After losing associate head coach Justin Gainey, Rick Barnes had a major hole to fill on his staff in what could be a make-or-break year for Tennessee. The Vols have been fighting hard to reach the Final Four but keep falling short in the Elite Eight, and with Barnes nearing the later stages of his career, the urgency to break through is growing. Tennessee has found a replacement for Gainey who they hope can help guide the Vols to Detroit next April.
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With that said, the Vols have officially hired former Boston College head coach Earl Grant, who was just recently fired from the Eagles. While he didn't have any overwhelming success as a head coach, he was still very solid, with an overall record of 199-181 over 12 years. Where Vols fans should be fired up is the fact that Grant is an elite defensive mind. Last year, Boston College ranked No. 51 nationally in defensive efficiency. Digging deeper, Grant's emphasis on guarding the perimeter led the Eagles to have a 31.9% three-point field goal percentage allowed last year.
Head coach Rick Barnes had some very high praise for Grant. Barnes said, "Earl Grant is a perfect fit for Tennessee basketball, and I'm so glad he is coming aboard. I called him recently just to talk and, as we continued our conversation, I realized he was just the person we needed on our staff. I've known Earl for a long time and always had a great deal of respect for him. I love his coaching philosophies, and we are bringing him here to help make us even better. Earl is a man of impeccable character, and I am certain he will make a positive impact on the players in our program."
Earl Grant is a great hire for the Vols
Many fans wanted Rick Barnes to bring back former Vol assistant Kim English, but I actually like this hire better. Grant has a tremendous amount of coaching experience and is still only 49 years old. He’s a defensive-minded coach who should fit well into the role vacated by Justin Gainey. Grant’s basketball philosophy aligns closely with Barnes', as both emphasize defense, rebounding, and a physical style of play. To put it in perspective, they held the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness, Duke, to only 67 points last season.
While English is solid, I like the fact that Tennesse will get some new ideas from a defensive-minded coach. Grant has a nice track record as a coach, and I think his hire will pay dividends next seaosn for Tennessee.
Now that Rick Barnes has his top assistant in place, he can turn his attention back to the transfer portal and potentially land even more talent.
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