There’s a saying that former head coaches make some of the best assistant coaches in football.
Tennessee hopes that’s true in the case of new tight ends coach Larry Scott, who is moving to Knoxville to fill the position vacated by Mark Elder, who has moved on to be the head coach at Eastern Kentucky.
Scott was elevated to interim head coach at the University of Miami in 2015 after the midseason firing of Al Golden. He did an admirable job with a team that had lost three of its last four before the firing, winning four of the last five down the stretch of the regular season before losing in the Sun Bowl to Washington State.
“It just adds to you perspective of football – everything that is involved in making college football, from everybody in the building making sure that the plan is outlined for everybody doing their job and when there’s a cog in the wheel that isn’t getting it done, it ultimately falls back on the head coach,” Scott said in his first interview with local media on Thursday afternoon.
“So from an assistant to having the opportunity to do that, you really understand the value of how important your job is as an assistant coach to make sure that you’re doing your piece, to carry your weight, you’re taking care of your guys in your room, you’re making them better people and better players, you’re taking care of your responsibilities in recruiting.”
And his ability to take care of business in recruiting, especially in the Florida area, where he’s lived his entire life, is one of the things that makes him a strong addition for the Vols, who now be able to expand their recruiting footprint into the Sunshine State even more. In the end though, Scott, says it comes down to relationships when he’s out on the recruiting trail.
“We pride ourselves on just being people – we get along and relate to people,” he said. “The minute you walk into a room you can relate to all different walks of life, no matter what area of the country you’re in, no matter who they are, what they are, when you like spending time with people.”
Other notes from Scott’s time with the media
• Scott said he’s unsure on his exact role with special teams, which Elder was also in charge of, but will be willing to help out in that area if asked by Butch Jones
• Scott said he had a “flurry of opportunities” come his way after he finished the season strong with Miami, but thought the Tennessee job was best for he and his family at this time
• He doesn’t want to have too many pre-conceived notions about the current tight ends on UT’s roster – wants to evaluate them when he sees them
• Money quote:
New TEs coach Larry Scott on Knoxville: "When you get here, my God, how beautiful this place is"
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) January 7, 2016
