THE STAFF 46 Head Coach Derek Dooley /// 48 Coordinators /// 50 Assistant Coaches /// 54 Football Administration /// 55 Support Staff /// 58 Tennessee Administration photo >> Patrick Murphy-Racey (pmrphoto.com)
STAFF
HEAD COACH DEREK DOOLEY second season at tennessee >> The Facts
Born: June 10, 1968 (Athens, Ga.) Wife: Dr. Allison Jeffers Dooley Children: John Taylor, Peyton and Julianna
Education Clarke Central High School University of Virginia 1991 University of Georgia Law School 1994
Derek Dooley may own a rival’s pedigree, but to Tennessee fans he felt just like one of their own when the Vols introduced him as the school’s 22nd head coach in January 2010. Dooley, 42, came to UT after three seasons as head coach at Louisiana Tech, where he also served as athletics director since March 2008. He was the only athletics director serving as head football coach on the major college level. But it is his family lineage where Tennessee and Southeastern Conference football fans make the connection. Dooley is the youngest son of Georgia legend Vince Dooley, who coached the Bulldogs for 25 seasons and claimed six league titles and the 1980 national championship. And yet Tennessee’s Dooley sounds right at home on Rocky Top. “As most of you know, I grew up in this conference,” he said. “I grew up in the SEC. It didn’t take me long as a youngster to realize that Tennessee was the essence of college football. Even as a young kid, watching the team run through the ‘T,’ when you see checkerboard end zones and, of course, hear ‘Rocky Top’ – those were vivid memories as a youngster.” In Dooley’s first season at the helm of the Tennessee football program, the Vols finished 6-7, winning all four games in November and playing North Carolina in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The bright future on the horizon for Tennessee football was exemplified by performances from the talented freshmen class. Tennessee played 26 freshmen in 2010, including 16 true freshmen, both the third-highest totals in major college football. A school-record seven true freshmen started against Memphis. Many of the 2010 UT freshmen assumed significant roles and produced record-setting seasons. Quarterback Tyler Bray was 4-1 as a starter and set a Tennessee record for passing yards by a freshman with 1,537. He also set overall school records for passing touchdowns (5) and passing yards (308) in a single half (both at Memphis). Freshman wide receiver Justin Hunter set a Tennessee freshman record with seven receiving touchdowns and averaged nearly 26 yards per catch this season. Additionally, the Vols received 31 starts by freshmen on the offensive line, including right tackle Ja’Wuan James, who started all 13 games. James 46
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
College Football Wide Receiver University of Virginia 1987-90
Coaching Career Year School 1996 Georgia 1997 Southern Methodist 1998-99 Southern Methodist 2000-02 LSU 2003 LSU 2004 LSU 2005-06 Miami Dolphins 2007-09 Louisiana Tech 2010-11 Tennessee
Position Grad. Asst., Defensive Backs Wide Receivers Coach Wide Receivers/ Co-Recruiting Coordinator Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends Running Backs/Special Teams Assistant Head Coach/ Running Backs/Special Teams Tight Ends Coach Head Coach Head Coach
Stone (8 starts), JerQuari Schofield (5 starts) and Zach Fulton (5 starts) also started multiple games on the offensive line in 2010. And while the future certainly seems promising, the 2010 team featured a big-play offense that produced 71 plays of 20plus yards, 19 of which were touchdowns, a significant increase from the 2009 totals of 61 plays of 20-plus yards, 10 of which went for touchdowns. The 2010 Vols developed as the season progressed defensively as well, ranking eighth nationally in November by allowing only 13.0 points per game. Tennessee also was a plus-9 in turnover margin in November, the third-best total nationally. And despite having such a young roster, the disciplined nature of the 2010 Vols allowed them to rank third in the conference in fewest penalty yards per game for the entire season (41.5 yards per game). Dooley never accepted the predetermined path to success. He played his college football at Virginia, turning down scholarship offers elsewhere to walk on and later earn his own scholarship from Cavaliers head coach George Welsh. As a wide receiver, Dooley earned that scholarship after his second season and went on to help the Cavaliers to three bowl appearances and the 1989 Atlantic Coast Conference championship. In 1990, he was named first team Academic All-ACC and helped Virginia to a Sugar Bowl bid against Tennessee. During his career at Virginia, Dooley caught 41 passes for
HEAD COACH DEREK DOOLEY what they’re saying about derek dooley
St. Louis Rams tight end
Dooley began his coaching career in 1996 as a graduate assistant at Georgia under defensive coordinator Joe Kines. He then served from 1997-99 as wide receivers coach and co-recruiting coordinator at SMU, where Dooley helped the Mustangs to the school’s only winning season over a 20-year stretch. Dooley joined the staff at LSU under Saban in 2000, serving as recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach from 2000-02 and then running backs coach and special teams coordinator from 2003-04. While LSU’s recruiting coordinator, Dooley helped the Tigers land No. 1 classes in 2001 and 2003. The Tigers won SEC championships both of those seasons, claimed the BCS national championship in 2003, and Saban promoted Dooley to assistant head coach for the 2004 campaign. Under Dooley’s tutelage, running back Justin Vincent set an LSU freshman record by rushing for 1,001 yards in 2003. He went on to be named MVP of both the SEC Championship Game as well as the Sugar Bowl, during which LSU claimed the BCS national title. In 2004, the Tigers finished first in the SEC in rushing (193.8 yards per game), led by Alley Broussard (867 yards, 6.1 avg.) and Joseph Addai (680
yards, 6.7 avg.), a first-round draft choice of Indianapolis in 2006. Dooley left with Saban to serve as tight ends coach for the Dolphins from 2005-06. During his two years in Miami, Dooley oversaw the continued development of tight end Randy McMichael, who ended his Dolphins career as the all-time leader in receptions by a tight end. Before embarking on his coaching career, Dooley practiced law at a private law firm in Atlanta for two years. Dooley is married to Dr. Allison Jeffers Dooley, an OB/GYN and Fort Worth, Texas, native. They have two sons, John Taylor (12) and Peyton (9), and a daughter, Julianna (7). Allison is active in fundraising and serves on the Board of Directors locally for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Imagination Library. The Dooleys also host an annual fundraising event for Variety, an organization that provides financial support for numerous children’s charities.
