KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt met with the media Friday to officially announce the new coaches on the Vols staff and their titles.
There will be six coaches working on the offensive side of the ball, including new Offensive Coordinator Jim Chaney, who was previously with the Vols and most recently at Georgia.
Former Florida St. and NFL quarterback Chris Weinke will move from coaching the Vol running backs to the quarterbacks for the 2019 season.
Wide receivers coach David Johnson will switch to running backs.
VFL Tee Martin returns to Tennessee where he will work with the wide receivers and serve as passing game coordinator and assistant head coach.
Will Friend will remain with the offensive line and 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year Brian Niedermeyer will stay with the tight ends.
“I think it starts with player development. You have to be good teachers, and our guys are really good teachers. We have done a good job with getting guys that are familiar with a positions that they coach," Pruitt said. "If you look at their background, 16 national championships for our staff to be a part of is a lot. I do not know how many more staffs out there have many more than that. Being good teachers, good coaches and good recruiters. we have hit it with all of the guys.”
The defense will be working under new Defensive Coordinator Derrick Ansley, a former assistant coach at Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. He will also coach the defensive backs.
Ansley will make $1 million per year on a deal that runs through January 31, 2022 according to a memorandum of understanding released by the university.
Ansley has never been a defensive coordinator at the Division I level but Pruitt said Ansley will call the defense this season, taking over those duties from Pruitt, who called the defensive plays in 2018.
“He is ready. He is somebody that has been in the back end with me, not last year, but the two previous years. He has a pretty good idea of when we want to call something," Pruitt said.
"He is a guy that was a graduate assistant for me for two years then the defensive backs coach. We are very familiar with each other. It is good to work from the back to the front. He brings a lot of experience, coached a lot of really good players and probably when I start a sentence, he can finish it."
Kevin Sherrer is no longer a co-defensive coordinator but will still coach the inside linebackers and add special teams coordinator duties.
Chris Rumph keeps his title as co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
Tracy Rocker will remain as the defensive line coach.