This offseason, Josh Heupel and Tennessee football didn’t just retain wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope, but also gave him an elevated title. Along with his wide receiver coaching duties, he’s also now considered the team’s passing game coordinator.
What exactly does that mean, though? On Monday, in the midst of spring practices, Pope discussed what his role entails as the Vols’ passing game coordinator.
“It’s a cool title, but I’m just still doing the same things,” Pope said. “I’m trying to invest every day. I’m trying to come up with new ways for us to use certain skill sets that we have, like we’ve got a lot of different skill sets in the building now than what we’re used to. You’ve got three or four guys that are standing over 6-2, 6-3. You’ve got three or four guys that are hitting 21, 22 miles per hour consistently.
“So we’re getting more volume with high-caliber athletes. So, for me and from my perspective, I want to go find new things that can help us and that fits us, but new things to where we can expose defenses and take advantage of those type of skill sets. In general, I’m kind of doing the same things that I’ve been doing. I would like to think that I’ve operated with that title before it was given to me. Coach Heup was just gracious enough to go ahead and do that, so that’s the only difference.”
More From RTI: Everything Tennessee Football WR Coach, PGC Kelsey Pope Said During Spring Practice
This year, Pope brings back a strong receiver corps. With Chris Brazzell departing for the NFL draft, Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley still return as starters. Staley was named SEC Freshman of the Year a year ago as a redshirt-freshman for his season.
Brazzell’s absence opens up a starting job, though. That is being competed for by sophomores Radarious Jackson and Travis Smith Jr., and five-star freshman TK Keys.
“I’m blessed to be in that room because it’s no selfishness,” Pope said. “Nobody’s got individual agendas, and it starts with those two (Staley and Matthews). It starts from the top. So when those guys go about their business that way, it kind of trickles down, and it’s a positive effect on the room.”
Other names to note at receiver include Joakim Dodson and Ian Duarte. Tyreek King will also join the room in the summer as a standard enrollee.
