UT Vols: Derrick Ansley becomes defensive coordinator in Jeremy Pruitt's new staff

Jeremy Pruitt sweetened the deal to reel Derrick Ansley onto his staff.

Not only will Ansley be Tennessee’s defensive backs coach, he’ll also be the team’s defensive coordinator.

“He’s a guy that’s ready for this. He’s been ready for quite some time,” Pruitt said.

PAY THE MAN:UT Vols: Derrick Ansley receives lucrative 3-year deal to become defensive coordinator

Pruitt added that Ansley will have defensive play-calling duties. Pruitt called Tennessee's defense last season, when the Vols improved to 49th nationally in total defense from 82nd the year before.

"He has a really good idea of why we want to call something and when we want to call it," Pruitt said.

How Derrick Ansley addition will affect staff

The offseason brought three new assistants to Pruitt's coaching staff. Pruitt detailed responsibilities for his reconfigured staff on Friday.

With Ansley taking over as defensive coordinator, Pruitt reassigned Kevin Sherrer to special teams coach. Sherrer also will continue to coach inside linebackers.

“Kevin brings really a very unique background in the fact that, kind of like me, he was a high school coach," Pruitt said. 

“Special teams is really a very important part of the game. It might be the most important part. I thought we done a really good job of that last year, and we want to continue to stay on the trajectory that we were. When it comes to that, he’s the guy that I felt like best suited for that spot.”

Pruitt hired Ansley last week after he fired cornerbacks coach Terry Fair. Ansley spent last season as the Oakland Raiders’ defensive backs coach.

Ansley coached Alabama's defensive backs during the 2016-17 seasons, when Pruitt was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator. They also worked together at Alabama in 2010-11, when Ansley was a graduate assistant and Pruitt coached Alabama's defensive backs.

Pruitt pointed to their history together when asked why he's handing off defensive play-calling to Ansley.

“Probably when I start a sentence, he can finish it," Pruitt said.

Jim Chaney will be CEO of offense

The offseason changes left Tennessee with six offensive assistants and four defensive assistants. Last season, the Vols had an equal amount on each side of the ball.

Tee Martin will take over as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He  coached wide receivers at Southern California and Kentucky. Pruitt hired Martin to take the staff spot of safeties coach and special teams coordinator Charles Kelly, who departed for Alabama’s staff.

David Johnson will slide from wide receivers to running backs. Johnson coached that position at Tulane.

Chris Weinke moves from running backs to quarterbacks, a position he played at Florida State, where he won the Heisman Trophy. Weinke coached quarterbacks in the NFL for the Rams.

Due to the extra offensive assistant, offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will not coach a specific position. That frees him up to be the CEO of the offense. He'll be able to monitor a variety of position drills on offense, much like Pruitt does on defense.

“He’s going to be able to coach every position, so I think that’s important,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt pried Chaney away from Georgia in January to replace Tyson Helton, who departed after the season to become Western Kentucky’s head coach.

Helton doubled as Tennessee's quarterbacks coach. Pruitt likes the idea of a setup in which the offensive coordinator isn't also coaching quarterbacks.

“I think the quarterback position is a very important position to have one guy coaching it all the time," Pruitt said. "If you have an offensive coordinator coaching it, sometimes as you’re going through practice, you’re worried about the split of the wide receiver. Are you getting the right blocking combination up front? I think having a guy who specifically coaches the quarterbacks, with Chris’ expertise, is going to bring value.”

Roll call

Here's a look at Pruitt's staff entering his second season as Tennessee's coach.

Offense

Jim Chaney – Offensive coordinator

Will Friend – Offensive line

David Johnson – Running backs

Tee Martin – Wide receivers/passing game coordinator/assistant head coach

Brian Niedermeyer – Tight ends

Chris Weinke – Quarterbacks coach

Defense

Derrick Ansley – Defensive coordinator/defensive backs

Tracy Rocker – Defensive line

Chris Rumph – Outside linebackers/co-defensive coordinator

Kevin Sherrer – Special teams coach/inside linebackers

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