Tennessee to hire veteran ACC assistant as new cornerbacks coach, per report
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Tennessee football has zeroed in on its new cornerbacks coach following the sudden departure of Michael Hunter to the NFL last week. The Vols are reportedly set to hire former Virginia Tech defensive backs coach Derek Jones to coach the Vols secondary under Josh Heupel and newly-hired defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Jones is a veteran assistant coach with just under 30 years of experience. He’s made stops at Murray State, Duke, Tulsa, Memphis, Texas Tech and, as mentioned, Virginia Tech most recently. Jones had been with the Hokies since 2022 under head coach Brent Prey.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Tennessee beat out at least one Power 4 club for Jones’ services.
This hire makes a lot of sense on the surface. Jones worked with Knowles during the latter’s 7 years as Duke’s DC from 2010-2017, so he already knows how he operates and likes to run his defense. Knowles’s intricate zone system is proven effective, but it takes some time for college players to fully absorb. For that reason, familiarity – whether it be among coaches or players – is a massive boon.
Tennessee has seen great success at the cornerback position across the years. Colton Hood and Jermod McCoy are both set to be selected in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft, and there’s a lot of reason to believe Ty Redmond can take a step heading into next season.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
