UPDATE: Indiana has formally announced the hire of Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Mike DeBord.
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Tennessee is in the market for a new offensive coordinator following Mike DeBord’s departure. Whom might the Vols target as his replacement? Here are some potential candidates for head coach Butch Jones.> Mark Helfrich: The former Oregon coach, fired last month after the Ducks went 4-8 this season, was the name generating the most buzz after his visit to a Tennessee practice in Nashville last week. Helfrich was there to visit with Marcus Mariota, his former protege at Oregon, but his stop to see the Vols might have been more than a coincidence. Helfrich was 13-12 in his final two seasons, but the Ducks ranked fifth and 15th nationally in total offense those two years.> Larry Scott: Tennessee’s tight ends coach has been valuable as a recruiter in his native Florida since joining the Vols a year ago following an interim stint at Miami, but he made some key contributions to the offense schematically with the implementation of more two-tight-end sets late in the season. Scott never has been a play-caller at the college level, though.> Zach Azzanni: If Jones opts for familiarity, Azzanni would have a leg up. Tennessee’s receivers coach and passing game coordinator was with Jones during the entirety of his stints at Central Michigan and Tennessee. He was Florida’s passing game coordinator under Urban Meyer in 2010 and was Western Kentucky’s offensive coordinator in 2011> Bo Hardegree: It’s not the former Tennessee quarterback many might wish one day comes and coaches the Vols — sorry, Peyton — but Hardegree just wrapped his first season as the quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins. Hardegree was a quality control coach with Dolphins coach Adam Gase with Denver and Chicago following stints with David Cutcliffe at Duke and in the SEC.> Mike Yurcich: Sticking with the theme of Mikes as offensive coordinator, Oklahoma State finished 22nd and 14th nationally in total offense the past two seasons under Yurcich, who had never coached at the Division I level when the Cowboys hired him prior to the 2013 season.
Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike DeBordKNOXVILLE - Butch Jones and Tennessee are in the market for a new coordinator for the third offseason in a row.
This time the Volunteers are looking for a replacement for offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, who is leaving Tennessee for the same position at Indiana after many expected his next step to be into retirement.
Two years ago Tennessee tabbed DeBord to replace Mike Bajakian, who left the Vols to become the quarterbacks coach with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and last season Jones hired Bob Shoop to replace John Jancek as his defensive coordinator.
Though DeBord often faced criticism, the Vols finished third and second in the SEC in scoring and totaled 457 and 473 points under his guidance the past two seasons. Tennessee had surpassed 400 in a season just twice (2007 and 2012) before since 2002.
"We were very fortunate as a football program to have Mike DeBord a part of it, and you won't meet a better person," Jones said during a conference call Tuesday evening. "I'm excited for him, because I know his family very, very well, and I know how much importance his family is to him. There's a lot of things that go into making this decision.
"We talk every day, every day, so this has been something we've been talking about for a few weeks now. It's something I know that has really weighed in on him, just from a distance and things that are going on with his family and being part of his grandchildren. I'm excited and I'm forever grateful for him for everything he brought to our football family.
"I think he's made a difference with our players. We always talk about players leaving a program, do they leave it better off for being a part of it? Well, Mike DeBord has made Tennessee football much better."
DeBord's departure leaves Jones with a pivotal hiring to make as Tennessee turns the page on a second straight 9-4 season and looks to a future without quarterback Josh Dobbs and other experienced playmakers.
Jones declined to put a timetable on the hiring, which he believes won't be complicated by Tennessee's athletic director situation, and stressed the importance of making the right hire as opposed to a quick one.
"It's all about a fit and finding the proper fit for your football program at what stage it is," he said. "When we hired Mike DeBord he was the exact fit that we needed at that appropriate time. Now, obviously, it's somebody that fits our profile, somebody that can come in and enhance our offensive system.
"I really liked the way we played football, particularly toward the end of the season. I think the stats and the points per game and everything we were able to do speak for themselves. I liked our balance. I liked the way we pushed the ball down the field. I liked our formations. I liked our different personnel groupings, our motions.
"There's a lot that went into it, and we have a very, very good staff here at Tennessee. When you game-plan, it's a team effort and it's a group effort, and I think Mike would be the first to tell you that. (We want) somebody that fits, that can connect with our players, obviously develop our players."
Though DeBord's title included quarterbacks coach, he was a de facto co-offensive line coach, and Jones indicated expertise with quarterbacks was going to be a key factor in his search.
"Whether it's an internal candidate or an external candidate, the No. 1 priority we have to do is get in here a great developer of quarterbacks," he said. "Having some very talented quarterbacks in our program, the quarterback development is going to obviously be very, very important. It's somebody that understands our culture and our needs.
"I think the other thing that goes along with it is staff chemistry, but also the recruiting part of it, the recruiting piece. We want an experienced recruiter that understands what it is to go out and compete at this level."
Jones would not rule out promoting from his current coaching staff or combing the NFL ranks, but he made it clear, much as he did two years ago, there won't be any drastic changes to Tennessee's offense.
"I look at it as an opportunity to enhance your football program - not change what we're doing, but be able enhance it," he said. "I like a lot of things we're doing, but I also think it's an exciting time for us, because we can bring maybe some fresh ideas in here, some new things.
"I think change is good. I think it revitalizes your players coming back, and also from a competitive standpoint, it gives everyone a great opportunity. It's going to be an exciting time, but I don't see us making monumental changes offensively."
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.