Vols Go Outdoors For Third Spring Practice

The first full pads practice of the Josh Heupel era is complete. Tennessee football went through its third practice of the spring and its first outdoor workout for over two hours on Tuesday afternoon at Haslam Field.

Sunny skies finally greeted the Volunteers after the first two practices of week one were forced indoors due to inclement weather. Heupel's squad utilized all three fields, working all three phases while pushing tempo in multiple team periods.

Tennessee will take advantage of back-to-back practice days on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning to finish off its second week of the spring.

Defensive coordinator Tim Banks and wide receivers coach Kodi Burns addressed the media following Tuesday's practice:

Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks

On if Tyler Baron is moving full time to the defensive line …

"We are still defining all of our roles right now on our defense. He is obviously a skilled athlete, big skilled if you will. I think it is too early to say exactly how we are going to utilize him, whether it's strictly a hybrid or strictly a defensive lineman. And quite frankly I think that is a good problem to have. He has a good skill set, so we are still evaluating it, and hopefully, by the end of spring heading into fall we will have a better idea exactly how we want to utilize him."

On what he saw out of the defensive line group today …

"The want is there. The guys are working extremely hard. We obviously play at a really good pace and obviously are learning a new system. So, there is a lot that is required to play at the standard into which we want to play. But I thought as far as the effort and what we are asking them to do. I thought the guys were really working their tails off trying to improve and that is really all we can ask for. I thought today they worked their tails off."

On how much more he learns when the guys practice with pads on and on who he leans on in his group of linebackers …

"The first question I think anytime you put the pads on you find out some timeless truth. You still have to tackle, you have to block, and you obviously have to get off blocks and things of that nature. That is what you find out exactly what we are as it relates to hitting and shedding. As far as No. 2, our linebackers I think a lot of it is just work by committee right now. All of those guys are working extremely hard to try and separate themselves and like I said today is really the first day we put pads on. I think as we continue to move through it, we will have a chance to define some roles better. But right now, it is a little bit by committee and again a lot of times that ends up being a good thing because you are developing some depth."

On if he is taking a simple approach to teaching his defense as the offense …

"Yes, I think you just obviously want to put them in a situation where they can play extremely fast. I don't know if simple is the word for us, but obviously in everything we do we want to be sound. We're putting it in day-by-day, piece-by-piece. The more they can digest the more they can install. But ultimately, we just want to see guys play hard and execute. Whatever we feel like they can handle as we move forward. We will continue to put it in, but ultimately that is really all we can handle at this point is who is going to play hard, who's going to strike, get off blocks and make tackles. And that is really all they have been evaluated on to this point."

On what he thinks of the defensive line so far from practices …

"Well, again we are a work in progress. I think the guys are trying I think they have a lot of want to. And you guys know obviously for us to play at the level we want to play at you know everything starts and ends upfront. So, they understand what the standard is and they are working very hard to put themselves in a position to uphold it. But I am pleased it's really only been three practices, and I like the direction we are headed."

On what he knows about his team that he did not know a week and a half ago …

"You know I think again I don't know if I can really answer that every day we are learning something new. Just building relationships, figuring out where their strengths and weaknesses are, and every day as a staff we are figuring things out. We are moving guys around. You know we are going to utilize every single day every single minute you know and the 15 opportunities we get to make sure we are gathering as much information as we can possibly gather to make sure we are able to put these guys in the best possible positions. We are truly learning every day about our front, and about our back seven, and that information is obviously super valuable for us to move forward to make sure we have these guys in the right spots."

On how he sees his relationship with the players so far on and off the field …

"It's where you'd think it would be. Obviously, just getting to know these guys and spending some time with them. Not only talking X's and O's, but just talking life skills in general. It's been good, but again we realize trust is earned over time. So, we're constantly working extremely hard to make sure they understand very clearly what our expectations are obviously on the field, but off the field academically and even socially. So, anytime when you're dealing with relationships it takes time, but for the three practices we've had and obviously the short time I've been here, myself and the rest of the defensive staff, are working very hard to try to build it."

