Tennessee Fires DC Tim Banks After Defensive Struggles

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks on Monday, parting ways with the assistant after an 8-4 season marked by defensive shortcomings that derailed the Volunteers' playoff hopes.

The decision came one day after the regular season ended with a 45-25 loss to Vanderbilt, which knocked Tennessee out of the Associated Press Top 25. Banks, who joined Heupel at Tennessee in February 2021 after serving as a defensive assistant at Penn State, had helped elevate the program during his tenure. In 2024, his unit ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 13.9 points per game and paving the way for the Volunteers' first College Football Playoff appearance. That team advanced to the opening round before falling to eventual champion Ohio State. Banks earned recognition as a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.

This season, however, Tennessee's defense regressed sharply. The Volunteers finished 91st in the country in total defense, surrendering 28.7 points and 395.5 yards per game. They ranked 88th nationally and third-worst in the Southeastern Conference, struggling particularly with tackling and...