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Tennessee has analyst opening as Max Thurmond heads to Jacksonville State

On3 imageby: Brent Hubbs01/06/25Brent_Hubbs
Tennessee Football | Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Football | Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel is in the market for a new offensive analyst as senior analyst Max Thurmond has landed the running back job and special teams coordinator role at Jacksonville State.

Thurmond has spent the last three seasons at Tennessee where he helped on the field and in game planning and also played a key role in recruiting swell. Thurmond developed an important relationship with offensive tackle David Sanders and his family. Sanders, who was the 2025 top ranked offensive tackle, signed with the Vols last month and went through bowl practice.

Thurmond is no stranger to Jacksonville State. In fact this will be his third time working there. Thurmond started his coaching career there as a graduate assistant. After stops at Austin-Peay and Charlotte, he returned to Jacksonville State where he was the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. In 2021, he served as the interim head coach for the final two games of the year. 

Heupel recently hired former Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones into an analyst role following McKenzie Milton’s departure to UCF where he was named quarterbacks coach for new head coach Scott Frost. 

Heupel and most of his staff are on the road recruiting this week as the dead period lifted. For more on the coaching staff’s road travels, checkout the latest from Matt Ray at Volquest.

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