On what he has thought of his experience so far personally and if it has gone as he expected …

"It's been great. Obviously, Knoxville is a great town, a great university, Coach Heupel and the defensive staff have been awesome. So, it's been great, and it's obviously a learning curve for the whole staff as we get to know our players and get to know each other. We live for challenges and it's what gets you going a little bit. Obviously, it was a great run at the other place and there was lifelong friends and relationships I developed there, but I'm super excited to be here and to continue to build on a tradition these guys have already established here."

On how they are rotating players on defensive from a depth chart standpoint …

"We have a standard depth chart that we have, and some of it is based on obviously what we saw last year with how it ended. Some of it was based on what we saw during our winter conditioning, but a lot of it right now is just alternating and switching guys in and out and trying to find the best combinations that we can have to make sure guys are in the right spots. But again, it's only been three practices and we haven't had a lot of opportunities to switch it up as much as we will moving forward, but that's definitely the plan. A defensive end may be a right end instead of a left end. A linebacker may be to the field side and weak side the next day. So, I think it's in our best interest to make sure we move these guys around to get it on video, so once again we have the knowledge we need to make sure we have these guys in the right spots."

On how he feels it has been so far communicating with the coaches on the practice to field to make sure they are on the same page …

"We're definitely working hard to make sure we're on the same page, but these guys are veterans. These guys have coached a lot of years as I have and we understand that the communication and preparation is at the forefront of everything we want to get done. So, we've worked really hard to make sure we're on the same page, thus when we get on the field, the kids feel that and they can feed off our energy and how well we prepare."

On what he and the coaches think about Tamarion McDonald this offseason so far and what he likes about him …

"I like his size and he plays the game with a tremendous amount of energy. You just feed off his enthusiasm. He loves to play the game and he's obviously still young and there's a lot of opportunities for him out there to still cash in on. But he's definitely one of the guys that we think has a bright future, and as he continues to grow and learn the position. He's definitely a kid we're keeping our eye on."

Wide Receivers Coach Kodi Burns

 

On Tennessee's sophomore receivers…

"We've got to really bring those guys along. They're all very talented. Right now, I'm really focusing on developing those guys, teaching them how to practice, how we do things at Tennessee, how to play up-tempo, simple things that we call ball mechanics. We're teaching those guys how we play. There's no question that all four have talent. We've just got to truly grow them and develop them into the wide receiver position. A guy like Malachi Wideman was a dual-sport athlete as a basketball player who also played football. Then, you talk about the two Jimmy's (Jimmy Calloway and Jimmy Holiday), both of those guys were quarterbacks in high school. Really, it's just about translating those skills to the wide receiver position. It's my job to develop and bring those guys along."

On if there's any offensive players that have stepped up early on this spring…

"In the past, there have been a couple of guys. Obviously, we've got one right now that just went through the Pro Day and also a guy like Jauan Jennings that played a lot of football here. When you talk about leadership, those guys have a lot of time on task. Now, you're walking into a really young group. I think by default and just by personality, time on task as far as him starting at a different school and coming here to Tennessee and doing the same thing, Velus Jones Jr. has kind of stepped up and emerged as one of those guys that can truly grow these young guys. He can teach them how to practice, teach them what the standard is and what we're looking for. He's really taken right after me as far as what I'm asking and teaching those young guys exactly what we're looking for. He's done a good job thus far."

