Mark Elder’s first staff at Eastern Kentucky will have some Tennessee flavor on it, according to a report from FootballScoop.com put out on Tuesday afternoon.
At least three Tennessee staffers will go with Elder to EKU – UT special teams quality control coach Greg Meyer will coach running backs at EKU, Tennessee offensive quality control assistant Tommy Zagorski will likely coach tight ends and Tennessee defensive quality control assistant Chase Gibson is expected to coach linebackers, according to the report.
An earlier report from Football Scoop – the popular coach-tracking website, said that Elder has hired his coordinators as well, though neither has UT ties. Coffeyville Community College offensive coordinator Angelo Mirando is expected to be his offensive coordinator at EKU and Valparaiso linebackers coach Kurt Mattix will reportedly be his defensive coordinator.
One name not mentioned is Tennessee graduate assistant and de facto quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan, who had been rumored to have been under consideration for a full-time staff job at EKU – possibly as offensive coordinator.
Elder will continue to coach Tennessee’s special teams and tight ends through the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 before taking over full-time as EKU’s head coach. He is currently splitting his time between those two duties.
“You are trying to juggle so many things,” Butch Jones said of Elder over the weekend. “I really think it is a tribute to him because he has been able to manage now being the head football coach at Eastern Kentucky and still being the tight ends coach at Tennessee. Coaching in this bowl game meant everything to him and I’m just thankful that he still wants to do it and be a part of us. You take great pride when anyone on your staff has an opportunity to better themselves and be a head football coach.”
