This off-season, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel decided to change things up in the weight room. Heupel moved on from the previous strength coach and hired Indiana’s Derek Owings as the program’s new Director of Football Sports Performance.
Now, as workouts began last week, Owings has rounded out his staff, and Tennessee Athletics has revealed the entire list.
Here’s who Owings has added and what you need to know about each hire.
Already working. 💪
Welcome to Rocky Top!
📰 » https://t.co/Fsvjps5OrR#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/QKgJ7JT2rN
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) January 28, 2026
More From RTI: Former Tennessee CB Alontae Taylor Predicted to Team Up with Pair of Former UT Teammates in NFL
Derek Owings – Director of Football Sports Performance
- Hometown: Saline, Michigan
- Education: Mercer, 2016 (bachelor’s in sports management); Utah State, 2018 (master’s in physical and sport education)
- Playing Experience: Eastern Michigan WR (2012-13), Mercer WR/TE (2014-15)
- Coaching History:
- 2016-18: Utah State (Graduate Assistant)
- 2018: UCF (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach)
- 2019-20: Texas Tech (Associate Director of Strength & Conditioning)
- 2020-23: James Madison (Director of Strength & Conditioning)
- 2024-26: Indiana (Director of Athletic Performance)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Director of FOotball Sports Performance)
Carl Miller – Associate Director of Football Sports Performance
- Hometown: Pinckney, Michigan
- Education: Washtenaw CC, 2010 (associate degree in exercise science); Eastern Michigan, 2012 (bachelor’s degree in exercise science)
- Coaching History:
- 2011: Eastern Michigan (Strength & Conditioning Intern)
- 2012: Wayne State (Head Strength & Conditioning Intern)
- 2013: Mercer (Strength & Conditioning Intern)
- 2014-17: Mercer (Assistant Director of Strength Conditioning)
- 2018: Mercer (Director of Football Strength & Conditioning)
- 2019: Colorado State (Associate Head Strength & Conditioning Coach)
- 2020-23: Wyoming (Associate Head Coach of Strength & Conditioning)
- 2024-26: Indiana (Assistant Athletic Performance Coach)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Associate Director of Football Sports Performance)
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Jason Wooding – Associate Director of Football Sports Performance
- Hometown: Langley Park, Maryland
- Education: Howard, 2014 (bachelor’s in health science); Mercer, 2018 (master’s in higher educational leadership); UMGC, 2023 (Master of Business Administration)
- Playing Experience: Howard LB/RB (2009-12)
- Coaching History:
- 2016-17: Howard (Strength and Conditioning Intern)
- 2017-18: Mercer (Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2018-19: Houston (Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2019-21: Texas Tech (Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2021-26: Maryland (Associate Director of Football Strength and Conditioning)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Associate Director of Football Sports Performance)
Elijah Blackman – Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance
- Hometown: Tampa, Florida
- Education: Saint Leo, 2017 (bachelor’s in sport business)
- Playing Experience: Saint Leo basketball (2013-17)
- Coaching History:
- 2017: South Carolina (Strength and Conditioning Intern)
- 2018-19: Arkansas (Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2019-22: Colorado State (Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2023-26: Kansas State (Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance)
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Drew Palmer – Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance
- Hometown: Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Education: James Madison, 2022 (bachelor’s in kinesiology); 2023 (master’s in exercise physiology)
- Playing Experience: James Madison TE (2018-22)
- Coaching History:
- 2023: James Madison (Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2024-25: Baylor (Assistant Director of Football Strength and Conditioning)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance)
Josh Huff – Director of Applied Performance Science
- Hometown: Stuart’s Draft, Virginia
- Education: James Madison, 2020 (bachelor’s in kinesiology and exercise science; Mercer, 2022 (Master’s of Education – higher education leadership)
- Coaching History:
- 2021: James Madison (Strength and Conditioning Intern)
- 2021-22: Mercer (Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2023-24: James Madison (Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2024-26: Indiana (Sports Science Coordinator/Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Director of Applied Performance Science)
Katie O’Connor – Director of Football Nutrition
- Hometown: Syracuse, New York
- Education: Vermont, 2018 (bachelor’s in dietetics); Florida State, 2021 (master’s in exercise physiology)
- History:
- 2019-21: Florida State (Sports Nutrition Intern)
- 2021-22: Georgia Southern (Director of Performance Nutrition)
- 2022-23: LSU (Assistant Football Performance Dietitian)
- 2023-26: Kansas (Director of Football Nutrition)
- 2026-present: Tennessee (Director of Football Nutrition)