“He’s the kind of coach that’s got a lot of energy, and he’s somebody that you can relate to on a personal level. He’s great at giving advice while being upbeat at the same time. There aren’t many coaches that will let you have fun while getting the job done at the same time. He has the ability to get that out of you.” >> Joseph Addai Indianapolis Colts tailback
“I really admire and look up to him. Not only is he a great coach, but he is a great man. He comes from a background of tradition of winning, and he represents what you expect from in a coach. You can believe and fully trust him. He is a highcharacter man and a player’s coach.” >> Robert Royal Cleveland Browns tight end
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2010 REVIEW
“Coach Dooley is such a bright person. He made me a better person on and off the field. He made me focus every day on every aspect of the game. As a coach, he makes you the best player you can possibly be. He’ll coach you like you’ve never been coached, and he’ll push you to your maximum potential. He is a phenomenal teacher.” >> Randy McMichael
THE VOLS
National college football journalist and longtime sportswriter for the Atlanta JournalConstitution
STAFF
“(Derek) Dooley is not only the right kind of coach, he is the right kind of MAN that Tennessee needs to lead its football program at this point in history.” >> Tony Barnhart
OUTLOOK
604 yards and three touchdowns. His level of play was such in the 1990 season that he was invited to and participated in the Senior Bowl. He graduated that year with a bachelor’s degree in government and foreign affairs, and then went on to earn his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1994. After a successful start to the legal profession, Dooley switched gears and returned to his love of football. Four short years later, he latched onto the staff of Nick Saban at LSU and moved into the fast lane of the SEC. After five successful seasons that included two SEC titles and the 2003 national championship, Dooley moved with Saban to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. “I really thrived in his way of doing things,” Dooley said of Saban. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity he gave me in wearing so many hats, coaching different positions, coordinating recruiting and coordinating special teams, assistant head coach -- he really allowed me to blossom as a young coach.” But rather than remain in that comfort zone, Dooley again chose his own path toward success – a path that returned him to the state of Louisiana. “There was a part of me that said stay in your comfort zone, sit tight, and, hopefully, one day it (head coaching job) would come,” Dooley said. “That really isn’t who I am, and I felt I needed to develop more to be ready when I got this opportunity.” Dooley was named to his first head coaching position by Louisiana Tech in December 2006, and immediately began laying the foundation for future success. Included in his 23-26 overall record was an 8-5 mark in 2008 highlighted by the school’s first postseason victory in 30 years at the Independence Bowl. Tech finished second in the WAC that season and played in a bowl game for only the third time since joining the major college ranks in 1989. For his efforts, the Louisiana Sports Writers’ Association named him 2008 Coach of the Year. Tennessee Director of Athletics Mike Hamilton, always a visionary, saw in Dooley a rising star on the sidelines that could fit right away into his rugged SEC surroundings. “Derek is one of the bright young coaches in America,” Hamilton said. “He understands our league and the competitive environment in which we compete. He took a very difficult first head coaching job and made significant strides there in a short period of time. “He is incredibly bright, a tireless recruiter and excellent on-the-field coach.”
STAFF Jim Chaney
Offensive Coordinator/ Running Backs
3rd Season at Tennessee >> The Facts
Born: Jan. 12, 1962 (Holden, Mo.) Wife: Lisa Chaney Children: Elizabeth, Sara
Education
Holden High School Central Missouri State University 1985
College Football
Nose Guard, Central Missouri State, 1980-83
Coaching Career
Cal State Fullerton 1985-87, Western Michigan 1988, Cal State Fullerton 1988-92, Wyoming 199396, Purdue 1997-2005, St. Louis Rams 2006-08, Tennessee 2009-present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
1993 Copper, 1997 Alamo, 1998 Alamo, 2000 Outback, 2001 Rose, 2001 Sun, 2002 Sun, 2004 Capital One, 2004 Sun, 2009 Chick-fil-A, 2010 Music City.
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The start to Jim Chaney’s second season at Tennessee certainly offered a monumental assignment. UT’s offensive coordinator faced the task of replacing his quarterback, finding a starting tailback and overhauling nearly the entire offensive line. But Chaney once again pushed all the right buttons to produce what turned into a terrific rushing and passing combination that vaulted Tennessee into another bowl game. Chaney saw junior Tauren Poole pass the 1,000-yard rushing plateau during his first season as the starter, and then watched as true freshman Tyler Bray threw for a UT freshmanrecord 1,849 yards while leading the Vols to a 4-0 November. All this behind an offensive line that jelled down the stretch and offers a solid anchor for Tennessee’s surging fortunes. Chaney, 49, arrived in Knoxville in 2009 from the NFL ranks, having spent the three previous seasons as assistant coach for the St. Louis Rams. The majority of Chaney’s coaching experience, however, comes from the collegiate ranks. His coaching and recruiting turns at Purdue, Wyoming and Cal State Fullerton made him the perfect fit for Tennessee. Chaney spent all three years in St. Louis coaching the offensive line before adding tight ends to his assignment sheet in 2008. During the 2007 campaign, Chaney helped coach an offensive line that led running back Steven Jackson to his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. Possessing one of college football’s best offensive minds, Chaney helped the Boilermakers lead the Big Ten in passing offense five times and total offense three. Purdue was ranked in the top 10 in the nation in total offense in six seasons, including 2000, when the Boilermakers ranked fourth. Chaney served as the offensive coordinator at Purdue from 1997-2005. Quarterback Drew Brees, a second-round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2001, was the NCAA total offense champion in 2000, averaging 349.1 yards per game, and received the Maxwell Award as the nation’s outstanding player. Tim Stratton received the inaugural John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end in 2000. More importantly, the 2000 combination of Chaney and Brees under head coach Joe Tiller led Purdue to its first Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl berth in 33 years. From 1997-2001, Chaney served as recruiting coordinator and helped the Boilermakers sign some
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
of the country’s top high school talent. The 1998 class was ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally. Each of Chaney’s last five classes was in the top 30 nationally. Before his Purdue tenure, Chaney was offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Wyoming in 1995 and 1996. He joined the Cowboys in 1993 as a graduate assistant, working with the tight ends and recruiting. Chaney broke into coaching at Cal State Fullerton in 1985. He served in many areas, including offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator as well as coaching all offensive positions. Chaney had a stint as the offensive line coach at Western Michigan during the spring of 1988 before returning to Cal State Fullerton. A native of Holden, Mo., Chaney earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Central Missouri State University in 1985 after a career at nose guard. He earned All-Conference honors as a senior. Chaney and his wife, Lisa, who hails from Rock Springs, Wyo., are the parents of daughters Elizabeth and Sara.
COORDINATORS
Born: Nov. 12, 1976 (Eugene, Ore.)
Education
Junction City (Ore.) High School University of Oregon 1999
College Football
Safety/Cornerback, University of Oregon, 1995-99
Coaching Career
Boise State 2001-02, California 2003-05, Boise State 2006-09, Tennessee 2010-present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
2002 Humanitarian, 2003 Insight, 2004 Holiday, 2005 Las Vegas, 2007 Fiesta, 2007 Hawaii, 2008 Poinsettia, 2010 Fiesta, 2010 Music City.