 

On 2022 recruiting and the 'sales pitch' for Tennessee on the recruiting trail…

"To be honest, to sell Tennessee is not very hard at all. Tennessee is one of the most storied traditions in all of college football with just the amount of national titles and SEC Championships. It wasn't that long ago that Tennessee was on the top. The sell is really, 'Why would you not want to be a part of getting Tennessee back to the standard of Tennessee football?' You look at the campus, the facilities, they're second-to-none. Now, coaching the wide receivers here at Tennessee, it's the style of offense. I think that once guys start to see what we're doing in the spring game, in this fall coming up, how we're going to throw the ball, what we do, the tempo with which we play with and how different we're going to be offensively than everybody else in the SEC, I don't think it's going to be a hard sell once we start putting things on film that kids can see. With that being said, outside of the football aspect, Tennessee is a storied tradition. If I'm one of these young guys out there, a chance to play at Tennessee means something. To play here on Rocky Top in front of 102,455, that sells itself. It's a blessing to be here, and I hope those kids really understand that. That's what I'm trying to get them to do in recruiting."

On how he feels having played both quarterback and wide receiver is has helped him as a wide receivers coach…

"My story is very similar to a couple of guys that we have on our team right now. I was a quarterback my entire life. That's what I did. That's who I was. I had never caught a pass in my life. Once I was a junior in college, I actually ended up moving to wide receiver. That transition for me was not that difficult because I understood coverages. I understood the run game. I understood the pass game. I understood leverage. I understood what defenses were trying to take away and do. That made me more knowledgeable as a player. I had to teach myself how to catch, which I did. I ended up starting in the league, but I think the transition from quarterback to wide receiver is very simple, from the standpoint of a knowledge aspect of the game. For me with my coaching philosophy, I like to teach the wide receivers the position as a quarterback, because I think it makes you a better wide-out when you truly understand the game as a quarterback and not just what you do. Understanding the big picture makes you a better player overall."

Foundation Being Laid As Vols Go Through Second Practice

Inclement weather forced Tennessee football indoors once again on Saturday but that didn't stop the Volunteers from executing at a high level during their second spring practice under head coach Josh Heupel at the Anderson Training Center.

Offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Johnny McDonald spoke to members of the media following the practice.

Opening Statement

"Just got done with practice two. It was incredible to be out there after what feels like a long two months. It's been awesome just to get out there and to be able to work with these guys. The attitude, the effort has been unbelievable and a lot of fun to be around and I mean that wholeheartedly. It's been an absolute blast to get out and coach ball and be able to see these guys really continue to get better. Through the first two days, like I said, the attitude, the effort has been unbelievable. They are really taking to coaching, really embracing the system, embracing how we are doing it and embracing the process of getting better every day. It's really fascinating to see growth among some of these guys who have not played a bunch of football here. It's been really, really fun. It's been an exciting two days, getting in to the film room after the first day, getting into the film room over these next couple days as we get to practice three and get to put some pads on. That'll be fun to see. It will be interesting to see how guys react when you add the physical aspect of what we're doing. These last two days have been about alignment and assignment and really executing without pads on which is a big first step for us as we continue to build on this system. I'm really happy with where we're at and really excited about where we're going. I think we have a long way to go, but I'm really happy with these first two days, the foundation we've laid so far and where we are going with it."

 

On how players have done so far in the first two practices …

"Jabari Small has been really impressive. That's a guy that we were all excited to see what he could do. That running back group has got some depth in there. There are guys who haven't played a bunch. Dee (Beckwith) has done a good job. Tiyon Evans has done a really great job. I think those guys have really done a phenomenal job. I think the wideout group, Velus (Jones Jr.) has shown up, (Jimmy) Calloway has really shown up. Those guys have been really, really impressive so far these first couple of days. The o-line group has some guys that have played and have practiced that way. The tight end group has done a good job. I think they are continuing to learn how they fit and the quarterback group. I think learning how to play quarterback in a completely new system has been really fascinating to see those guys grow from day one to day two. To answer your question, two guys that have really stood out - Jabari (Small) has been one and probably that o-line group as a whole knowing how the operation works, getting on the right people, playing fast. Those two have been really impressive so far."

