Tennessee football: 5 strengths with Vols revamped staff heading into 2019

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2. Proven track record of results

While recruiting, connections and experience are all positives, results matter the most. Tennessee football has plenty of that at the highest level with its new coaches, starting with offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

Right now, Chaney is fresh off leading a Georgia Bulldogs offense that was in the top 10 in back to back years. During that time, he produced four 1,000-yard rushers, two who went for over 1,000 each season.

Before that, Chaney was turning Nathan Peterman into an NFL quarterback with the Pitt Panthers. That’s a major accomplishment on its own. He did struggle with the Arkansas Razorbacks due to a clash in philosophy with Bret Bielema.

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But while he put up record numbers on the ground with Georgia, he showed his diversity by being able to do it through the air in his last stint with Tennessee football. That was in 2012, and although the Vols went 5-7, the offense itself was great, finishing in the top 25 in points per game and yards through the air.

Beyond Chaney, though, new defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley is highly qualified. He also is coaching defensive backs, where he produced five All-Americans with the Alabama Crimson Tide, including Thorpe winner in Minkah Fitzpatrick, while the unit led the SEC both years he was there.

Last year, his one season in the NFL, he coached the Oakland Raiders secondary and increased their interception totals by 9 while increasing their passes defended from 56 to 73. In 2014 and 2015, he was co-defensive coordinator of the Kentucky Wildcats, a team he helped set a school record for six defensive touchdowns in 2015.

Heck, even at Tennessee, when he was there in 2012, the defense was historically bad. But that was due to Sal Sunseri, defensive coordinator. Ansley still managed to coach the SEC’s interceptions leader that year in Byron Moore, who had five, and as we mentioned, he developed Justin Coleman for the NFL.

Finally, there’s Tee Martin. Sure, he was questionable as an offensive coordinator, but he still coached a top 20 offense in 2016 and 2017. Meanwhile, coaching receivers, he has produced four 1,000-yard receivers, three All-Americans and one Biletnikoff Award winner in Marqise Lee. That dates back to his days with the Kentucky Wildcats.

light. Related Story. Ranking all 10 assistants on Vols' 2019 coaching staff

Chris Weinke and David Johnson are less proven coaching their positions. Johnson is back coaching running backs, where he led the Tulane Green Wave from 2012 to 2015 with limited results, but he still developed freshman All-American Sherman Badie in 2014 and coached Orleans Darkwa to 863 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2013. Meanwhile, as we said before, Weinke has mentored Nick Foles, Case Keenum and Jared Goff with the Los Angeles Rams. So he has produced results too.

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