2010 REVIEW
>> The Facts
THE VOLS
2ND Season at Tennessee
mized the Cal defense’s swarm-to-the-ball philosophy, and the Bears went to three straight bowls and combined for a 26-12 record. In his two seasons as a graduate assistant at Boise State, Wilcox worked with the outside linebackers. He helped Boise State to an upset victory over No. 8 Fresno State in 2001 and a 12-1 record and No. 15 national ranking in 2002. The Junction City, Ore., native played collegiately at Oregon from 1995-99 and was a part of four teams that advanced to bowl games. He played in the 1997 Las Vegas, 1998 Aloha, and 1999 Sun bowls. He redshirted in 1995 when Oregon participated in the Cotton Bowl. His first three years were spent at safety before he moved to cornerback as a senior in 1999 and claimed All-Pac-10 second-team honors. Wilcox earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Oregon in 1999. Wilcox is the son of Dave Wilcox, All-Pro linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
STAFF
Defensive Coordinator
Justin Wilcox saved his best defensive showings for last during his debut season in the Southeastern Conference. Wilcox blended a unit of defenders that hit its stride during Tennessee’s unbeaten November streak to a bowl game. The Vols defense registered more sacks, forced turnovers and took advantage with big-play scoring opportunities while limiting four straight foes to no more than 14 points. Wilcox came to Knoxville from Boise State, where for the previous four seasons he served as defensive coordinator and helped the Broncos blast their way into the elite of college football. In 2009, Boise State completed a perfect 14-0 season with a Fiesta Bowl victory over TCU. That victory lifted Boise State’s record to 49-4 in four seasons with Wilcox at the defensive helm under head coach Chris Petersen. Wilcox, 34, made his mark on the national defensive rankings in 2009, guiding the Broncos to a No. 14 statistical finish in both total defense and scoring defense and a No. 3 showing in turnover margin. Boise State bookended the season with two of its most impressive victories, clamping down on Pac-10 Conference champion Oregon 19-8 to start the year and then closing with the 17-10 triumph over previously undefeated TCU at the Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos of 2008 were nearly as tough, finishing 12-1 and winning their second Western Athletic Conference title in three seasons. Wilcox’s defense ranked third nationally in scoring, allowing just 12.6 points per game and holding eight of its 13 opponents to 10 points or fewer. Boise State led the WAC in total defense and scoring defense all four seasons under Wilcox. Wilcox coached six seasons overall in Boise, also working as a graduate assistant for the Broncos from 2001-02. Among his prized stalwarts were defensive end Ryan Winterswyk and defensive back Kyle Wilson, both of whom twice earned All-WAC first team nods. In both 2007 and 2006, the Broncos also led the WAC in rushing defense. Boise State was eighth nationally against the run during Wilcox’s debut season as defensive coordinator, and his overall defensive scheme was instrumental in helping that 2006 squad to a 13-0 record and the now-famous 43-42 overtime win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Before returning to Boise State as defensive coordinator, Wilcox spent three seasons (2003-05) at California as linebackers coach. Wilcox was credited with turning his linebackers into a unit that epito-
OUTLOOK
JUSTIN WILCOX
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STAFF Charlie Baggett
Assistant Head Coach/ Wide Receivers Charlie Baggett blended a talented mixture of upperclassmen and newcomers to give the Vols an excellent receiving corps during his first year at UT. The NFL veteran, who has coached nine 1,000-yard receivers in the pro ranks, saw seniors Gerald Jones and Denarius Moore lead Tennessee in 2010. Jones was tops in catches with 55 for 596 yards and four touchdowns, while Moore led the way with 981 receiving yards and nine TDs on 47 receptions. Freshmen also thrived under Baggett’s leadership. Justin Hunter made his presence felt with a team-
leading 25.9-yard receiving average, finishing with 16 catches for 415 yards. His seven receiving scores were second only to Moore. Da’Rick Rogers caught 11 passes for 167 yards to go with 117 rushing yards and a 24.8yard kickoff return average. Baggett, 58, who serves as Tennessee’s assistant head coach and wide receivers coach, brought 33 years of coaching experience to the Vols, including 11 seasons as an NFL assistant. Baggett spent 2009 with the St. Louis Rams and before that was at Washington, where he coached the Huskies’ wide receivers from 2007-08. Baggett was associate head coach/offense and wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06, coaching under Nick Saban and alongside Dooley. Under Baggett, Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers had a Pro Bowl season in 2005, catching 82 passes for 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns. Baggett was wide receivers coach for the Vikings from 2000-04, coaching Cris Carter and Randy Moss. In the first four seasons of Baggett’s tenure, Moss had 376 receptions for 5,649 yards and 49 touchdowns, all of which ranked in the top three in the NFL. Carter caught 169 passes before retiring after the 2001 season. A native of Fayetteville, N.C., Baggett and his wife, Lisa, have a daughter, Camille.
2nd Season at Tennessee >> The Facts
Born: Jan. 21, 1953 (Fayetteville, N.C.) Wife: Lisa Baggett Children: Camille
Education
E.E. Smith Sr. High School Michigan State University 1976
College Football
Quarterback, Michigan State, 1973-75
Coaching Career
Bowling Green 1977-80, Minnesota 1981-82, Michigan State 1983-92, Houston Oilers 1993-94, Michigan State 1995-98, Green Bay Packers 1999, Minnesota Vikings 2000-04, Miami Dolphins 200506, Washington 2007-08, St. Louis Rams 2009, Tennessee 2010-present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
1984 Cherry, 1985 Hall of Fame, 1988 Rose, 1989 Gator, 1989 Aloha, 1990 John Hancock, 1995 Independence, 1996 Sun, 1997 Aloha, 2010 Music City. 50
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
Harry Hiestand
2nd Season at Tennessee >> The Facts
Born: Nov. 19, 1958 (Malvern, Pa.) Wife: Terri Hiestand Children: Michael, Matthew, Mark and Sarah
Education
Radnor (Pa.) High School East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania 1983
Offensive Line Harry Hiestand (pronounced HE-stand) faced the daunting task of putting together his first offensive line at Tennessee from an inexperienced group. The Vols returned only one player with any starting experience at all, and that amounted to a total of three starts. Yet the former Super Bowl coach with the Chicago Bears molded Tennessee’s young but talented group up front and formed a unit that should be a foundation for growth over the next few seasons. Hiestand saw his two tackles, sophomore Dallas Thomas and true freshman Ja’Wuan James, start every game. There was plenty of movement inside, but Jarrod Shaw – the lone starting veteran of the bunch – proved his versatility by playing in all three interior positions as needed. Two more true freshmen, James Stone at center and Zach Fulton at guard, worked their way into the starting lineup under Hiestand’s guidance, with Stone earning multiple Freshman All-America honors. The Malvern, Pa., native came to UT after five seasons as offensive line coach with the Chicago Bears, where he helped the NFL franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance in 21 years. Before that, Hiestand coached 17 seasons at four different major college schools, the longest tenure being eight seasons as offensive line coach and assistant head coach at Illinois. The 52-year-old has been coaching offensive linemen and tight ends since 1982. In Chicago, Hiestand molded units that were known for their physical play in the run game and ability to protect the quarterback. The NFC-champion Bears of 2006 attempted 539 passes while permitting just 25 sacks, and the 2008 squad attempted 557 passes and absorbed just 29 sacks. During his Illinois days, Hiestand coached 12 AllBig Ten Conference selections on the offensive line. Every starting offensive lineman in Hiestand’s first seven years with the Illini made it to an NFL camp. Hiestand and his wife, Terri, have three sons, Michael, Matthew and Mark, and one daughter, Sarah.
College Football
Offensive Guard, Springfield and East Stroudsburg, 1980-83
Coaching Career
East Stroudsburg 1982-85, Pennsylvania 1986, Southern California 1987, Toledo 1988, Cincinnati 1989-93, Missouri 1994-96, Illinois 1997-2004, Chicago Bears 2005-09, Tennessee 2010-present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
1988 Rose, 1999 Micron PC, 2001 Sugar, 2006 Super, 2010 Music City.
ASSISTANT COACHES
>> The Facts
Born: June 6, 1972 (Punta Gorda, Fla.) Wife: Pam Hinshaw Children: Sydney, Hayley, Carley, Darin Jr.