 

On if Dee Beckwith and the tight ends …

"Dee (Beckwith), really fascinating body type. We've spent a lot of time talking about Dee. Our plan right now is to keep him at running back and let him learn a position and get comfortable there. It's really hard to evaluate guys if you move them around a whole bunch. He's shown some promise. I mentioned him earlier, shown flashes. He's just so different, you just have to get used to as a coach seeing a different body type there and seeing a different skillset. It's our job as coaches to use those different skillsets in the right way. When it comes to the tight ends, specifically you had asked about Austin (Pope) and Jacob (Warren), their body types are what they are. In the same breath as Dee, our job as coaches is not to say we want you specifically to do this. Our job is to figure out what they do well and put them in a position where they can be successful. How they fit will totally depend on how they look through the next 13 practices and what they are able to do. They have done a good job of learning the system and it's our job as we get into fall camp and game-planning to fit them into spots where they can be successful. Guys that are really good pass catchers will catch balls and guys that are good run blockers will block. I think if you try to fit a square peg in a round hole sometimes you get yourself in trouble. With those two guys specifically really different skill sets. Austin has been impressive these first two days. I know he hadn't played football in almost a year and a half and I'm really proud of where he is. Jacob Warren, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what he in terms of how his big body can be used. Both of those guys can be good combination tight ends. They can play out in space, play in the backfield, can play in-line. Princeton Fant falls into that as well. I've been really happy with that room so far."

 

On the quarterbacks …

"I think as with any system, just the overall big picture with those guys. Getting the play call in, communicating it all, getting us into the right things as they see different looks, playing really fast, playing decisive. I think that's what's separating those guys as we keep moving forward. It's who can operate within the system at a really high rate. It's all about decision making there in terms of being able to get us in the right play and executing at a high clip. I think all three of those guys are doing a great job of learning it and then being able to translate it onto the field. I think that's the one position that you feel like you are probably the hardest on because it all starts there. All three of those guys have such different skill sets. They're so interesting in what they're good at. I think as we evolve through spring and evolve into fall camp, I think we'll evolve offensively based on what those guys can really do in terms of who ends up being the one and the two and the three and how we move forward. What they've done so far has been really impressive. I think the jump from day one to day two has been really impressive just in an operational standpoint. There's still a ton of work there in terms of being able to operate fast and within the system. They have really made a huge jump from day one to day two. It has been really impressive."

 

On what he's learned about the offense through two practices …

"No pads on yet, so we will find out next week that part of it and I'm really excited about it. To be honest with you, I think it's the first time since we've been here that we've really put them into really hard situations through these first two days. We talked about when we got here, and I don't know if they really believed us and probably looked at us little like we got two heads, and we've continued to talk about fighting through adversity. That adversity is coming. These guys have been though a lot, sometimes I think we forget what these guys have actually gone through to get to this point. The guys that are here have fought through a lot, and it's our jobs as coaches to bottle that up and transform it into something great. I've been really impressed with just how hard they practice both on offense and defense. These guys are trying to take the coaching. These guys are trying to live up to the standard that we are setting because we are not bending the standard at which we are going to play and at which we are going to run this program. For the most part, this is the first time as a team that it has been hard, like really hard. The neat thing about this group is that they have been through hard, just not since we've been here. To see them all fight through it, to throw adverse situations at them, it's been fascinating to see them. But that's probably the first thing through these first two days as we got into the second half of practice and they're a little bit tired and they're a little bit banged up and they're a little bit exhausted and coach maybe is yelling at me and maybe coach is mad about something that happened. Forget about it. Play the next play as hard as you can as long as you can and to the best of your ability. If we continue to do that, if we continue to fight through these adverse situations, we will be alright. I think continuing to put them in hard situations, us as coaches and seeing how they respond. All we are trying to do is replicate what it is going to be like when you line up at Neyland in September and you go. Coach Heupel has done a good job of trying to create hard situations, real situations and then force them to fight through those. As we keep moving forward, that's where once we put pads on, now it's hard and you got equipment on and people are banging against you. Now what can you do? For us as coaches, setting the standard for what we want them to do, holding them to that standard and then seeing how they react and coaching that. Then setting another standard for them. Obviously, you want to have success early, which is why we've kept it relatively simple so as you continue to go and then when you don't have success, you can coach off of that. And that's not cliché coach talk, that's real talk. For these guys to continue to fight, I've been really impressed. There's a really cool energy about this team, maybe a youthful energy. Our job is to continue to find the leaders and have them bring the energy because I think the leadership part is what is going to continue to carry them through and we need that leadership to be player driven as we go through these next 13 practices."

