Danny White’s national search to find Tony Vitello’s replacement proved to be a short one. White said he wanted to move quickly and he did that, naming top assistant coach Josh Elander as Tennessee baseball’s new head coach just 72 hours after Vitello accepted the San Fransisco Giants manager position.
Elander spent the last eight years on Tennessee’s staff including the last three as the Vols’ associate head coach. With a reputation as a top recruiter and elite hitting coach, Elander was one of the nation’s top assistant coaches and a consistent head coaching candidate.
Tennessee shared a video of White informing the team that Elander is its new head coach Saturday. Included in the video was Elander’s message to his team as its new head coach. Here’s the full remarks.
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“Pretty crazy, huh? I’m just so excited. So appreciative of you all sticking with me. I know it was a little emotional the last few days. It’s just about protecting what we built as a group, man. A lot of time goes into this. Watched you guys when you were babies. Told your parents, made them promises that we would make you better people. We would make you better people. That’s not going to change.
“I’m just so excited to keep this show going. We’ve got winners in this room. We’ve got different pieces, good people. Let’s go win a hell of a lot of ball games. That’s where I’m at right now. But I’m so excited, more than anything to just have the opportunity to wear the power T, at least for one more day. Get between the lines with you guys and go compete because that’s what I love to do. You guys know why I’m in coaching. I love my girls. I love you guys. But I love competing between those lines. It’s always been the standard of this program. It always will be so let’s just go get better together.
“Thankful. Grateful for another day. I’m just so excited because I get to do it with you guys. That’s what is so important to me. To continue this thing together. So I love you guys. I’m so excited for the future. Hopefully, this is a good little jolt. A little cold weather, warm you up a little bit, right? But we’re going to have some of the best facilities in the college baseball. Some of the best support across the country. I’m just so excited to lead you guys.
“But, again, this isn’t going to be some big crazy change, right? I think it’s an incredible opportunity to put our own little stamp on this together and I think those decisions need to be made together as a group. So from the bottom of my heart, I love you guys. I’m thankful for all of you. I’m so excited for the future and I can’t wait to lead you guys this spring. Love y’all.”
