Tennessee Football: 5 strengths with Vols revamped staff heading into 2019

[dduncan4163]

Tennessee football: 5 strengths with Vols revamped staff heading into 2019

"In the offseason, Jeremy Pruitt replaced his offensive coordinator and brought in a new defensive coordinator. Tennessee football has three new coaches overall, and five new positions have changed coaches.

Simply put, the Vols have totally changed up their staff. Even the special teams coordinator is different, although he is a returning coach from last year’s team, Kevin Sherrer. Jim Chaney is the new offensive coordinator and Derrick Ansley is the new defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Meanwhile, Tee Martin is the new position coach, coming into lead the wide receivers. Chris Weinke moved over to quarterbacks coach, and David Johnson moved over to running backs coach. Charles Kelly, Tyson Helton and Terry Fair are all gone. As a result, Tennessee football made a splash in the offseason with the way it changed things up.

But is this all good news or bad news? After all, change for change’s sake isn’t always great. Sure, the Vols had a historically bad offense last year, but that doesn’t all fall on the staff members who were there. And the defense was serviceable."


We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Joes.

 

[XknoxvolsX]

Tennessee football: 5 strengths with Vols revamped staff heading into 2019

"In the offseason, Jeremy Pruitt replaced his offensive coordinator and brought in a new defensive coordinator. Tennessee football has three new coaches overall, and five new positions have changed coaches.

Simply put, the Vols have totally changed up their staff. Even the special teams coordinator is different, although he is a returning coach from last year’s team, Kevin Sherrer. Jim Chaney is the new offensive coordinator and Derrick Ansley is the new defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Meanwhile, Tee Martin is the new position coach, coming into lead the wide receivers. Chris Weinke moved over to quarterbacks coach, and David Johnson moved over to running backs coach. Charles Kelly, Tyson Helton and Terry Fair are all gone. As a result, Tennessee football made a splash in the offseason with the way it changed things up.

But is this all good news or bad news? After all, change for change’s sake isn’t always great. Sure, the Vols had a historically bad offense last year, but that doesn’t all fall on the staff members who were there. And the defense was serviceable."


We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Joes.

Staff turnover on that scale with the major positions very seldom seems good.

 

[Rooster1]

Tennessee football: 5 strengths with Vols revamped staff heading into 2019

"In the offseason, Jeremy Pruitt replaced his offensive coordinator and brought in a new defensive coordinator. Tennessee football has three new coaches overall, and five new positions have changed coaches.

Simply put, the Vols have totally changed up their staff. Even the special teams coordinator is different, although he is a returning coach from last year’s team, Kevin Sherrer. Jim Chaney is the new offensive coordinator and Derrick Ansley is the new defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Meanwhile, Tee Martin is the new position coach, coming into lead the wide receivers. Chris Weinke moved over to quarterbacks coach, and David Johnson moved over to running backs coach. Charles Kelly, Tyson Helton and Terry Fair are all gone. As a result, Tennessee football made a splash in the offseason with the way it changed things up.

But is this all good news or bad news? After all, change for change’s sake isn’t always great. Sure, the Vols had a historically bad offense last year, but that doesn’t all fall on the staff members who were there. And the defense was serviceable."


We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Joes.

We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Jo

Keep telling yourself that. Never mind the undisciplined play or the team quitting at season's end either.

 

[Pride85]

We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Jo

Keep telling yourself that. Never mind the undisciplined play or the team quitting at season's end either.

Also don't forget that most of the players that quit were from the previous laughable regime.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Staff turnover on that scale with the major positions very seldom seems good.

Except Pruitt replaced one guy with no P5 coordinating experience with a proven P5 offensive coordinator....

Experience was sorely lacking last year for HC and staff. That has been remedied significantly this offseason...

 

[FLVOL_79]

Also don't forget that most of the players that quit were from the previous laughable regime.

And most of them are still on the team

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Jo

Keep telling yourself that. Never mind the undisciplined play or the team quitting at season's end either.

Two points..

1. To say without a doubt this is one of the best staffs is a stretch. It could be or it might be but without a doubt is just too far of a stretch....

2. I agree about the quitting but I didnt see an extreme amount of undisciplined play or blatant in game coaching blunders like we saw with prior 2 coaches.

 

[njvols]

We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Jo

Keep telling yourself that. Never mind the undisciplined play or the team quitting at season's end either.

I'd say we'll start to know something, one way or the other this season, as to what we've got for a coaching staff. Y1's somewhat a pass, but we've got more talent on the team, most have been here 2 years now w/ Pruitt and expectations, and if this staff is worth their salt, they should be able to elevate on the field performance. If OL is improved, and Chaney can work some magic w/ JG, we may be in for a nice surprise this year...no bold predictions, but win some of the games we're not supposed to.

 

[LouderVol]

Nope. Not reading article because of slides.

 

[orangemadam]

Doesn't matter what kind of changes happen. I won't believe anything anymore until I see results on the field. Learned my lesson when I was touting Butch as the next General Neyland.

 

[maotai]

Doesn't matter what kind of changes happen. I won't believe anything anymore until I see results on the field. Learned my lesson when I was touting Butch as the next General Neyland.

Thank you for reminding me, I am now putting you on my ignore list.

 

[The Vin Man]

I know time will tell, but I love the make up of this staff and feel like we improved dramatically with the changes made both internally and externally.

 

[DiderotsGhost]

Staff turnover on that scale with the major positions very seldom seems good.

True, but it's also rare to upgrade every coach like that.

