This is how you make a statement during your first week on the job. When Tennessee baseball found out that Tony Vitello was making the leap to the majors with the San Francisco Giants, everyone was calling for Josh Elander to get the gig.
Players, recruits and fans have perfect reaction to Tennessee promoting Josh Elander
He officially landed the promotion, bringing plenty of joy to countless fans in Knoxville. Well, Elander has made everyone even happier, while bringing down an SEC rival in the process. That's because according to insider Kendall Rogers, Elander has poached Florida interim head coach Chuck Jeroloman and hired him as Tennessee's new top assistant and recruiting coordinator. Whoa:
SCOOP: New @Vol_Baseball coach Josh Elander already making big moves, as I’m told @GatorsBB interim head coach and top assistant Chuck Jeroloman is headed to Knoxville as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator for the #Vols. Jeroloman spent the last six seasons as the AHC… pic.twitter.com/T4OdpKqlj2
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) October 31, 2025
Tennessee baseball has reportedly hired Florida interim head coach Chuck Jeroloman
If you did a double take when you first saw this update, we don't blame you. Things are a bit tricky for Florida right now, as head coach Kevin O’Sullivan is away from the team due to personal matters - it's totally unknown when he's going to rejoin his players.
With him away from the clubhouse, it has been Jeroloman who has been leading the charge for the Gators. Now, though, he's going to be getting ready to pack his bags and make the move from Gainesville up to Tennessee.
This hire feels like it comes a bit out of nowhere, but it's surely a big-time move by the Vols. Elander is fresh on the job and he's wasting no time in bringing in a coach from a hated SEC rival? Yeah, this is something Vitello must be incredibly proud of his good friend for.
Elander has been known as an ace recruiter, but he's going to have to take a bit of a step back there now that he's the new HC for the Vols. In recent years, Tennessee has been absolutely crushing it out on the recruiting trail and no one wants to see things slow down there. Elander will obviously still play a major role in that department, but bringing in someone like Jeroloman to take some pressure off and keep things humming is fantastic news all around.