Josh Conklin named Vols Safeties Coach

Just like that, the final piece has been set in Derek Dooley’s staff as The Citadel defensive coordinator Josh Conklin accepted the safeties coaching position for the Vols late Thursday night.

Conklin has been the defensive coordinator for the past two seasons for the Bulldogs and his defenses were top three in total defense each season for The Citadel.

Prior to coordinating the Bulldogs he was the defensive backs coach at Wofford from 2007-2009 and his secondary led the league in interceptions his first year as they had 20 picks and followed that up the next season with 13 more.

Josh’s coaching career began as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State University in 2004 and was promptly elevated to secondary coach in 2005 and 2006 and his secondary ranked at the top of the conference both seasons.

Conklin is what many consider to be an up-and-comer in the coaching world. He worked his way up from SDSU and in a short span earned a defensive coordinator job in one of the nation’s higher ranked Division I-AA conferences.

One thread that runs through his resume is his constant coaching of the secondary and their success under his coaching. Every place Josh has been he has thrived and he has developed players at every stop he has made and Tennessee should be no different.

This was a solid hire from Derek Dooley, again a relatively unknown coach in most casual fan’s eyes, Conklin should be highly successful in resurrecting a secondary that was spotty for the Volunteers last season.

Another telling fact, the Vols return only two position coaches from last season, Jim Chaney and Darrin Hinshaw.