It sure looks like Danny White was serious when he said that Tennessee baseball is going to be moving quickly to replace Tony Vitello, who is off to take over as manager for the San Francisco Giants. We knew Josh Elander was getting an interview, but you can add another big name to the list.
Tony Vitello delivers tear-jerker message about being a VFL after leaving Tennessee
According to Vols reporter Mike Wilson, Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall is interviewing for the open position with Tennessee on Friday. Last season, Schnall, who took over for the legendary Gary Gilmore, helped Coastal Carolina reach the College World Series final, with his team ultimately losing to LSU. Schnall is definitely an intriguing option for the position, but people continue to push for Elander to get the job. How will things play out here?
Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall is expected to interview Friday with Tennessee, @knoxnews has learned.
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) October 24, 2025
The coaching search for Tony Vitello's replacement started Wednesday.https://t.co/VRAFg2qtAO
Kevin Schnall is reportedly interviewing with Tennessee for the open head coach job
"Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall is expected to interview with Tennessee baseball on Oct. 24 as the Vols look for a new coach, a source with knowledge of the situation told Knox News," Wilson wrote on Friday. "The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because who Tennessee is interviewing is not public."
This sure is something. Per Wilson's sources, it's unknown if Tennessee has other interviews on the schedule, but White and Co. sure are starting things off with a bang. Schnall just took over as head coach for Coastal Carolina last season and he nearly helped the program make history with a second natty win. He also played for the university in the 90s.
The 2025 season may have ended in heartbreaking fashion, but Schnall quickly announced to the college baseball world that he's a coach on the rise and his team needs to be taken seriously moving forward. Could he end up being one and done as HC for Coastal Carolina, though?
That may be the case if White puts an offer on the table that he can't refuse. A quick look on social media shows that some Vols fans are a bit split on this. While Schnall would be an exciting hire, a lot of people really want to see Elander take over for Vitello. Elander is the associate head coach and he's made a big impact recruiting wise. For now, no one knows what's going to happen here, but Schnall getting an interview rightfully has a lot of people talking.