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Tennessee Vols 10 biggest stories from January 2019

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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2. Jeremy Pruitt hires Jim Chaney as offensive coordinator.

The staff shake-ups among position coaches and quality control coaches is one story. Personnel news in terms of transfers or players staying are also worthy of coverage. But for a while, this was the biggest story in Knoxville.

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    • Right after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores and missing out on a bowl game for the second straight year, news broke that Tyson Helton was leaving to take the head coaching job with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. In the process, the Tennessee Vols were left to search for another offensive coordinator.

    Numerous names popped up, including Kliff Kingsbury, Matt Canada, Steve Sarkisian, Eli Drinkwitz, Will Friend, Rush Propst, Joe Osovet, Jeff Lebby, and many others. But the two most notable names were Hugh Freeze, who became the Liberty Flames head coach, and Kendal Briles, who became the Florida State Seminoles’ offensive coordinator.

    None of these names came to fruition, though. It was only after the national championship game that the announcement was made. Jeremy Pruitt announced that Jim Chaney was coming back to Knoxville. Chaney was part of a failed stint under Derek Dooley and Lane Kiffin as offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012.

    However, his offense put up historic numbers in 2012. And he thrived with Nathan Peterman in one year with the Pittsburgh Panthers afterward before spending three years with the Georgia Bulldogs and improving the offense every year as it became a national title contending program.

    Sure, there was a failed stint with the Arkansas Razorbacks because of what Bret Bielema was trying to force on him. And yes, his stint with Dooley failed, as we mentioned. Then there are the weaknesses of predictability and simplicity.

    Related Story. Tee Martin's 10 greatest games played with Vols. light

    But overall, Chaney maximizes his playmakers’ ability, and he has quite a few great ones on Rocky Top, even if the depth is thin. As a result, the Tennessee Vols got a coup by bringing Chaney back to Knoxville, and he should be better than Tyson Helton in many ways. This was such a huge story it’s shocking it wasn’t No. 1. But as you’re about to see, No. 1 is No. 1.

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