Education
Charlotte (Fla.) High School University of Central Florida 1993 Master’s, University of Central Florida 1996
College Football
Quarterback, Central Florida, 1991-94
Coaching Career
Central Florida 1999-2000, Middle Tennessee 2001-05, Georgia Southern 2006, Memphis 200709, Tennessee 2010-present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
2007 New Orleans, 2008 St. Petersburg, 2010 Music City.
>> The Facts
Born: Nov. 20, 1973 (New Orleans) Wife: Amanda Joseph Children: Taylor, Lynleigh
Education
Archbishop Shaw High School Northwestern State University 1996
Defensive Backs/ Recruiting Coordinator Terry Joseph’s defensive secondary unit helped the Vols finish among the nation’s top 20 with 18 interceptions in 2010. UT’s 18 picks also were fourth in the SEC while tying for 19th overall in major college football, and 10 of those 18 interceptions helped spark Tennessee’s 4-0 November run to a bowl game. Only safety Janzen Jackson started every game, while Joseph matched five other consistently improving defenders among the three remaining secondary positions. Prentiss Waggner joined Jackson to earn All-SEC second team honors, and Marsalis Teague, Eric Gordon and Brent Brewer were among the key figures in Tennessee’s defensive turnaround. Joseph also serves as recruiting coordinator under Derek Dooley, and the New Orleans native held those same duties the previous three seasons on Dooley’s staff at Louisiana Tech. Joseph helped turn around a Bulldogs secondary unit that sliced its scoring defense average nearly in half by 2008. That’s the year Tech won its first bowl game in 30 years at the Independence Bowl. The Bulldogs finished second in the WAC and played in a bowl game for only the third time since 1989. Joseph also coordinated Tech’s recruiting, and the 2009 class ranked second in the league. Rivals.com tabbed Joseph as the No. 4 non-BCS recruiter. Joseph, 37, came to Tech after one graduate assistant season at LSU, where he worked under head coach Les Miles and defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. Before that, Joseph gathered knowledge of the Louisiana high school football circuit -- especially south Louisiana -- thanks to his three seasons each as an assistant coach at both Archbishop Shaw and Destrehan high schools in the New Orleans area. Joseph earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern State in 1996. He was the 1995 Southland Conference Baseball Player of the Year and went on to four minor league playing seasons in the Chicago Cubs
College Baseball
Outfielder, Northwestern State, 1993-95
Coaching Career
Archbishop Shaw High School 1999-2002, Destrehan High School 2002-05, LSU 2006, Louisiana Tech 2007-09, Tennessee 2010-present
Bowl Game Coaching History
2007 Sugar, 2008 Independence, 2010 Music City. and San Diego Padres systems. He is married to the former Amanda Gauthe of Destrehan, La., and they are the parents of daughters Taylor and Lynleigh.
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2010 REVIEW
2nd Season at Tennessee
2nd Season at Tennessee
THE VOLS
Darin Hinshaw’s impact was immediate as Tennessee’s first-year quarterbacks coach. The former signalcaller helped two UT quarterbacks – both making their debuts in Knoxville – lead the Vols offense to a bowl game and a third-place finish in the SEC’s Eastern Division. Hinshaw’s quarterback duo of Matt Simms and Tyler Bray combined for 3,309 yards passing and 26 touchdowns in 2010. The true freshman Bray assumed the starter’s role in November and guided the team to a 4-0 finish to claim bowl eligibility. During those four starts, Bray threw for 1,234 yards and 12 TDs against just four interceptions, earning SEC Freshman of the Week three times.
Terry Joseph
STAFF
Quarterbacks
A Punta Gorda, Fla., native, Hinshaw was a recordsetting quarterback himself during his collegiate playing days and spent the last three seasons as wide receivers coach at Memphis on the staff of former Vols footballer Tommy West. Hinshaw, 38, joined the Memphis staff after serving one season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia Southern. Prior to that, Hinshaw worked at Middle Tennessee for five seasons. He was the running backs coach his first two seasons before being elevated to co-offensive coordinator in February 2003. Hinshaw made his way to Middle Tennessee from Central Florida, his alma mater. Hinshaw spent 1999 as a graduate assistant before taking over the quarterback coaching duties in 2000. He set numerous school records for the Knights, finishing as career leader in every major passing category, including yards (9,000) and TDs (82). During his time under center, UCF had a combined 28-16 record, including a 9-3 mark in 1993 that resulted in a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs. Hinshaw was named in 2004 to UCF’s 25th Anniversary Team. Following his playing days at UCF, Hinshaw began a career in pro football. After a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns, he spent two years with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League. Hinshaw and his wife, Pam, have four children: daughters Sydney, Hayley and Carley; and son Darin Jr.
OUTLOOK
Darin Hinshaw
STAFF Eric Russell
Special Teams Coordinator/ Tight Ends Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley welcomed a familiar face when he named Eric Russell to his assistant coaching staff. Russell coached two seasons under Dooley at Louisiana Tech before moving to the Texas Tech staff. During his first season in Knoxville, Russell sparked improvement in UT’s special teams units. The combination of Daniel Lincoln and true freshman Michael Palardy made 15 of 18 field goals. Additionally, the kickoff return teams averaged 21.5 yards while allowing only 19.0 yards per return. The Vols also successfully pulled off two fake punts for first downs and a kickoff reverse that sent true freshman Da’Rick Rogers on a 78-
yard runback. In addition, his work with tight ends helped senior Luke Stocker finish third on UT with 39 catches. Russell, 43, was special teams coordinator at Texas Tech in 2009. The Idaho native arrived in Lubbock after two successful seasons at Louisiana Tech under Dooley. Before that, Russell spent 13 seasons at North Texas, including five as the special teams coordinator. During his tenure at North Texas, Russell helped lead the program to four consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles and four consecutive appearances in the New Orleans Bowl from 2001-04. During his time as special teams coordinator, North Texas blocked 14 punts, including seven during the 2003 season. Prior to joining the North Texas staff in 1994, Russell served as a graduate assistant at New Mexico in 1993 and at Idaho in 1991. An all-state quarterback at St. Marie’s High School, Russell was named the Idaho Offensive Player of the Year as a senior before earning all-conference honors at Spokane (Wash.) Falls Community College in 1986-87. He earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations from Idaho in 1991. Russell is married to the former Shannon Cook of Tyler, Texas, and the couple has a son, Hayden, and a daughter, Hadleigh.
2nd Season at Tennessee >> The Facts
Born: Dec. 30, 1967 (Spokane, Wash.) Wife: Shannon Hinshaw Children: Hayden and Hadleigh
Education
St. Marie’s (Idaho) High School University of Idaho 1991
College Football
Quarterback, Spokane Falls (Wash.) Community College, 1986-87
Coaching Career
Idaho 1991, New Mexico 1993, North Texas 19942007, Louisiana Tech 2007-08, Texas Tech 2009; Tennessee 2010-present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
2001 New Orleans, 2002 New Orleans, 2003 New Orleans, 2004 New Orleans, 2008 Independence, 2009 Alamo, 2010 Music City. 52
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
Peter Sirmon
2nd Season at Tennessee >> The Facts
Born: Feb. 18, 1977 (Wenatchee, Wash.) Wife: Lindsay Sirmon Children: Jackson, Austyn, Savanna and Sienna
College Football
Linebacker, Oregon, 1996-99
Coaching Career
Linebackers
Central Washington 2008, Oregon 2009, Tennessee 2010-present
Bowl Game Coaching History Peter Sirmon became the newest member of the Tennessee staff when he was promoted during the winter to assistant coach in charge of linebackers. Sirmon, 34, spent last season at Tennessee as a graduate assistant coach for the defensive staff, spending most of his time with UT’s safeties. That proved to be an excellent match for the Vols, with Janzen Jackson earning a second-team All-SEC nod and Brent Brewer making great strides in his first season back from the professional baseball ranks. Sirmon says his recent playing experience definitely contributes to his coaching success. “I think anytime you have walked in the same shoes as the players, there’s a level of communication and understanding. You’re asking them to do things you know can be done and if things are difficult, you understand the problems they’re having. It’s easier to relate to them.” Sirmon brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Vols. The seven-year NFL veteran spent 2009 as a graduate assistant at Oregon, his alma mater. Oregon won the Pacific-10 Conference title that year and played in the Rose Bowl after compiling a 10-2 regular season mark. Sirmon’s coaching input helped the Ducks lead the Pacific-10 Conference in sacks that season with nearly three per game. Prior to a stint with the Ducks, Sirmon served as coach for the linebackers and kickoff coverage teams at Central Washington. It was his first coaching position since retiring from the NFL. The Wildcats compiled a 10-1 regular season record that year and advanced to the NCAA Division II football playoffs. Sirmon’s playing days saw the Wenatchee, Wash., native selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He spent his entire seven-year career playing linebacker in Nashville. An All-Pac-10 performer, Sirmon was a four-year starter and letterwinner at Oregon from 1996-99. During his time in Eugene, Sirmon was a part of 30 Ducks’ wins.
