Tennessee football: Ranking everybody to coach a game for Vols in 2010s

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1-0. Jim Chaney. 1. 839. 2012. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis

Laugh all you want, but Jim Chaney is the one coach who is undefeated for Tennessee football this year. Yes, he technically counts, and that’s why we have no problem putting him at the top of this decade-recapping list.

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We just mentioned Chaney on the previous slide. Well, he was initially offensive coordinator for Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley. Chaney was one of the people who stayed after Kiffin bolted. Then, in 2012, his offenses put up record stats with Tyler Bray throwing to Justin Hunter, Cordarrelle Patterson and Zach Rogers.

However, Dooley hiring Sal Sunseri as defensive coordinator wrecked the Vols’ season in 2019, so after a loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores to fall to 4-7, he was fired. Chaney ended up stepping in to lead the program during its final week of the regular season, and he did his job to make sure they won the game.

Given what happened, UT could have folded the way they did under Brady Hoke in 2017. But with nothing to play for, Chaney, unlike Hoke, made sure they avoided a winless SEC season and 4-8 record. His team dominated the Wildcats 37-17. It’s not much, but with no negatives on the resume, there’s nothing we can say against him.

Next. Vol football's top 10 players of 2010s. dark

As a result, when you combine that with all the other issues facing each Tennessee football head coach, Chaney did the best job leading the program in a game by default. Maybe things will be better in the 2020s. But UT’s current offensive coordinator tops this list.

For more of our posts recapping the Tennessee Vols during the 2010s decade, please click here. If you want to just look at football stories recapping the Vols from this decade, you can click here.

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