Heupel Up-Tempo Practices Underway

Spring practice of the Josh Heupel era is underway as the first-year Tennessee head coach put his Volunteers through a spirited, fast-paced indoor workout at the Anderson Training Center on Thursday afternoon.

Inclement weather pushed the first practice indoors, just hours after four Vols shined at Pro Day in front of dozens of NFL scouts and personnel representing nearly every league squad. Tennessee spent Thursday working on all three phases and implementing its new terminology.

"There's so much time and energy and work that leads up to those moments where you get an opportunity to truly go out and compete the way you want to as a full team," Heupel said. "It's exciting. I've got notes full of things that we've got to correct as players, coaches and support staff for the next practice, but I love the energy and effort. If you get those things from your players -- great energy, great attitudes -- then you become a tough football team."

Heupel, who has developed multiple NFL quarterbacks in his career, is seeking to get the most out of his quarterback roster that includes sophomore Harrison Bailey, graduate transfer Hendon Hooker and redshirt sophomore Brian Maurer this spring.

"We used the code word attack," Heupel said. "That's a big part of who we are inside of our building. At the quarterback position in particular, I thought they handled the tempo portion of some of our team sets extremely well and handled the communication piece of it. They played within themselves. They made some mistakes out there, but they did a lot of really positive things too. The thing that we've challenged our guys on is 'Don't make the same mistake twice. Be coachable. Accept the coaching in a positive way."

The Vols' second practice of the spring is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Heupel Era Practices Begin Thursday

The opening spring of the Josh Heupel era at Tennessee is set to get underway on Thursday afternoon as the Volunteers will go through the first of 15 football workouts.

Heupel, who orchestrated offensive juggernauts at Missouri and UCF, begins his fourth season as a head coach and first at Tennessee. A 2018 National Coach of the Year finalist, Heupel posted a 28-8 record in three seasons at UCF, including a stellar 20-5 mark in conference play.

Following Thursday's practice (approximately 6 p.m. ET), Heupel will speak to the media about the first practice and the excitement of his first spring in Knoxville.

The Vols will practice again Saturday morning before going through three practices next week leading up to Easter. Spring football culminates with the Chevrolet Orange & White Game at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 24 in Neyland Stadium.

Heupel Names Outside Linebackers Coach / Special Teams Coordinator

Mike Ekeler, who owns more than 15 years of Power Five coaching experience, has been tabbed as Tennessee's outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, head coach Josh Heupel announced on Thursday.

Ekeler returns to the Southeastern Conference after coaching inside linebackers and special teams at Georgia from 2014-15, and he served on LSU's 2007 SEC and national championship staff. He reunites with Heupel as the two served as graduate assistants together at Oklahoma in 2004. Ekeler spent two seasons on staff in Norman, with the Sooners reaching the BCS National Championship Game both years.

"Mike is one of the most engaging and charismatic leaders I know," Heupel said. "The energy he will bring to our football team, in addition to his track record of guiding successful special teams and defensive units will enhance our program. We are excited to welcome Coach Ekeler and his family to our Tennessee football family and look forward to watching him make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes."

The David City, Nebraska, native comes to Knoxville after spending the 2020 season as the special teams coordinator at North Texas.

In 2019, Ekeler was the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Kansas. He tutored Jayhawk punter Kyle Thompson to All-Big 12 honorable mention honors as he averaged 44.5 yards per punt with 17 punts going over 50 yards, including a long of 73. Meanwhile, freshman linebacker Gavin Potter was an honorable mention honoree for Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, and Stephon Robinson earned All-Big 12 Third Team honors as a kick returner by Phil Steele.