2010 Rose, 2010 Music City.
A teammate and roomate from his Oregon days was Justin Wilcox, Tennessee’s second-year defensive coordinator. “Justin and I have a really strong relationship,” Sirmon says. “I think we can both talk frankly with each other and understand that it’s work.” Sirmon and his wife, Lindsay, have four children: Jackson, 9; Austyn, 8; Savanna, 6; and Sienna, 3.
ASSISTANT COACHES
>> The Facts
Born: June 4, 1964 (Atlanta) Children: Allie, Christina and Lane
Education
Riverdale (Ga.) High School The Citadel 1987
College Football
Defensive End, The Citadel, 1984-87
Coaching Career
Georgia Tech 1988-89, 1990-91 (graduate assistant), Georgia Tech 1995-98, Alabama 1999-2000, Georgia Tech 2001, LSU 2002-03, Central Florida 2004-06, Alabama 2007-08, Tennessee 2009present.
Bowl Game Coaching History
1991 Florida Citrus, 1991 Aloha, 1997 Carquest, 2000 Orange, 2001 Seattle, 2003 Cotton, 2004 Sugar, 2005 Hawaii, 2007 Independence, 2009 Sugar, 2009 Chick-fil-A, 2010 Music City.
Ron McKeefery joined Tennessee in January as football head strength and conditioning coach. The 2008 Under Armour Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, McKeefery recently spent 11 seasons at South Florida, where he served as assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning and head strength and conditioning coach. McKeefery’s most recent role was as human performance coordinator for the U.S. Army Special Forces, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, in Fort Campbell, Ky. A key member of the South Florida coaching staff, McKeefery’s tenure with the Bulls coincided with that program’s rise from Div. I-AA to perennial Big East Conference contender. In addition to six consecutive bowl games and 16 NFL draft picks, the success of his strength and conditioning program is best exemplified by the fact that South Florida was 10-0 in overtime during his 11 seasons with the school. After spending one season as a coach at Ottawa (Kan.) University, his alma mater, McKeefery worked as an intern with the Kansas City Royals. In the two years before going to South Florida, he worked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1999 season, a year in which the Bucs played in the NFC Championship Game. McKeefery then spent the 2000 season as the head strength and conditioning coach with the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist w/Distinction and Coach Practitioner under the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as well as a Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified under the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). He also served as the state NSCA Director for Florida (North) and is certified by both the NSCA and the CSCCA. The Missouri native owns a bachelor of arts in biology from Ottawa and a master of arts in adult education from South Florida. McKeefery earned all-conference honors in both football and track at Ottawa and was also a two-time Academic All-America.
>> The Facts
Born: July 20, 1976 (Upper Darby, Pa.) Wife: Angela McKeefery Children: James, Tyler, Ava, Maya
Education
North Kansas City High School Ottawa University 1997 Masters, University of South Florida, 2004
College Football
Defensive back, Ottawa, 1994-97
Coaching Career
Ottawa 1998, Kansas City Royals 1998, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1999, Berlin Thunder 2000, South Florida 2000-10, Tennessee 2011-present.
Bowl Game History
2005 Meineke Car Care, 2006 PapaJohns.com, 2007 Sun, 2008 St. Petersburg, 2010 International, 2010 Meineke Car Care. Ron is married to the former Angela Hamilton. They are the parents of four children: James, Tyler, Ava and Maya.
53
2010 REVIEW
3Rd Season at Tennessee
Strength and Conditioning
1ST Season at Tennessee
THE VOLS
Lance Thompson arrived in Knoxville three years ago the owner of a championship pedigree. That mentality is building a foundation in the Tennessee defense and already paying dividends. Thompson coached the UT linebackers during his first two seasons in Knoxville, guiding Nick Reveiz to a team-high 108 tackles last year. Reveiz also was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, presented to a former walkon having the biggest impact on his team. But now Thompson is returning to the defensive line, one of the many positions he had handled throughout his successful coaching tenure.
Ron McKeefery
STAFF
Defensive Line
Thompson, a Riverdale, Ga., native, helped mold national title-winners at Georgia Tech and LSU, and spent his two seasons before UT rejuvenating Alabama’s fortunes toward the SEC elite as outside linebackers coach and recruiting specialist. Thompson, 46, owns two separate coaching stints alongside Nick Saban, having originally worked for Saban and alongside Derek Dooley at LSU for the 200203 seasons before rejoining Saban at Alabama in 2007. Thompson served LSU as the assistant head coach in charge of recruiting and tight ends during their national championship season in 2003. After his LSU tenure, Thompson spent three years as defensive coordinator at Central Florida. He previously served as Alabama’s defensive line coach in 1999-2000. Prior to his first two-year stint at Alabama, Thompson was a part of the Georgia Tech staff for 11 years. During that time, Thompson held the position of Director of Football Operations from 1992-94. Thompson got his start in coaching in 1988, serving as a graduate assistant for two years at Georgia Tech, followed by two more years as a volunteer assistant in 1990 and 1991. Thompson was a four-year letterman at The Citadel, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in education and mathematics in 1987. He is the father of three daughters: Allie, Christina and Lane.
OUTLOOK
Lance Thompson
STAFF David Blackburn
Senior Associate AD Administration/Football >> The Facts
Born: Sept. 19, 1965 (Loudon) Wife: Andrea Blackburn Children: Emma and Charlee
Education
Loudon High School University of Tennessee 1989
Brad Pendergrass
Director of Football Operations >> The Facts
Born: June 25, 1976 (Oak Ridge)
Education
Huntingdon High School University of Tennessee 1998 Master’s, University of Tennessee 2001
David Blackburn continues to display his value and versatility to the University of Tennessee and currently serves as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration. Blackburn is involved in other administrative duties as assigned by Director of Athletics Mike Hamilton. Blackburn, a 20-year veteran within the athletic department, has served in many capacities during his tenure, include assistant recruiting coordinator, director of recruiting compliance for all men’s teams, director of football operations, assistant athletic director for development, and associate athletic director for football. Blackburn has direct oversight of the football department, serving as the football sport administrator. In addition, he has also served as the sport administrator for both track and field and swimming and diving. A Loudon native, Blackburn graduated from UT after serving two years as head football student manager and student assistant under head coach Johnny Majors. He joined UT Athletics in a full-time capacity in 1992 and has served in a number of roles, including five years as an assistant athletics director for football administration under head coach Philip Fulmer. Blackburn lives in Maryville with his wife, the former Andrea Radel of Albion, Mich, and their two daughters, Emma and Charlee.
