New Tennessee football coach Heupel brings 3 UCF assistants

Posted February 15, 2021 6:00 am

The Associated Press

New Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel speaks during a college basketball game between Tennessee and Kansas in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. (Caitie McMekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool) The Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - New Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel is bringing three offensive assistants with him from the UCF staff.

Heupel, who coached UCF from 2018-20, announced six of his assistant coaches on Monday.

Tennessee's offensive coordinator will be Alex Golesh, who was UCF's co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach in 2020. He previously spent four seasons as Iowa State's tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator.

The Volunteers' new defensive coordinator is Tim Banks, who spent the last five seasons as Penn State's co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Banks has worked as a defensive coordinator at Central Michigan (2007-09), Cincinnati (2010-11) and Illinois (2012-15).

Banks and Golesh both have contracts running through Jan. 31, 2024. Banks will make $1.3 million in the first year of his deal, $1.4 million the second year and $1.5 million the third year. Golesh will make $750,000 per year.

Tennessee's other new assistants have contracts running through Jan. 31, 2023.

Quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle and offensive line coach Glen Elarbee held the same positions at UCF. Both also used to work with Heupel at Missouri.

Elarbee was UCF's offensive line coach from 2018-20 and also filled that role at Middle Tennessee, Houston, Arkansas State and Missouri. Halzle worked as an offensive analyst at UCF in 2019 before becoming quarterbacks coach in 2020.

Elarbee will make $750,000 annually. Halzle will earn $350,000 per year.

Heupel's staff also includes Kodi Burns as wide receivers coach and Jerry Mack as running backs coach.

Burns coached receivers at Auburn from 2016-20 and also was passing game coordinator from 2019-20. He played on Auburn's 2010 national championship team. Burns will make $300,000 this year and $425,000 next year, and his contract also includes a $125,000 retention bonus if he's still on Tennessee's staff for the Volunteers' last 2022 regular-season game.

Mack was Rice's offensive coordinator from 2018-20 after serving as North Carolina Central's head coach from 2014-17. Mack will earn $400,000 per year.

Heupel was the first major hire of new Tennessee athletic director Danny White, who formerly held the same position at UCF. Tennessee fired former coach Jeremy Pruitt on Jan. 18, the same day athletic director Phillip Fulmer announced he was retiring.

UCF has hired former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn as its new football coach.

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From left, new University of Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Josh Heupel, Tennessee athletic director Danny White, school chancellor Donde Plowman, and president of the UT System Randy Boyd, speak after an introductory press conference at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. (Caitie McLekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool) The Associated Press

New Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Josh Heupel poses with his wife Dawn, son Jace, and daughter Hannah after an introductory press conference at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. (Caitie McLekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool) The Associated Press

New Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Josh Heupel, left, shakes hands with University of Tennessee athletics director Danny White after being presented a jersey speaks during an introductory press conference at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. (Caitie McLekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool) The Associated Press

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