The two new assistant coaches that Tennessee has officially hired have been announced earlier this week, as previously reported. This month, Josh Heupel had to fill two positions: linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary was returning to Michigan, and running backs coach Jerry Mack was leaving for Jacksonville.
William Inge was selected by Heupel and defensive coordinator Tim Banks to start at linebacker this week. After leading the Huskies to a National Championship as their linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, Inge comes over from Washington.
Inge was supposed to join former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer in Knoxville, but Tennessee reportedly persuaded him to choose Knoxville over Alabama.
Heupel described Inge as “one of the most skilled and knowledgeable linebacker coaches in the nation.” “He knows what it takes to contend for championships on the defensive side of the ball and has a track record of success.” It will be a pleasure for our players and coaches to work with William, who is also a wonderful family man. We can’t wait to have his family visit Rocky Top.
Since his days at Indiana, Inge had been with DeBoer. He went to Fresno State and Washington with DeBoer. Overall, he’ll take over a youthful linebacker group led by senior Keenan Pili, who is expected to return. He will now oversee the development of Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander, Elijah Herring, Kalib Perry, and Jalen Smith.
Running backs coach De’Rail Sims will take charge on the attacking side of the ball. After making stops in Louisville, James Madison, East Carolina, and West Carolina, Sims arrives from Cincinnati. During the 2023 season, Sims contributed to the Bearcats’ fifth-ranked rushing assault in the country.
Heupel remarked, “We are thrilled to have De’Rail, his wife Lauren, and their children Amayah and Alivia join the Tennessee football family. “De’Rail is a very intelligent coach who has a history of creating excellent running back rooms and cultivating bonds with his players. We have relied heavily on our run game to define who we are as a program, and I anticipate that he will come in and help us maintain that success. De’Rail also possesses the expertise and understanding of our Tennessee recruiting reach. We anticipate that he will have an influence on our efforts to recruit.
Prior to the 2024 season, Sims will have to take over for Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small. Naturally, he won’t have a tough task because Dylan Sampson, an experienced actor, is slated to play the lead. After Sampson, he has two elite recruits remaining to develop: Cam Seldon and incoming freshman Peyton Lewis. DeSean Bishop and Khalifa Keith will also be back in Tennessee.
Spring practices, which begin somewhere in mid-May, will give us our first glimpse at Sims and Inge both on the field and in a press conference environment.
