Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel filled out his coaching staff earlier this week hiring Cincinnati’s De’Rail Sims as the Vols’ new running backs coach and Washington William Inge as the Vols’ new inside linebackers coach.
Both Sims and Inge bring an abundance of experience to Tennessee. Inge has coached at a number of schools including Indiana and most recently Washington. The veteran linebackers coach was planning on following Washington head coach Kaleb DeBoer to Alabama before instead deciding to join Josh Heupel’s staff.
Sims is a South Carolina native who has spent the last three seasons coaching at power five schools— Louisville and Cincinnati. The new running backs coach has recruiting ties in both North and South Carolina.
Heupel hiring Sims and Inge marks his third and fourth assistant coach hirings since he hired his initial staff at Tennessee in the winter of 2021. The former Cincinnati and Washington assistants are the first coaches Heupel has hired that weren’t already inside Tennessee’s program.
Here’s a look at the contract details for both assistant coaches.
Tennessee signed Sims to a two-year contract that will pay him a base salary of $350,000 in 2023 and $400,000 in 2024.
The Vols’ new running backs coach gets a one-time $35,000 moving stipend and a $600 monthly vehicle allowance.
“My family and I fired up to represent the University of Tennessee, and we appreciate Coach Heupel for this tremendous opportunity,” Sims said in a statement earlier this week. “Having watched this program over the years from afar, it is one rich with history and tradition. I am excited to get to know our current players and hit the ground running in recruiting.”
Tennessee signed Inge to a two-year contract that pays him a base salary $720,000 for both the 2024 and 2025 football seasons.
Like Sims, Tennessee’s new inside linebackers coach gets a one-time $35,000 moving stipend and a $600 monthly vehicle allowance.