 

Prior to his arrival at Kansas, Ekeler served as the linebackers coach at North Carolina for two seasons. In 2018, he coached Cole Holcomb, who led the ACC in tackles per game with 9.5. Holcomb was an All-ACC second-team selection and ranked second in the league in solo stops with 5.4 per contest. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team.

 

In his first season in Chapel Hill, Ekeler tutored a veteran group that featured Holcomb along with Cayson Collins and Andre Smith. Collins, who was second on the team with 83 tackles, signed a free agent contract with the Miami Dolphins, while Smith was a 2018 NFL Draft seventh-round selection by the Carolina Panthers.

 

Ekeler went to UNC after serving as North Texas' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2016. In his first season at UNT, Ekeler oversaw a defense that held opponents to 8.7 points per game fewer than the previous year. That turnaround in scoring defense was the 13th-best mark in the country. He also oversaw a linebacking corps that included the team's sack leader Joshua Wheeler (5.5).

 

Ekeler mentored numerous NFL Draft picks as the inside linebackers coach and defensive special teams coordinator at Georgia from 2014-15. In 2014, Georgia ranked 17th in the FBS in total defense (337.2) and was second in the SEC in passing defense (170.4). In 2015, the Bulldogs' defense ranked seventh in the nation in total defense, allowing only 305.8 yards per game.

He coached four NFL Draft picks during his tenure, including first rounders Roquan Smith (2018) and Leonard Floyd (2016) and Ramik Wilson (2015 fourth round) and Amarlo Herrera (2015 sixth round).

Ekeler also coordinated the defensive special teams at Georgia as the punt return squad had six touchdown returns in two seasons. Prior to his arrival, the Bulldogs ranked 124th in the FBS in punt return average (2.92). Ekeler elevated Georgia 100 spots into the top 25 in that category in his first season as the Bulldogs averaged 10.48 yards per return. In his final season, that increased to 13.13 yards per return, which ranked 17th in the FBS. They also improved in kickoff return coverage under his watch, climbing 37 spots in the FBS rankings and allowing only 19.25 yards per return in 2014.

As linebackers coach at Southern Cal in 2013, Ekeler tutored Hayes Pullard, who was named to the All-Pac 12 Second Team. That year Pullard notched 60 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks before being selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Before USC, Ekeler served as the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator at Indiana from 2011-12, and he spent three seasons as Nebraska's linebackers coach (2008-10) under head coach Bo Pelini. During his three years in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers won or shared the Big 12 Conference North Division title every season and appeared in multiple Holiday Bowls and one Gator Bowl.

 

As Nebraska's linebackers coach, he played a key role in developing some of the nation's most successful defenses. In 2010, Nebraska was fifth nationally in pass defense (153.6), ninth in scoring defense (17.4) and 11th in total defense (306.8). In 2009, the Cornhuskers led the country in scoring defense (10.4) and pass efficiency defense, while ranking seventh in total defense (271.3) and eighth in rushing defense (92.43).

He coached Lavonte David, a 2010 and 2011 First-Team All-American, who set the school single-season tackles record and was a second round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL Draft. Phillip Dillard (2010 fourth round), Cody Glenn (2009 fifth round), Eric Martin (2013 free agent) and Will Compton (2013 free agent) all reached the league under his watch. David is an All-Pro linebacker for Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay, and Compton was Washington's defensive captain and now current Tennessee Titan.

 

Ekeler broke into the collegiate coaching ranks working as a graduate assistant and intern at LSU (2005-07) and Oklahoma (2003-04). Oklahoma played for the BCS title in both of Ekeler's seasons in Norman, posting a two-year record of 24-3. While at LSU, the Tigers led the SEC in six defensive categories and ranked nationally in four in 2006. The 2007 LSU team finished 12-2 and won the SEC and BCS National Championship, marking the third time in five years that Ekeler had been part of a team playing for the BCS title.

