Vols Associate Head Coach Mike Schwartz Reportedly Taking Head Coaching Job

The NCAA tournament is set to tip-off on Thursday, with Tennessee taking the court against Longwood on Thursday at 2:45 pm ET. However, it appears Rick Barnes is on the verge of losing his top assistant, Mike Schwartz to Eastern Carolina.

Schwartz name has been linked to numerous reports since yesterday evening, and it appears he will be the next head coach for the Pirates.

Schwartz has been with Barnes for his entire tenure at Tennessee and has been key in building Tennessee's staunch defensive attack.

Poaching assistants from Rick Barnes's program has become a common theme of late, and Schwartz joins the growing list of touted assistants.

The relationship between Barnes's and Schwartz date back to their time at Texas together, where Schwartz, a former player for the Longhorn, became one of Barnes's first graduate assistants.

The trust relationship between the two is evident as Barnes handed Schwartz the role of associate head coach and defensive coordinator since coming to Tennessee. And Schwartz has delivered as the defensive coordinator, helping Tennessee to three elite defensive seasons.