This is the first time in what-seems-like-forever I can remember us making new staff hires and not thinking some of the new hires were downgrades or had big question marks. We added Tee Martin and Jim Chaney and only lost Tyson Helton;. We still got to keep David Johnson (moved to RBs) and Chris Weinke (moved to QBs). Feel like we came out ahead there. Nothing against Helton, but Chaney is an upgrade.

Derrick Ansley seems regarded as one of the best up-and-comers out there, as well.

 

[butchna]

To suggest that upgrading with Chaney over Helton and Ansley over Fair “isn’t good”? Madness in liquid form.

 

[kbear01]

I think the changes will prove beneficial, if they stay awhile. Maybe not immediately. It takes time to adjust. The offense and defense are learning from new coaches. This is why I think we lose, early, to BYU. But, as the season drags on, I think we'll see the differences, up and down the roster, in all phases of the game. As long as they can take their lumps, learn, and grow. This is the SEC. We'll get no mercy, or pity, from anyone. These teams are still paying us back, for all of the woodsheds and ass-whippings, we reined upon them in the 90's and early 2000's. They haven't forgotten.

 

[Boca Vol]

I think the changes will prove beneficial, if they stay awhile. Maybe not immediately. It takes time to adjust. The offense and defense are learning from new coaches. This is why I think we lose, early, to BYU. But, as the season drags on, I think we'll see the differences, up and down the roster, in all phases of the game. As long as they can take their lumps, learn, and grow. This is the SEC. We'll get no mercy, or pity, from anyone. These teams are still paying us back, for all of the woodsheds and ass-whippings, we reined upon them in the 90's and early 2000's. They haven't forgotten.

It doesn't take as long as you might think. It's not like UT is asking JG to run the wishbone. These kids have been playing football for most of their lives. Other schools find a way to win with new coaches. UT can win too.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

We are a Sam Pittman away from having a 7 Star Coaching Staff!

 

[kbear01]

It doesn't take as long as you might think. It's not like UT is asking JG to run the wishbone. These kids have been playing football for most of their lives. Other schools find a way to win with new coaches. UT can win too.

I agree, they can win, and I believe they win 6 or 7 regular season games. As far as the wishbone goes, that might be easier for JG, as he was a duel-threat QB out of HS. Which is baffling, as he is not very decisive, pulling the ball down, and gaining positive yards. These power 5 offenses are pretty darn complicated. Luckily, Chaney is a wise coach. He might not dump it all on JG, right away. Chaney's can keep it simple, and still get max production, from his players. Alot will be determined, early. If UT can run the ball easily, against it's first two opponents, and effectively against BYU, I'll be pretty stoked. As a respectable running game opens up so many other options, in the playbook.

 

[Orangeredblooded]

To suggest that upgrading with Chaney over Helton and Ansley over Fair “isn’t good”? Madness in liquid form.

But, but Fair is a VFL. Never mind that he didn’t seem to care much for recruiting, that’s not important., or that Pruitt didn’t trust his coaching.

 

[butchna]

But, but Fair is a VFL. Never mind that he didn’t seem to care much for recruiting, that’s not important., or that Pruitt didn’t trust his coaching.

I thought he’d end up being a good hire...like I did when Butch picked Charlton Warren. In retrospect that belief hinged on VFL faith.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

I thought he’d end up being a good hire...like I did when Butch picked Charlton Warren. In retrospect that belief hinged on VFL faith.

Well in all fairness, secondary wasn't really the problem last season was it?


Also: Butch was the blind squirrel finding a nut when he hired Carlton Warren!

 

[butchna]

Well in all fairness, secondary wasn't really the problem last season was it?


Also: Butch was the blind squirrel finding a nut when he hired Carlton Warren!

Secondary was PART of any problems...if not THE. High percentage passers feasted on us. I would put more of that on the safeties...which was Kelly, but our corners and nickels shouldered their share.

 

[Orangeredblooded]

I thought he’d end up being a good hire...like I did when Butch picked Charlton Warren. In retrospect that belief hinged on VFL faith.

I did also, I was encouraged when I saw the Charlton Warren hire, thought it would work. Terry Fair hire at the time felt like Pruitt was giving the fan base a bone. I knew he was in trouble at last year’s orange and White game. He didn’t fit, never would.

 

[DiderotsGhost]

I thought he’d end up being a good hire...like I did when Butch picked Charlton Warren. In retrospect that belief hinged on VFL faith.

Charlton Warren was a good hire. We saw improvement at DB in 2017. It's just that we regressed in almost every other way imaginable, so the improvement at DBs didn't really matter that much.

 

[vegasvolfan]

Tennessee football: 5 strengths with Vols revamped staff heading into 2019

"In the offseason, Jeremy Pruitt replaced his offensive coordinator and brought in a new defensive coordinator. Tennessee football has three new coaches overall, and five new positions have changed coaches.

Simply put, the Vols have totally changed up their staff. Even the special teams coordinator is different, although he is a returning coach from last year’s team, Kevin Sherrer. Jim Chaney is the new offensive coordinator and Derrick Ansley is the new defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Meanwhile, Tee Martin is the new position coach, coming into lead the wide receivers. Chris Weinke moved over to quarterbacks coach, and David Johnson moved over to running backs coach. Charles Kelly, Tyson Helton and Terry Fair are all gone. As a result, Tennessee football made a splash in the offseason with the way it changed things up.

But is this all good news or bad news? After all, change for change’s sake isn’t always great. Sure, the Vols had a historically bad offense last year, but that doesn’t all fall on the staff members who were there. And the defense was serviceable."


We got the Xs and Os locked down. Without a doubt one of the best staffs in CFB. Just need more Jimmy and Joes.

Is anybody else uneasy about moving Weinke to receivers and Johnson, who was a proven and sought after receivers coach to running backs?