Kelsey Pope is entering his fifth season as Tennessee Football’s wide receivers coach and his sixth season with the program overall. He began his run with the Vols as an offensive analyst before the 2021 season and was promoted to receivers coach in 2022.
In the last five seasons, Tennessee has generated “an SEC-best 34 individual 100-yard receiving games and multiple First Team All-SEC recipients,” according to UT Sports. Additionally, Tennessee is tied for the SEC lead in 1,000-yard receivers (3) since the start of the 2021 season.
Pope has also been instrumental on the recruiting trail for the Vols. In the last handful of seasons, Pope has taken the lead on top-notch prospects such as Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews, Travis Smith Jr., Radarious Jackson, Tristen “TK” Keys, Tyreek King, and others. Pope is one of Tennessee’s best weapons on the recruiting trail and on the field, and the Vols rewarded him with a two-year contract extension this past December.
After helping orchestrate a game-changing wide receiver room during the 2025 season, Pope is now back at work to get the Vols ready for the 2026 campaign. Tennessee lost Chris Brazzell to the NFL Draft this season, but they still return Matthews, Staley, and a crop of young receivers.
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Here’s an inside look at Pope working with Tennessee’s receivers during the spring camp slate in a Mic’d Up session, courtesy of Tennessee Athletics:
elite ball knowledge.
mic’d up with @CoachKelseyPope 🎤#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/RWanRRNOWB
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) April 3, 2026
