Tennessee football hopes it made its final on-field coaching hire of the offseason when Josh Heupel tabbed Derek Jones as the Vols’ new cornerback coach.
The Vols had an opening at cornerbacks coach after Michael Hunter left Tennessee after a month to be the new assistant defensive backs coach with the Los Angeles Rams. Tennessee hired Hunter from his role as an assistant defensive backs coach at Ohio State in January, but was looking for a new coach a month later.
Jones comes to Tennessee after spending the last four years as the defensive back’s coach at Virginia Tech. But after the Hokies fired Brent Pry and James Franklin did not retain Jones, the veteran assistant was back on the market looking for a new job.
“I want to thank Coach Heupel and Coach Knowles for this opportunity,” Jones said in a statement. “Being back in the SEC and having the opportunity to coach at a place like Tennessee is special. I am fired up to be a Vol and begin preparations for spring practice. I look forward to building bonds with our players and future Vols.”
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While Jones does not have any working experience Josh Heupel, he has spent time with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Jones was the cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator at Duke from 2010-17 when Knowles was defensive coordinator and former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe was head coach.
Jones has not coached in the SEC this century but played at Ole Miss and spent the first two years of his career at a graduate assistant with the Rebels.
“Derek understands what it takes to play cornerback at this level,” Heupel said in a statement. “He’s coached and played SEC football and has a track record of developing cornerbacks for the NFL. He’s also shown great ability as a recruiter in over two decades of coaching. He has familiarity with Coach Knowles and will make a seamless transition to our staff. We are excited to welcome Derek to Rocky Top!”
Tennessee football fully revamped its defensive coaching staff this offseason. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner and inside linebackers coach William Inge are the only two returning coaches.
Knowles is the new defensive coordinator and he hired a number of coaches that he previously had ties to including new outside linebackers coach Andrew Jackson and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter.
