Tennessee Vols: What Jon Gruden’s Staff Could Look Like

Former Tennessee Vols assistant coach Jon Gruden, currently an ESPN analyst, has long been coveted by fans on Rocky Top.

Before I get too far into this, I should make it known that I don’t believe Jon Gruden will be a candidate in the Tennessee Vols’ next coaching search.

John Currie might give Gruden a call, he might even ask him for some advice. But Gruden was pretty direct this past summer that he has no intentions of coaching in college. He already has a high paying job at ESPN that keeps him around football on a weekly basis. I doubt he ever coaches again, not even in the NFL.

But, as with anything, there’s always a slight, slight chance.

Which is why I decided to take a look at what a Jon Gruden coaching staff at Tennessee would look like.

Offensive coordinator/wide receivers: Tee Martin

• Obviously there are no connections directly between Gruden and Martin, but there were rumblings in 2012 that Gruden reached out to Martin. Martin is currently the wide receivers coach/offensive coordinator at USC.

Quarterbacks: Tim Berbenich

• Berbenich served as an offensive quality control coach under Gruden with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006-07. Berbenich was the assistant running backs coach at Tampa Bay in 2008, which was was Gruden’s final season with the Buccaneers. Currently, Berbenich serves as an offensive assistant/assistant quarterbacks coach with the Indianapolis Colts.

Running backs: Jay Graham

• Again, there’s no direct connection between Graham and Gruden, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he returned to Tennessee should Gruden come to Knoxville. Graham was the Volunteers’ running backs coach in 2012, but he left for Florida State after spending a couple of months on Butch Jones’ staff.

Offensive line: Jeff Jagodzinski

• Jagodzinski has a ton of coaching experience in college and the NFL. He was tabbed as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator shortly after Gruden was fired, but he was demoted when there were questions about how fast he could get play calls to the field. Jagodzinski is currently an associate head coach at Georgia State. He’s previously been an offensive line coach at Boston College and East Carolina, as well as with the Atlanta Falcons.

Tight ends/special teams: Ron Middleton

• Middleton has a lot of SEC coaching experience. He’s been a tight ends coach at Ole Miss and Alabama. He also served as a tight ends coach under David Cutcliffe at Duke from 2008-12. He was Gruden’s tight ends coach in Tampa from 2004-06. He’s currently an assistant coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Defensive coordinator: Lovie Smith

• So this one just makes too much sense, right? Smith is currently the head coach at Illinois, but he could be on the way out as his team is facing a losing season for the second straight year. Smith was a defensive backs coach at Tennessee under Phillip Fulmer from 1993-94.

Linebackers: Hardy Nickerson

• Nickerson is currently Smith’s defensive coordinator at Illinois. He’s also a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer (though he didn’t play under Gruden). It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him follow Smith to Tennessee.

Defensive line: John Scott Jr

• Scott doesn’t have any connection to Gruden, but given that a lot of Gruden’s former assistants are now head coaches or coordinators, he’ll have to go this route to fill out his coaching staff. Scott is currently the defensive line coach at Arkansas. I can see Gruden reaching out to someone that has some SEC coaching experience. Plus, Scott will likely be looking for a job if Bret Bielema is let go.

Defensive backs: Raheem Morris

• I don’t know if Raheem Morris would want to come back to college, but this would be a hell of a pairing. Morris is currently the wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons, but he was Gruden’s defensive backs at Tampa Bay. He also took over for Gruden as the head coach in 2009.