Ahead of the 2025 season, Tennessee football was tasked with finding a new special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach after Mike Ekeler took a job at Nebraska. Now, after just one year with the Cornhuskers, he is likely on the move again.
According to a report from Matt Zenitz, Ekeler is ‘likely’ going to take the job at USC as the special teams coordinator. He previously coached the Trojans in 2013, as well.
Ekeler coached at Tennessee from 2021-24. He joined Josh Heupel on the staff when he got to campus and was behind a strong special teams unit that rarely allowed return yardage and racked up yards with Velus Jones, Dee Williams and Boo Carter as punt returners.
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Ekeler was replaced at Tennessee by Evan Crabtree as the special teams coordinator. He long snapped at Miami (OH) from 2016-19 before joining their staff as a graduate assistant, then joining the Vols in 2022. Crabtree is still on the staff for the upcoming 2026 season.
Ekeler’s job as the outside linebackers coach was filled by Levorn ‘Chop’ Harbin. He was promoted to the role to coach LEOs and was known as one of the premier recruits in the sport. However, after just one season in the position, he was let go by new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Now, Harbin is coaching at Missouri.
Andrew Jackson is the new LEOs coach under Knowles. He joins Knowles from his last stop at Penn State, where he was an assistant defensive line coach. Knowles also hired Anthony Poindexter as his co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach from Penn State. Michael Hunter Jr. was brought on as a cornerbacks coach after working with Knowles at Ohio State.
Defensive line coach Rodney Garner and linebacker coach William Inge were also retained.
