KNOXVILLE - Last Friday, Terry Joseph became the seventh assistant coach to leave Tennessee's program since the season ended in November when he accepted a position on Nebraska's staff.
A week later, Josh Conklin became the seventh new face to take an office inside the Volunteers' football complex.
UT has hired The Citadel's defensive coordinator and safeties coach, a source confirmed to the Times Free Press on Friday morning. Conklin likely will replace Joseph as the Vols' safeties coach. Though the school has yet to announce the hire officially, Conklin is already listed in UT's online directory as a football staff member.
Before joining the Bulldogs' staff, Conklin coached defensive backs and special teams at Wofford (2007-09). While with The Citadel, Conklin's defenses were near the top of the Southern Conference, and he had a pair of defensive backs make NFL rosters. The former South Dakota State linebacker began his coaching career at his alma mater, where he was a graduate assistant for two years (2003-04) before taking a full-time staff position (2005-06).
UT decided to keep two full-time secondary coaches after Joseph's departure. The Vols hired Derrick Ansley to coach cornerbacks last month. With the addition of Conklin, UT's defensive staff is entirely new, and only receivers coach Darin Hinshaw and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney remain from last season's staff.
More coverage online and in Saturday's Times Free Press. Follow UT beat writer Patrick Brown on Twitter for more updates.
Patrick Brown has been the University of Tennessee beat writer since January 2011. A native of Memphis, Brown graduated from UT in May of 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Electronic Media and worked at the Knoxville News Sentinel for two years on the sports editorial staff and as a freelance contributor. If it’s the NBA, the NFL or SEC football and basketball, he’s probably reading about it or watching it on TV. Contact him ...
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