After rumors about job security at Tennessee, OC Tyson Helton emerges as top candidate for head coaching gig

After Saturday’s embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt, reports surfaced that Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt was likely going to fire OC Tyson Helton.

The Vols issued a statement on Sunday that the report wasn’t true, but now it appears the Vols may be on the hunt for a new offensive coordinator anyway.

It seems Helton is emerging as the frontrunner to land the open Western Kentucky head coaching job after the team fired Mike Sanford:

Told by multiple sources tonight that @Vol_Football offensive coordinator Tyson Helton has emerged as the top candidate to replace Mike Sanford as head coach at Western Kentucky. Helton, 41, was the OC/QBs coach at WKU in 2014-15. Sanford was fired Sunday after two seasons.

— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) November 26, 2018

As ESPN’s Chris Low said, Helton has a history at Western Kentucky, coaching the team and running the offense during better times.

Who would the Vols hire to replace Helton should he leave? Tennessee native Clay Travis says former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze should be the first call:

Tennessee needs to hire Hugh Freeze as OC if this happens. Zero doubt. Make it happen. https://t.co/pxN8044PEo

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 26, 2018

Buckle up, folks. It could be another wild, rumor-filled offseason in Knoxville.