Tennessee lands its new running backs coach as Jay Graham confirms his return to Rocky Top
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Jay Graham has come home.
After losing assistant coach David Johnson to Florida State, Jeremy Pruitt has turned to the former Volunteer running back to serve as the program’s new running back coach in 2020. Pruitt and Graham previously worked together at Florida State under Jimbo Fisher during the 2013 season when the Seminoles won the national championship.
When Fisher left Florida State for Texas A&M, he brought Graham with him to College Station to serve as the Aggies’ running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Graham, a native of North Carolina, played for current Tennessee AD Phillip Fulmer on Rocky Top from 1993 until 1996. In his four seasons on the field for the Vols, Graham rushed for 2,609 yards and 25 touchdowns for the Big Orange before moving on to the NFL after being selected in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
Tennessee’s new assistant coach could potentially hold multiple titles in Knoxville as Graham has previously served as special teams coordinator for Florida State. He also recruited five-star running back and Texas native Zach Evans for the Aggies. Evans recently officially visited Tennessee leading up to National Signing Day and remains a top priority for Pruitt’s staff.
During his brief time at Texas A&M, Graham helped Trayveon Williams break two school records in the one season they worked together as the Aggie runner set the single-season school records for rushing yards with 1,760 and all-purpose yards with 2,038. Williams then left school early and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2019 NFL Draft.
While coaching at Florida State, Graham coached Dalvin Cook, Devonta Freeman, James Wilder Jr. and Karlos Williams for the Seminoles. Cook finished his career as FSU’s all-time leading rusher with 4,464 career rushing yards and was named a First-Team All-American.
Graham also served one season as Tennessee’s running backs coach back in 2012 after coaching South Carolina’s running backs from 2009-2011 where he coached Marcus Lattimore.
Wednesday night, Graham confirmed his hire at Tennessee and shared the following message on Twitter:
“Happy to be HOME! Ready to get to work!! #GoVols #ReturnofRBU”
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
