Report: Vols To Name Mike DeBord Offensive Coordinator

FootballScoop.com is reporting that Mike DeBord will be named the new offensive coordinator at Tennessee.

Butch Jones is quite familiar with the Vols’ new play caller as he served as the offensive coordinator from 2002-03 when DeBord was the head coach at Central Michigan.

DeBord, who most recently served as the Olympic Sport Administrator at Michigan, has made quite a few stops during his coaching career (which dates to 1982).

The Indiana native was the offensive coordinator at Michigan from 1997-99, before taking the head coaching job at Central Michigan in 2000. DeBord resigned from Central Michigan after the 2003 season. He posted a 12-34 record during his four seasons at CMU.

DeBord then began a second stint with the Wolverines, first serving as the special teams coordinator before taking over, once again, as offensive coordinator.

After Lloyd Carr was fired in 2007, DeBord joined the Seattle Seahawks as an assistant offensive line coach. He was promoted to tight end coach in 2009.

DeBord spent the 2010-12 season with the Chicago Bears as the tight end coach, his last coaching job.

Butch Jones said repeatedly during the offensive coordinator search that Tennessee’s offensive philosophy won’t change. The team will hope to improve the playbook, but the basis of the offense will remain the same.

DeBord isn’t a name that’s going to excite the fan base, but he should fit in seamlessly with the coaching staff. That’s something that’s more important than folks realize.

The reason the current Vol coaching staff has been so successful is because of how well they work together. Keeping continuity in the team’s approach to the offense was perhaps the single most important thing that Jones considered during this coaching search.