second season on Rocky Top in 2025.

Inge has served as either defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator for 10 seasons, including tenures at Washington (2022-23),

William Inge - Football Coach - University of Tennessee Athletics​

Follow @WilliamInge1 THE INGE FILE PERSONAL INFORMATION Birthdate: Dec. 17, 1973 Hometown:

 

[MtnVol]

Not looking outside the box and going after the big time hires has been Josh's downfall. Not a fan of promoting within.

 

[HardKnoxVol]

I don't think he's going to roll with Inge. There's a lot of loud pressure on Heupel right now to hire someone from the outside and get it right. They're hearing the noise. And with next year's brutal schedule, I think he knows it's put up or shut up and he has to deliver.

 

[Volanta]

I want someone else. I like Inge but I want an outsider.

 

[MajinBooCarter]

My intial thought is that the bowl game is a little bit of a tryout, but i agee, gut feeling says inge is the leading candidate atm

 

[NEO]

He promotes Inge and we are basically no better.

Need a proven DC.

 

[Orange931]

Huge mistake if it does happen imo. Keep him on staff, but not as DC. It’s time for a new start on that side of the ball, we can’t do that by promoting within.

 

[OLEVOLFAN]

I say throw some money at Derek Mason

 

[ACvol3]

Let’s go with a huuuge name hire.. I’m thinking Sal Sunseri

 

[Through_The_T]

Hiring from within is something you do when things are going well and want continuity. That isn’t the case here. Fresh perspective is needed. Also, LB play was not exactly inspiring this season…

 

[Flogballs]

This doesn’t seem like the hire to simply just promote from within. Would be different if the D were humming and Banks got hired away.

 

[madbamahater]

I say throw some money at Derek Mason

Hell no. Not in any shape form or fashion

 

[joevol33]

I want someone else. I like Inge but I want an outsider.

Hey yo, here's 2 outsiders that could fire up a defense!

 

[Carp]

Early speculation is that we aren't going to promote from within, but of course no one really knows.

 

[sonofUT62]

Inge has a nice resume other than the stench of Banks on him. But the LB tackling this year was horrible. Hard to say what he could do on his own. I’m conflicted.

 

[madbamahater]

Jim Knowles should be top pick

or Jerod Mayo

 

[NEO]

Let’s go with a huuuge name hire.. I’m thinking Sal Sunseri

I hate you

 

[Cobb-Webb 1989]

No

 

[vegasvolfan]

He promotes Inge and we are basically no better.

Need a proven DC.

I am reading that he too likes a 2 LB system, but historically mixes it up more than Banks. I am not a huge fan of a 2 LB system. People pick it apart. His accomplishments are impressive, but I wouldn't mind seeing a really big name come into our program. We shall see, but Josh historically promotes from within. So this is less of a who he should hire vs who I think he will hire. I do think the hire could be far worse.

 

[vegasvolfan]

I hate you

lol

 

[SCRocket]

Not looking outside the box and going after the big time hires has been Josh's downfall. Not a fan of promoting within.

That isn't the Volnation way. Name any DC that you would want and put him as a promote form within and you wouldn't want him. Gotta be consistent right.

 

[McDad]

Josh likes to promote within. So does Danny. It's not a bad promo....

William Inge owns over two decades of collegiate experience and has coached in back-to-back College Football Playoffs. He was officially announced as Tennessee’s linebackers coach on Feb. 21, 2024, and enters his second season on Rocky Top in 2025.

Inge has served as either defensive coordinator or co-defensive coordinator for 10 seasons, including tenures at Washington (2022-23),

William Inge - Football Coach - University of Tennessee Athletics​

Follow @WilliamInge1 THE INGE FILE PERSONAL INFORMATION Birthdate: Dec. 17, 1973 Hometown:

That's my guess, too.

 

[cherokeeeVOL]

Is Lovie Smith still around? He's been known to frequent the Knoxville airport.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

Yeah, you cant let someone thats already on staff take it over. Surely to goodness DW and JH know that. This hire has to be a good one or JH isnt here much longer. Its that simple.

 

[temptn]

Jim Knowles — Former Ohio State and Penn State defensive coordinator: Tennessee saw Knowles first hand in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff. Knowles, then the defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes, held Tennessee’s offense to just 17 points. Knowles left Columbus for Penn State after the 2024 season, but the Nittany Lions’ season quickly went off the rails (head coach James Franklin was fired in October). Knowles spent eight seasons at Duke working under David Cutcliffe, a former Tennessee offensive coordinator.


Travaris Robinson — Georgia co-defensive coordinator: Robinson, a former Auburn defensive back, has plenty of SEC connections. The Miami native has coached at Auburn, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia. It’s never easy to swipe a staff member from the Bulldogs, but Robinson could be interested in leaving Georgia, where Glenn Schumann is the primary play-caller, so he can be completely in charge of his own defense. Robinson, by the way, worked with Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner at Auburn.

Al Golden — Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator: The Bengals have the No. 32 scoring defense in the NFL so far this season, so there’s no guarantee that Golden will return in 2026. And if Cincinnati moves on from Golden, he’s expected to be an in-demand defensive coordinator at the collegiate level. Golden served as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2024, leading the Irish to the No. 5 scoring defense in the nation.

Jerod Mayo — Former New England Patriots head coach: Mayo, a former Tennessee linebacker, could be an intriguing option for the Vols. Despite his uninspiring NFL head coaching debut with the Patriots in 2024, Mayo is still a well-thought of coach who is viewed as a tremendous leader. One problem for Mayo is that he’s spent his entire NFL career in the New England/Bill Belichick bubble. Mayo spent eight seasons as a player with the Patriots (the only NFL team he played for) before spending five seasons (2019 to 2023) as an assistant coach under Belichick. Heupel may want someone with more experience at the collegiate level.


Shiel Wood — Texas Tech defensive coordinator: Texas Tech has the No. 3 scoring defense in college football this season under Wood. The former Wofford wide receiver doesn’t have any SEC experience, but he’s a fast rising name in college football. The lack of SEC experience, by the way, isn’t always big negative. New Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding, for example, was at UTSA and had no SEC experience when he was hired by Nick Saban at Alabama ahead of the 2018 season.