When reports surfaced that former Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich was at Tennessee’s Music City Bowl practice, it led fans to speculate about Mike DeBord’s future at Rocky Top.
When it was announced that DeBord was leaving for Indiana, many assumed that the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach had been forced out and told to look for another job. DeBord told Knoxville radio host Jimmy Hyams that wasn’t the case, saying he originally told coach Butch Jones before the bowl game that he planned to retire game. After the Music City Bowl (Dec. 30), however, the Indiana offensive coordinator position came open (Jan. 1) and presented the Muncie, Ind. native an opportunity to return closer to home.
DeBord, 60, spent the last two seasons at Tennessee coaching alongside Jones, his former protege. Jones recently interviewed former Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke for the role of quarterback coach and is reportedly also considering former Miami QB Ken Dorsey for that position. Current Vols assistants Larry Scott and Zach Azzani are considered candidates to be the next offensive coordinator.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
