Tennessee Football has parted ways with defensive coordinator Tim Banks, according to reports from ESPN, On3 Sports, and CBS Sports on Monday afternoon. Banks’ firing comes after a disappointing defensive season with the Volunteers, in which Tennessee ranked third-to-last in the SEC in scoring defense at 28.75 points per game.
The Volunteers have named linebackers coach William Inge as the interim defensive coordinator, a source tells Rocky Top Insider.
According to On3 Sports’ and The RTI Low-Down‘s Chris Low, Banks is owed in the “$4.3 million range” as part of his buyout.
More From RTI: Tennessee Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks Reportedly Fired After Five Seasons With Josh Heupel
Tennessee signed Tim Banks to a new contract in January 2025 that made him one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in college football. His three-year extension was set to pay him $2.15 million each season, with the first of those three years completed after the 2025 campaign.
Banks led Tennessee to one of the top defenses in the country in 2024, with the Volunteers giving up just 16.1 points per game. That mark ranked third in the SEC and seventh nationally.
Tennessee battled injuries throughout the 2025 season, including playing the entire season without star cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III, but the Vols’ unit as a whole still regressed significantly. Tennessee allowed 28.75 points per game this season, including giving up more than 30 points in every SEC game except one. The Vols allowed 44 to Georgia, 34 to Mississippi State, 31 to Arkansas, 37 to Alabama, 34 to Kentucky, 33 to Oklahoma, 45 to Vanderbilt, and 11 to Florida.
“I want to thank Tim for everything he has done for Tennessee the last five seasons,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said in a statement on Monday. “He helped restore our program to national prominence. More importantly, Tim is a great man of character and someone I have the utmost respect for. We wish Tim all the best moving forward.
“These are tough decisions but one I ultimately felt was necessary for the future of our program. We are fully committed to identifying our next defensive coordinator who will uphold the standard that Tennessee has historically been known for.”
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more news on Tennessee Football’s upcoming defensive coordinator coaching search.
