Tennessee Football Hires New Staff Member Who Just Won a National Championship

The Tennessee Volunteers have hired a new strength and conditioning coach following a national championship victory for the Indiana Hoosiers.

Derek Owings | Matt Zenitz

The Tennessee Volunteers have been looking to land a certain position when it comes to the staff, as this was what seemed to be the final key piece needed. The Vols have been searching for a new strength and conditioning coach, which has been a key piece for many of the teams that have been successful as of late.

Josh Heupel and his staff have hit plenty of home runs when it comes to the additions that they have made, but they have made yet another addition that is a home run. The Vols have landed their new strength and conditioning coach, who is not only a solid coach but a winning coach at that. The Vols have hired a proven strength and conditioning coach by the name of Derek Owings.

Owings is one of the better options they could have gone with, as Owings is the National Championship-winning strength and conditioning coach after the Miami Hurricanes were defeated by the Indiana Hoosiers. Owings has spent multiple seasons with the Hoosiers. Here is what the report stated.

Tennessee Hires Derek Owings

Davy Crockett runs the Power T flag across the end zone after a Tennessee touchdown during a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 13, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Tennessee is expected to hire Indiana’s Derek Owings as its new head strength and conditioning coach job, sources tell @CBSSports. Set to be a notable win for Josh Heupel. The 32-year old Owings has been an important behind the scenes figure these past two years at Indiana," Matt Zenitz reported.

Owings joins the staff following multiple additions made by Heupel. This includes a new defensive coordinator, as the Vols replaced Tim Banks with proven defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Following the Knowles hire, the staff would make some improvements, as they would hire Anthony Poindexter as a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, Andrew Jackson as an EDGE coach, and Michael Hunter as a cornerbacks coach. This means that the defensive staff remaining from last season is Rodney Garner and William Inge, who both graded as the top defensive coaches for the Vols last season when it comes to the position groups they coached.

Tennessee has a long way until the season begins, but with the hopes of having a huge season, the Vols will begin looking for ways to dominate the offseason. Dominating the offseason can be whatever you make it, but one great way to do that is in the weight room. Luckily for the Vols, they have one of the better strength and conditioning coaches that they can have, which was proven with a national championship.

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