KNOXVILLE – Add Tennessee to the long list of college football program with some hiring to do this offseason.
Mark Elder, the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator the past three seasons, was hired as the head coach at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, leaving Volunteers head coach Butch Jones with a decision to make.
Two other Tennessee assistant coaches were linked to openings at other programs last week, but Elder became the first to leave the Vols after interviewing with Colonels athletics officials Monday.
“When institutions, if they do want to inquire about our coaches, that is a compliment,” Jones said during a news conference Monday. “That is a compliment to what we’re building here. We have very good football coaches and even better individuals.
“I expect people to come after our coaches. That’s what we want. That means we’re doing great things.”
Elder was a valuable asset on Tennessee’s staff, from his work with the tight ends and his role with a kickoff-return team that produced three touchdown returns this season to his role as a recruiter for the Vols in North Carolina and Memphis.
A Tennessee official told the Times Free Press on Tuesday afternoon that Elder is expected to remain with the Vols through the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day, though he’ll likely split time between his old and new job this month.
When Tennessee’s coaching staff received raises last December, Elder received a bump of $20,000, but his $240,000 salary was the lowest among the assistant coaches. He elected to have his contract extended only through February 2016, however. Deals for the other assistants were extended through February 2017.
For leaving the Vols, Elder will owe Tennessee 33 percent ($79,200) of his annual salary, though he will receive his bowl bonus of 8.33 percent of his annual salary ($19,992).
“I’m excited, blessed and honored for the opportunity to lead one of the most tradition-rich programs in college football,” Elder said in Eastern Kentucky’s release announcing his hiring. “It didn’t take me long to realize that this is a special place. Lindsey (his wife) and I look forward to becoming a part of the Richmond community.
“It is humbling to have the opportunity to lead the same program that legendary coach Roy Kidd built into a national powerhouse. It’s important to me that we maintain the standards, both on and off the field, that Coach Kidd established during his Hall of Fame career.”
After serving at Michigan as a graduate assistant in 2005 and 2006, Elder joined Jones at Central Michigan as the linebackers coach and followed him to Cincinnati, where he demonstrated his coaching acumen and diversity by handling tight ends in 2010, running backs in 2011 and safeties and special teams in 2012.
“Eastern Kentucky has not only hired an outstanding football coach, but an even better person, teacher, mentor and motivator in Mark Elder,” Jones said in Eastern Kentucky’s release. “I would like to congratulate and also thank Mark for nine great years.
“I am very excited for the opportunity he, his wife Lindsey and son Owen are about to take on and I wish them all the best at Eastern Kentucky.”
Given how Tennessee splits up its special-teams duties among its coaching staff, Jones has some flexibility with how he hires Elder’s replacement. It’s likely Tennessee will add a full-time quarterbacks coach.
Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, who split practice time between overseeing the offensive line and working with the quarterbacks this season, spent four seasons in the NFL coaching tight ends.
Tennessee could promote graduate assistant and de facto quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan to a full-time staff role. He played quarterback for DeBord at Michigan, starting four games in 2008. Sheridan served as Willie Taggart’s quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator at Western Kentucky in 2012 and at South Florida in 2013.
Sheridan is highly regarded by Jones and DeBord.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.