Brad Pendergrass returned to Knoxville in 2010 as UT’s director of football operations on head coach Derek Dooley’s staff. Pendergrass held the same position the previous year at Wisconsin after a five-year stint at Mississippi State. His first full-time position, however, was at Tennessee with his alma mater. Pendergrass, 34, made the move to Wisconsin in 2009 as the Badgers’ director of football operations and handled the team’s administrative operations. At Mississippi State, he spent his first three years as assistant to the head coach. Pendergrass was named coordinator of football operations in 2007, and then was promoted prior to the 2008 season to assistant AD for football operations. Pendergrass spent 10 seasons with the Vols under former head coach Phillip Fulmer -- rising from student manager, to graduate assistant for the coaching staff, to graduate assistant in football operations and later to full-time recruiting assistant. A native of Huntingdon, Pendergrass received his bachelor’s degree in business/marketing from UT in 1998. He earned a master’s in human performance and sports studies in 2001.
Chino Fontenette Graduate Assistant: Offense
Graduate Assistant: Defense
Chino Fontenette enters his second season with the UT coaching staff as offensive graduate assistant after two years as running backs coach at Louisiana Tech. Fontenette helped mold the 2008 Bulldogs ground game into the second-best unit in the WAC en route to the program’s signature win at the Independence Bowl. And Tech tailback Daniel Porter finished his Bulldogs career with a school-record 3,352 yards. Fontetette earned a double major from Tulane University in media arts and marketing in 2003 and was named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. As a player, from 1999-2003, Fontenette saw action at running back, wide receiver and quarterback for an 8-5 squad that won the Hawaii Bowl in 2002. He also spent 2004-05 working as an ESPN production assistant, including assignments on the NFL Draft, Sunday Night Football, the Pro Bowl and the NBA Draft. He returned to coaching as a graduate assistant for Tulane under head coach Chris Scelfo in 2005.
Schirra Fields takes over this year as Tennessee’s defensive graduate assistant after spending two seasons at Louisiana Tech. Fields was a graduate assistant in 2010 and served as an intern for the Bulldogs strength and conditioning program the year before. Fields joined the Tech family after working at Tyler Junior College, coaching defensive backs. The Haynesville, La. native was a walk-on wide receiver at LSU from 2002-05, during which time the Tigers won the 2003 national championship. Derek Dooley was a member of that coaching staff. During his prep career, Fields played wide receiver and defensive back at Haynesville High School, helping the Tornados to the 2000 Class A title. He was named Louisiana’s Class A State Defensive Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. He earned his bachelor’s in kinesiology from LSU in 2006, and is pursuing a master’s in sports psychology.
Quality Control Interns
Blake Rolan: Offense
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
Chandler Tygard: Defense
Strength and Conditioning Interns
Joe Bernardi 54
Schirra Fields
Chris Hurd
Ben Larson
DeMarco McNeil
ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT STAFF
Education
Sweetwater High School Troy University 1999 Master’s, Troy University 2001
Condredge Holloway
Assistant AD Player Relations >> The Facts
Born: Jan. 25, 1954 (Huntsville, Ala.) Wife: Courtney Holloway Children: Jasmine and Condredge III Education Lee High School University of Tennessee 1991 College Football Quarterback, Tennessee, 1971-74
Condredge Holloway is approaching his 14th year on the Tennessee staff and continues to serve as a vital link between the current Vols football staff and its storied history. UT’s Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Relations and Letterman also is one of the most celebrated players in school history. Recently, Holloway’s amazing career was the subject of an ESPN documentary, “The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story,” produced by Kenny Chesney. It recounted the life and playing days of the SEC’s first African-American starting quarterback. Holloway, 57, primarily serves as the department’s liaison with the Lettermen’s Club, assisting with reunions and other projects. Holloway also is the point person for numerous issues surrounding the conduct of a major college football program. Holloway has taken great pride in helping former Vols find their niche in the business world by assisting them with contacts and employment opportunities following graduation. Holloway, who also was an All-America shortstop for the Vols, left Knoxville and played 13 seasons in the Canadian Football League. He was league MVP in 1982. After his professional playing days ended, Holloway returned to UT and earned his degree. Holloway is married to the former Courtney Haralson of Meigs County and is the father of Jasmine and Condredge III.
>> The Facts
Husband: John Hawkins Children: Reagan and Haynes
Education
Morristown West High School University of Tennessee 2001
Andre Lott
Vol for Life Coordinator >> The Facts
Born: May 31, 1979 (Memphis) Wife: Jackie Lott Children: Ella Grace and Ana Lou
Education
Melrose High School University of Tennessee 2000 Master’s, Trevecca Nazarene University 2010
College Football
Defensive Back, Tennessee, 1998-2001
Head coach Derek Dooley took a giant step toward his reorganization of the Tennessee brand when he named former Vols defensive back Andre Lott to the position of Vol for Life (VFL) Coordinator. The newly-created VFL is a comprehensive program for UT’s football student-athletes that centers on four areas of personal growth: character education, life skills, career development and spiritual growth. A former captain and four-year letterman from 1997-2001, Lott returns to Knoxville from West Tennessee where he was an assistant football coach, head track and field coach and Success Coordinator in the Hardin County school system. As Success Coordinator, Lott taught kids of all age groups real life skills, dealing in the Savannah community with such issues as broken families, drug use, bullying and teen pregnancy. Lott was team captain in 2001 and served as a twoyear member of the squad’s Unity Council -- a liaison group between the football team and coaching staff under Lott’s head coach, Phillip Fulmer. The All-SEC defensive back was drafted in the fifth round by the Washington Redskins and played five seasons in the NFL. Lott, 31, hails from Memphis and is married to a Savannah native, the former Jackie Givens, who will be working in Knoxville as a nurse practitioner at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The couple has two daughters, Ella Grace and Ana Lou. 55
2010 REVIEW
Husband: Harry Ervin Children: Jasmine and Jada
Director of On Campus Recruiting
Kris Ann Hawkins signed on to head coach Derek Dooley’s football reorganization when she was named Director of On Campus Recruiting in 2010. The Morristown native initiates the plans for all oncampus activities for both official and unofficial visits and helps with mailing campaigns and general recruiting office activities. After graduating with an English degree from UT in 2001, Hawkins began her career working for her alma mater in the university’s Upward Bound programs. In 2003, she moved to the admissions office at Middle Tennessee State, assisting with student tours on the Murfreesboro campus, before returning to UT’s admission’s office two years later. That’s when Hawkins, as Assistant Director of Admissions, began the Orange Pride program and maintained oversight as part of her campus recruitment activities. She also helped with general student recruiting at local high schools and assisted with event planning. Hawkins and her husband, John, who is from Knoxville, are the parents of a daughter, Reagan, and a son, Haynes.
THE VOLS
>> The Facts
Kris Ann Hawkins
STAFF
Assistant Director of Football Operations
Heather Ervin is entering her third year as assistant director for football operations. Ervin’s duties include assisting with all non-coaching aspects associated with football operations. This includes working with game management, coordinating player campus and off-campus housing needs and their summer employment, and working closely with the Thornton Center in managing academic demands. In addition, Ervin serves as chief liaison to all of parent event functions as well as being routinely involved with official and unofficial recruiting visits. She also managed the Wolf-Kaplan Room pre-game and the Lauricella Center Lettermen’s Room for post-game functions. The Sweetwater native joined UT Athletics in September 2001 in an administrative support role with the football office. Ervin holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sports management from Troy University, where she played basketball and later served as a graduate assistant coach for two years. Ervin and her husband, Harry, who also hails from Sweetwater, reside in Maryville with their daughters Jasmine and Jada.
