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Tennessee football: Ranking 15 options to replace Kodi Burns as Vols WR coach

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee wide receivers coach Kodi Burns at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue
Tennessee wide receivers coach Kodi Burns at the 2021 Music City Bowl NCAA college football game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.Kns Tennessee Purdue /
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Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Offensive coordinator. Patrick Ashford. player. VMI Keydets. 10. 839

Years at current position: 2 (1 as OC)

He’s never been with Josh Heupel, but Patrick Ashford has experience in the air raid offense, he has experience coaching wide receivers, and he is a Tennessee football graduate. Ashford played for the Vols under Butch Jones and Derek Dooley from 2011 to 2015, and he served as the holder on every field goal attempt by UT in 2014 and 2015.

After graduating, Ashford spent two seasons as an offensive assistant for the Austin Peay Governors when they were led by current Charlotte 49ers head coach Will Healy. He then spent a year as quarterbacks coach for the UT Martin Skyhawks. Then he worked as tight ends coach under Derek Mason and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

In 2020, Ashford gained the key experience that puts him on this list, joining Virginia Military Institute and becoming the wide receivers coach. That’s where he cut his teeth in the air raid, and after the departure of Billy Cosh to the Richmond Spiders, he was tapped to replace as head coach Scott Wachenheim’s new offensive coordinator.

Deep ties to the state of Tennessee, experience in the air raid offense and experience as a coordinator all work in Ashford’s favor. Limited experience also keeps him low on the list, but a rising star is always worth taking a risk over.

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