Tennessee football: Ranking all 10 assistant coaches on Vols 2019 staff

Again, we’re placing heavy emphasis on what returning Tennessee football coaches did the previous year with the Vols. And for Will Friend, well, the results were disastrous. He had a historically bad offensive line.

As a result, we have no choice but to keep him last on this list for right now. You just can’t ignore how bad things were up front last year in every way, and Friend has a lot to prove heading into this year for Rocky Top.

By the way, that is part of a trend for Friend as an offensive line coach. Before becoming offensive coordinator under Mike Bobo with the Colorado State Rams, he coached the Georgia Bulldogs’ offensive line from 2011 to 2014.

In three of those four years, the Dawgs allowed over 20 sacks. They had 35 one year. The rushing attack averaged under five yards a carry for three of the four years he was there as well. Because of all that, he’s clearly still the worst coach on this staff.

Now, to be fair to Friend, the line was learning a pro-style offense last year after years in a spread, lost its center in the season-opener, and lost its best player midway through the year. Very few guys were there last spring either. Maybe with a full offseason and this new class, he’ll have more to work with.