OUTLOOK
Heather Ervin
STAFF Jason McVeigh
Dr. Chris Klenck
Allison Maurer
Roger Frazier
Director of Sports Medicine
Team Physician
Sports Nutritionist
Equipment Manager
Jason McVeigh enters his sixth season as Director of Sports Medicine at Tennessee, and his 13th overall with the UT athletics department. McVeigh has been a member of the UT Sports Medicine staff since 1999, when he joined the Vols as the Director of Rehabilitation. He gained his Athletic Trainer Certification in 2000, and was named Head Athletic Trainer after Keith Clements’ departure in 2006. Under McVeigh’s supervision, the UT Sports Medicine department has added several key features to assist in the mission of providing world-class health care to all UT student-athletes. McVeigh graduated Summa Cum Laude from UT in 1996 with a B.S. degree in Biology. He then went on to receive his master’s degree in Physical Therapy from Duke University in 1999. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., McVeigh is married to the former Jennifer Bruorton of Marietta, Ga., and they are the parents of twins, Caitlin and Carson, and newborn daughter, Kennedy.
Dr. Chris Klenck, 39, came to Knoxville in November 2006 following a primary care sports medicine fellowship at Indiana University Medical Center. He had served the Indianapolis hospital since June 2001 in the positions of Internal Medicine/Pediatrics intern, resident and chief resident. During fellowship training, Klenck was an assistant team physician for the Indianapolis Colts preseason training camps and assisted at Purdue University, his alma mater. He worked the NFL Scouting Combines in Indianapolis, has NCAA championships experience and served as a team physician in the Indiana high school ranks. An Evansville, Ind., native, Klenck earned his doctor of pharmacy degree from Purdue before completing his doctor of medicine degree at Indiana University School of Medicine. Klenck is married to the former Laura Botto of Dayton, Ohio. They are the parents of three children: Jacob, Ben and Ella.
Allison Maurer is one of only 17 full-time sports nutritionists at the NCAA Division I level and is responsible for all nutrition education with UT athletics. She conducts grocery-shopping tours for student-athletes, weight-gain and weight-loss programs and performance nutrition. She handles meal planning for football and assists with meal planning for other sports, works closely with Team ENHANCE and Team EXCEL and conducts body composition testing for men’s athletics. Maurer also teaches an undergraduate nutrition class, “Sports Nutrition for Athletes,” while handling the orders and distribution of NCAA-compliant nutritional supplements for all UT sports. The Holland, Mich., native began work at UT in October 2007 after three years at Colorado. Maurer earned her undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics from Olivet Nazarene University in 2002, and completed her master’s from Georgia State University in 2003. She and her husband, Dan, of Addison, Ill., are the parents of Manny and Emilio.
Equipment Manager Roger Frazier is responsible for all football equipment issue and maintenance, in addition to handling the purchasing and inventory control of all football game and practice gear. He also serves as president of the SEC Equipment Managers Association and assists in new product development with Adidas. Currently in his 28th year as a full-time staffer with the Volunteers football program, the UT graduate began his career in 1978 as student manager before being named equipment manager in spring 1983. The equipment room was renamed the Roger Frazier and Max Parrott Football Equipment Room, given in their honor by Gordon, Melissa and Hannah Summerfield, in January 2003. Frazier graduated from Bradley Central High School in Cleveland and played football. He and his wife, Donna, have two children, Brandon and Barrett.
Dr. Russell Betcher
Max Parrott
Tennessee Physicians and Additional UT Staff
Robb Duncanson
Assoc. Athletic Trainer, Football 56
Logan Merritt
Assoc. Athletic Trainer, Football
Dr. Michael Petty Chiropractor
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
Dr. Greg Mathien Orthopedic Surgeon
Orthopedic Surgeon
John Dean
Director of Rehabilitation
Assistant Equipment Manager
Allen Sitzler
Assistant Equipment Manager
SUPPORT STAFF Scott Altizer
Administrative Support
OUTLOOK
Joe Harrington
STAFF
Joe Harrington enters his 21st season at Tennessee as the Vols’ sports technology coordinator. His primary responsibilities include compiling and editing game and practice tapes for coaching analysis, cataloging game tapes and producing “cut-ups.” A Camillus, N.Y., native, Harrington graduated from UT in 1990 with a communications degree. Harrington and his wife, the former Tammy Mulling of Alva, Fla., have three children, Connor, Abigail and Hayden Jane.
Scott Altizer returned to football last fall after one season with UT’s event management staff. Altizer serves as liaison to the univesity’s admissions and Thornton Center offices. He oversees the walk-on program and organizes and directs special events like the coaching clinic and summer camps. The Morristown native graduated from Furman University, where he played baseball and had a brief professional career. He his wife, the former Sandy Apple of Nashville, are the parents of daughters Samantha and Sarah.
Steven Rubio
Amanda Gilpin
Kim Milligan
Staff Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant
Bob Kesling
Roger Woods
Angela Schwinge
Recruiting Administrative Assistant
Logan Young
Football Operations Assistant
2010 REVIEW
Director of Football Relations
Adam Dicus Director of Broadcasting
Team Chaplain
Strength & Conditioning Support Director of Player Personnel
Assistant to the Head Coach
Steven Rubio is UT’s Director of Player Personnel. Rubio, 24, came to the Vols just before the 2009 season as a recruiting intern. Since his promotion, he now oversees all recruiting board material. Rubio handles the initial evaluation of high school and junior college prospects. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native came to UT from his alma mater, the University of Central Florida, where he graduated with a sports administration degree in 2007. Rubio worked in various roles on the Knights football staff for six years.
Adam Dicus arrived in Knoxville from Louisiana Tech having served as the assistant to head coach Derek Dooley. His day-to-day duties at UT include research and special projects for the head coach and works with NFL scouts during their visits to Knoxville. Dicus got his start as an assistant to the director of football operations at SMU under head coach Phil Bennett. After majoring in economics at SMU, Dicus spent four years working in Dallas for a hedge fund before returning to football operations at Louisiana Tech.
THE VOLS
Sports Technology Coordinator
Steve Gortmaker Assoc. Strength and Conditioning Coach
Tommy Barnes
Assoc. Strength and Conditioning Coach
Dan Hamilton
Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach
Antonio Banks
Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach 57
STAFF Mike Hamilton Director of Athletics
Born: Aug. 13, 1963, in Brevard, N.C. High School Education: Brevard High School College Education: B.S. Accounting, Clemson University 1985, MBA, Clemson University 1988. Professional Career: NCNB Corp., Tampa, Fla., 1985-86; Clemson IPTAY Club, 1986-88; Assistant Director, Wake Forest Deacon Club, 1988-92; UT Assistant Athletics Director, Development, 1992-96; UT Associate Athletics Director, Development & Marketing, 1996-2002, UT Senior Associate Athletics Director, Development & Marketing, 2002-03; UT Director of Athletics, 2003-present. Wife: Elizabeth (Beth) Merrill Hamilton. Children: Madison, Matthew, Natnael Edward, Kiya Isaiah and McKinley Kalu.
