Tennessee football has had just one coaching staff change this offseason with outside linebacker and special teams coach Mike Ekeler leaving Knoxville for the same position at Nebraska.
Six days after the news broke that Ekeler was leaving Tennessee for Nebraska, the assistant coach posted a farewell message to Tennessee on X.
“THANK YOU VOL Nation, players & staff,” Ekeler posted. “It’s been an amazing 4 years filled with incredible memories! My family doesn’t have words to express our gratitude. I’m proud of the INCREDIBLE specialist & OLB rooms we’ve built for a bright future @Vol_Football. Mike & Barbie.”
THANK YOU VOL Nation, players & staff. It’s been an amazing 4 years filled with incredible memories! My family doesn’t have words to express our gratitude. I’m proud of the INCREDIBLE specialist & OLB rooms we’ve built for a bright future @Vol_Football 💯❤️Mike & Barbie 🌶️🔥 pic.twitter.com/ebOKEJsB0C
— Mike Ekeler (@CoachEkelerUT) February 9, 2025
Ekeler was on Josh Heupel’s initial staff at Tennessee and spent each of the last four seasons serving in the same role. The fiery 53-year old’s contract was up at the end of the 2024-25 season and Tennessee had yet to announce a contract extension with Ekeler before he took the Nebraska job.
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Ekeler also shared his favorite moment not only of his Tennessee tenure but of his entire career in a separate post, saying Chase McGrath told him “Ek I got this” before making the game winning kick against Alabama in 2022.
All-time favorite moment of my career. Before you hit the game winner against Bama- time out on the field- in the huddle- you said, “Ek I got this”#StoneColdKiller 🌶️🔥 https://t.co/RFI9zrPsv8
— Mike Ekeler (@CoachEkelerUT) February 9, 2025
The former Kansas State player previously spent spent three years at Nebraska as Bo Pelini’s inside linebacker coach from 2008-10.
Ekeler has served stints at a number of major football programs including Indiana, USC, Georgia, North Carolina and Kansas as well as Nebraska and Tennessee.
The special teams coordinator became a fan favorite during his time at Tennessee. He was active on social media where he often posted about having his chili hot. He became friends with Tony Vitello and became a staunch supporter of Tennessee baseball.
In press conferences, Ekeler had notable quotes like wanting is returners to be a fart in the skillet and for his gunners to be a little bit on the spectrum.
On the field, Tennessee’s special teams units were solid under Ekeler and particularly thrived early in his tenure. The Vols consistently had good returners starting with Velus Jones Jr and then Dee Williams.
Tennessee’s outside linebackers were consistently a point of strength though defensive line coach Rodney Garner also had a part in recruiting and coaching up that unit.
Josh Heupel and Tennessee have yet to name a replacement for Ekeler. Heupel has frequently promoted from within during his Tennessee tenure and could do that again here with Senior Defensive Analyst Lavorn Harbin (Coach Chop) being a logical candidate to coach outside linebackers.
The tricky part for Tennessee is figuring out how to move pieces on the staff around if Ekeler’s replacement doesn’t coach both special teams and outside linebacker.
