KNOXVILLE – Changes to Tennessee’s football coaching staff are all but certain.
Butch Jones just doesn’t know yet what those might be.
Part of the fourth-year head coach’s postseason evaluation will be what direction to go with his assistant coaches, but his main focus the past 10 days has been recruiting.
“It’s too early,” Jones said Monday. “I’ll do a thorough examination of everything, anything and everything, even right down to when we watch the games. There’s three criteria we look at, and it’s scheme, it’s fundamentals and it’s personnel, and we break down to the reasons why and we’ve always done that.
“I’m going through a thorough examination of all of our games this year. I’m actually going back and watching practices. Everything that goes into is very tedious and very time-consuming, but it’s the most important thing that I do. Right now it’s a balancing act through recruiting, but I see a lot of progress as well.”
Contracts for three assistant coaches are set to expire at the end of February, retirement could be an option for a couple and there’s the possibility that some could be lured to other jobs or jump to another program.
The potential changes may not come until after the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
The Vols have had staff stability under Jones, who replaced only four coaches during his first three years.
Robert Gillespie replaced Jay Graham as running backs coach after Graham left for Florida State in February 2013, and Mike DeBord succeeded Mike Bajakian, who left for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Bucs after the 2014 season, as offensive coordinator.
After last season Jones jettisoned defensive coordinator John Jancek to hire Bob Shoop away from Penn State and replaced Mark Elder, now the head coach at Eastern Kentucky, with Larry Scott.
“We have very, very good coaches here,” Jones said, “but again, we’ll continue to address that, and I know that this is a place that coaches and players want to be at.”
Strong addition
Jones will have at least one hire to make this offseason on the strength and conditioning staff.
“We actually have an open position,” he said. “You’re allowed five positions to work with your football team. We’ve had four, so obviously there will be an addition.”
Tennessee and director of strength and conditioning Dave Lawson parted ways last spring after Jones handed over the daily duties with the football program to Michael Szerszen, Lawson’s right-hand man.
No one was hired to take Lawson’s position, though Jones didn’t explain why.
“Coach Szerszen and Coach (Brandon) Myles and everybody in there, I think they realized we were a man down, too, and just like we’ve got to do on a daily basis and consistent basis, they upped their game,” defensive end LaTroy Lewis said.
“I think our strength staff did a phenomenal job with keeping us in shape in season, keeping us strong enough to play and keeping guys healthy, especially with guys going down. It was more of an onus on the guys stepping up to stay healthy. I think our strength staff and our training staff did an incredible job.”
Hall has surgery
Sophomore offensive tackle Chance Hall won’t play in the Music City Bowl after undergoing knee surgery, though he’s expected to be available for winter workouts spring practice.
Hall was a 2015 All-SEC freshman team selection, but he sat out most of the offseason following shoulder surgery and missed the first three games of the season after undergoing knee surgery in mid-August.
He started six games in the middle of the season, left the Alabama and Tennessee Tech games due to his knee and missed the final three games of the season.
“Chance Hall had a great, great freshman year for us,” Jones said. “I give Chance a tremendous amount of respect, because he battled and battled and battled. He basically played on one leg.”
Helping hand
Quarterback Josh Dobbs joined offensive tackle Brett Kendrick and a few members of Tennessee’s dance and cheer squads in visiting Gatlinburg and helping the relief efforts in wake of the wildfires that affected many homes and businesses in the popular tourist town.
Dobbs said one of his friends who’s from the area asked if he would go “show my face and get a chance to fellowship with those people,” and he jumped at the chance.
“It was great to go up there,” Dobbs said, “and give my support, help out, volunteer – me as well as the group that I went (with) – and I know it definitely went a long ways for that community.”
Jones said the Vols are looking into a way to help and/or honor those affected by the Gatlinburg wildfires.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.