With Tennessee football moving on from Tim Banks as defensive coordinator, everyone is waiting to see who Josh Heupel will target to take the job. A name high on the list for a lot of people is Ryan Walters, currently the DC at Washington.
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Walters is in his first season in Seattle on Jedd Fisch's staff, joining the Big Ten side after he was fired as Purdue's head coach. Could a move to the SEC be in the works for him? Not so fast. This week, Walters was asked about the job rumors linking him to Tennessee and he was quick to shoot down the speculation:
#Huskies defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said "rumors are rumors" but he's had "zero contact" with anyone from Tennessee. Said "I hope so" about being back next year, and has family in the Seattle area.
— Aaron Coe (@Coe_Aaron) December 9, 2025
UW DC Ryan Walters denied rumors he's been contacted for the Tennessee job
As you can see via reporter Aaron Coe, Walters made it clear he hasn't spoken to anyone from Tennessee yet, of course including Heupel. Is this something that could change down the road? There's also the possibility that Walters is keeping things close to the vest.
While it's unknown if Walters will end up being the guy, he's got incredible experience and he has helped turn things around for the UW defense this year. He's also of course not the only coach that people have their eyes on.
Another intriguing option would be Jim Knowles, who helped Ohio State win the natty last season, but who joined Penn State shortly after. Knowles is still with the Nittany Lions, but with Matt Campbell taking over for James Franklin and Terry Smith, it's unknown if Knowles will stay with the team.
If he does end up getting replaced, could Heupel give him a call? That's something to consider, though keep in mind Knowles entered the 2025 season as the highest-paid defensive coordinator in all of college football - bringing him to Knoxville would not be cheap.
Soon enough, an answer will arrive on who Heupel will hire, but the hope is that he moves quickly with this decision. Plenty of eyes are on Walters, who is getting ready for the LA Bowl with Washington. After his season wraps up, we'll see if Tennessee makes an aggressive move to get him to pack his bags and leave Montlake. If he does end up being the hire, it'd be huge for UT, but other options, including Knowles, must be considered.