 

Ekeler was a special teams standout and linebacker for Bill Snyder at Kansas State from 1991-94. A team captain as a senior, he earned National Special Teams Player of the Year in 1994 by George Michael Sports Machine, a popular national sports show at the time.

 

Ekeler earned his bachelor's degree in social sciences from Kansas State in 1995. He and his wife, Barbie, have a son, J.J., and daughters Cameryn, Abigail and Bella.

Spring Practice Dates Announced

First-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel will put his Volunteers through 15 spring practices beginning later this month, and spring football will culminate with the Chevrolet Orange & White Game on Saturday, April 24 in Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee is scheduled to open spring ball on March 23 with practices covering a five-week span.

Heupel brings a fun, up-tempo offense with an attacking defensive philosophy to Knoxville after compiling a stellar 28-8 record as head coach at UCF from 2018-20. Under his watch, the Knights were the only team in the country to rank among the top five in the FBS in total offense in each of the last three years. UCF joined Alabama and Clemson as the only teams in the nation to average at least 42.2 points per game in each of the last three seasons.

Heupel's offenses have also established success in the SEC. As Missouri's offensive coordinator from 2016-17, his unit averaged 501.3 yards per game of total offense during that span, which was tops in the conference.

Heupel Names Football Director Of Competition Development

With 19 years of combined collegiate and NFL experience in strength and conditioning, Kurt Schmidt has been named Tennessee football's director of competition development, head coach Josh Heupel officially announced on Tuesday.

Schmidt, who has worked alongside Heupel for the past four seasons, is overseeing the Volunteers' strength and conditioning and sports performance efforts. Schmidt served as the director of sports performance at UCF from 2018-20, an era that saw the Knights establish themselves as one of the fastest and fittest teams in college football.

UCF produced a 28-8 record during his tenure, won the 2018 The American Athletic Conference title and reached three straight bowl games, including the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. Schmidt developed strategy to integrate technology with performance on a daily basis, while also overseeing the weight room renovation of the Gault-Kohn Sports Performance Center.

Prior to his time in Orlando, Schmidt served as director of applied performance for football at Missouri in 2017 when Heupel was the Tigers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He helped lead Mizzou to a 7-5 mark, including a six-game winning streak to end the regular season en route to a Texas Bowl berth.

Schmidt spent four years prior to his stop at Mizzou as a strength, conditioning and nutrition assistant with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. With the 49ers, he was responsible for the training programs for quarterbacks and specialists, along with supervising the reconditioning program for athletes returning from injury. He initiated and coordinated a nutrition education program. During his first season of 2013, San Francisco compiled a 12-4 regular-season record, won back-to-back playoff games and earned a berth to the NFC Championship.

Before joining the 49ers, Schmidt was an assistant strength coach at Memphis from 2012-13. Prior to that he served on Arkansas' staff from February 2008-January 2012 as strength and conditioning coordinator and spent two seasons as strength and conditioning assistant at Utah State from 2006-08. With the Aggies, he was promoted to interim head strength and conditioning coach in January 2008. During his time at Arkansas, the Razorbacks earned berths to the 2011 Sugar Bowl and 2012 Cotton Bowl with back-to-back 10-win seasons and a No. 5 final national ranking in 2011.

Schmidt got his coaching start as the assistant director of sports conditioning at Yale from 2002-03 before serving as a graduate assistant at Utah from 2003-04. He held the title of interim co-director of sports conditioning at Yale from November 2002-April 2003.

Schmidt is CSCS certified through the NSCA and holds a master's degree from Louisville where he was a graduate assistant and assistant strength and conditioning coach for two seasons. During his tenure, the Cardinals claimed the 2004 Conference USA title with an 11-1 record and earned a berth to the 2006 Gator Bowl following a 9-2 regular season in 2005. Those squads finished No. 6 and No. 19, respectively, in the final Associated Press polls.

Schmidt earned his bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science from Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2002 and played linebacker for the Eagles for four seasons from 1998-2001. As a senior, he was an honorable mention All-WIAC selection and a Verizon Academic All-District First Team member.