Tennessee set to hire key Indiana staffer for 2026 season, per report
By Luke Greco
Published:
Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers are expected to hire Indiana’s Derek Owings to be their new head strength and conditioning coach, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
The 32-year-old has spent the past two seasons at Indiana as the Director of Athletic Performance. Owings came to Indiana with head coach Curt Cignetti and had spent the past 6 seasons working under the National Championship-winning coach.
Owings helped the Hoosiers reach the College Football Playoff in each of the past two seasons. Per Zenitz, Owings is regarded as an “important behind the scenes figure” in Indiana’s success.
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Zenits reports that Tennessee will be making Owings the highest-paid strength and conditioning coach in college football history with a salary of $1.2 million per year. He also reports that Owings turned down the USC job last year but will now make the move to Tennessee.
Owings received a new contract in May of 2025 that paid him over $900,000, but it seems he is set for a raise in Knoxville.
Owings earned FootballScoop.com‘s strength and conditioning coach of the year award in 2025.
Now, the Hoosiers will have to refocus elsewhere. It never stops, not even for the National Championship winning team.