During his tenure at the helm of the Volunteers athletic program, Mike Hamilton’s visionary leadership has exemplified the “ideal of service” captured by the university’s revered Torchbearer Statue. Appointed to the position of director of athletics on 2003, Hamilton’s stewardship of the Tennessee brand continues to ascend to unprecedented new heights. While Tennessee athletics continues to shine brightly as a national standard of intercollegiate achievement, Hamilton has assured that the athletic department’s impact reaches far beyond the fields of competition. In 2010-11, the benefits of Hamilton’s fiscal oversight took the form of $10.3 million in direct cash support to the 58
general UT Knoxville campus—the largest such contribution by athletics in university history. The UT athletics department remains one of only a handful nationwide that receives no funds from state subsidies or taxes. Success on a national level has been a staple of Tennessee athletics, and under Hamilton’s watch, this trend has continued. The Vols have placed in the top 16 in the NACDA Director’s Cup six times in the last seven years, including two top-10 finishes. The men’s basketball program has reached new heights in recent years and reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2010—the program’s most successful season in 101 years. The basketball program also won the 2008 SEC Championship and achieved the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking that same year. Additionally, men’s tennis played for the national championship and finished second in the nation in 2010. The competitive excellence exhibited by the Vols between the lines also has translated to the classroom, where in the spring of 2009, more than 51 percent of Tennessee’s studentathletes earned a GPA of 3.0 or better. The following academic accolades have been accomplished during Hamilton’s tenure: 12 first-team Academic All-Americans, two SEC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, 404 student-athletes earning degrees, and a total of 1,052 student-athletes earning Academic All-SEC honors. In addition, 29 former Vols who left school to pursue professional athletic careers have returned to finish their degree requirements through the Renewing Academic Commitment (RAC) program administered by the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center. Operating as the CEO of an organization with a $100-million-plus annual budget, Volunteer success during Hamilton’s watch has not been limited to the athletic and academic arenas, as fundraising success has also been remarkable. Donations to UT athletics totaled $4 million when he arrived on Rocky Top in 1992. By the time he assumed the director of athletics position in 2003, that total had increased nearly 500 percent ($19.5 million). And by 2010, athletics development fundraising efforts had risen to $43.4 million, which is more than double the total when Hamilton assumed his current post. In total, athletics has raised a total of $413 million since he joined the department in 1992. Moreover, the negative cash balance of $750,000 he inherited as an incoming AD has been remedied—using a zero-based budgeting model—to now reflect a reserve in excess of $9 million. Additional financial highlights of Hamilton’s tenure thus far include athletics endowments of $32 million, a multimedia rights partnership with IMG College worth a minimum of $133 million through 2022, two adidas sponsorship deals totaling more than $40 million and
tennessee football >>> 2011 spring review
$230 million in new or renovated facilities since 2003. Perhaps one of Hamilton’s most ambitious undertakings—the Neyland Stadium Master Plan—is now 60 percent complete. The multi-phase renovation project has brought the addition of revenue-generating Tennessee Terrace and East and West Club seating areas, a field-level Lettermen’s Room, facelifts to the exterior façade, west skyboxes and press box and a breathtaking majestic new stadium entrance via Gate 21. These upgrades have ensured that Neyland Stadium will remain the premier venue in college football for several decades to come. Paying homage to the storied tradition of UT athletics has been a focus of Hamilton’s, as in addition to jersey retirements of legendary performers in several Volunteer sports, there was a statue dedicated to Gen. Robert R. Neyland this fall outside the stadium that bears his name. This record of financial and development success has paid dividends for all sports in the Tennessee athletics program, as in addition to the Neyland Stadium upgrades, there was a total renovation of Thompson-Boling Arena that transformed it into one of the premier venues in the nation. State-of-the-art facilities such as Lee Softball Stadium, Pratt Pavilion and Regal Soccer Stadium have been constructed, and there remains another $178 million worth of athletic construction projects still in the planning phases. Dating to administrative posts in private business as well stops at Clemson and Wake Forest, Hamilton has been respected as an industry leader among his peers. He has served
on the NCAA Academics, Eligibility and Compliance Cabinet, the NCAA Athletics Personnel Issues and Recruiting Cabinet, various NCAA Football Academic Working Groups, the SEC Advisory Board for Bowl Negotiations, the SEC Television and Media Rights Advisory Team and the SEC Digital Network Advisory Team. Hamilton was also recently selected as the SEC’s representative on the Division I-A Athletic Directors’ Association Board of Directors, and he is frequently called on to speak on national issues in intercollegiate athletics. Also a beacon in local and regional charity efforts, along with his wife, Beth, Hamilton recently served as the chairman of the Knoxville Chamber Partnership and currently chairs the United Way Campaign. The Hamiltons have worked diligently to raise more than $550,000 for local adoption agencies as well as $300,000 to support charitable work in Africa through their Kalu Grace Foundation. The couple also hosts the successful Mike and Beth Hamilton Celebrity Golf Classic each year, benefiting Bethany Christian Services. Hamilton serves as a board member of the Blood:Water Mission and the Both Ends Burning campaign and is also involved with the Crohn’s/Colitis Foundation of America, Fellowship Church, Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and Adoption Advocates initiatives. The Hamiltons reside in Knoxville and have three sons—Matthew, Nate and Kiya—and two daughters— Madison and Kalu.
Mike and Beth Hamilton holding McKinley Kalu and with children (L to R), Natnael Edward, Madison, Matthew, and Kiya Isiah.
ADMINISTRATION
UT Knoxville Chancellor
SEC/NCAA Faculty Representative
Front Row (L to R): Ann Furrow, Joan Cronan, Jan Simek, Dan Murphy, Jimmy Cheek, Mike Hamilton, Charlie Anderson. Middle Row (L to R): Scott Frey, Laura Nishida, Leslee Fisher, Joy DeSensi, Deborah Welsh, Gloria Tipton, Pete Kutz, David Millhorn. Back Row (L to R): Dave Ramsey, David Stevens, Terry Esper, John Koontz, Terry Neal, Rob Heller, Rusty Farrell, Bobby Gaylor, Heath Shuler, Crawford Gallimore, Jim Murphy, Bill Carroll, Susan Martin, Chris Simino. 59
2010 REVIEW
Dr. Dan Murphy
THE VOLS
the university of tennessee 2010-11 athletics board
STAFF
Dr. Jimmy G. Cheek became the seventh chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, on Feb. 1, 2009. Through his leadership, the campus is focused on improving the student’s educational experience, enhancing faculty research and scholarship as well as outreach and service. A first-generation college student, Dr. Cheek has set in motion several initiatives to broaden UT Knoxville’s diversity and student access to the university. As the state’s flagship research campus, UT Knoxville is currently ranked as a Top 50 public institution. In early 2010, the campus launched its quest to become one of the Top 25 research universities in the nation. Dr. Cheek chairs the Board of the International Fertilizer Development Center Advisory Committee, a new global research effort to develop and commercialize clean, environmentally sustainable, cost-effective and renewable fertilizers for the developing world. He is on the Presidential Advisory Committee on Energy for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. He is also a member of the 2011 Leadership
Knoxville class and serves on the UT-Battelle Board of Governors, the UT Health Sciences Center Board of Directors, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission Master Plan Steering Committee and the UT Athletics Board of Directors. Prior to his UT appointment, Dr. Cheek was a member of the faculty and an administrator at the University of Florida for 34 years, last serving as senior vice president of agricultural and natural resources. While at Florida, he received the President’s Medallion and Student Body Resolution 2009-104 for dedicated and loyal service to the university and outstanding service to students, respectively, and the Morton Wolfson Faculty Award for outstanding contributions to the quality of student life. He was named to the Academy of Teaching Excellence in 2008, a Fellow of the American Association for Agricultural Education in 2005, and a Fellow of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture in 1998. His research has focused on the influence of experiential learning on student achievement and educational accountability. He has authored more than 80 journal articles and reports and is the senior author of a book. Dr. Cheek earned his bachelor’s degree with high honors and his doctorate from Texas A&M University. He received his master’s degree from Lamar University. A native of Texas, he is married to Ileen, and they have two children and two grandchildren.
OUTLOOK
Dr. Jimmy Cheek