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Tennessee assistant coach Rod Clark addresses departure with statement on social media

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey05/02/25GrantRamey
Rod Clark, Tennessee Basketball | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) Assistant coach Rod Clark yells to the court during an NCAA college basketball game between the Missouri Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Saturday Feb. 11, 2023.

Outgoing Tennessee Basketball assistant coach Rod Clark addressed his departure in a statement on social media on Friday morning. It was reported on Wednesday that Clark had been hired as an assistant coach at Indiana under first-year Hoosiers coach Darian DeVries. 

“My family and I are overwhelmed with gratitude stemming from our time here at the University of Tennessee,” Clark wrote. “It means so much that my two little girls were born here, as my wife and I always felt an overwhelming amount of love and support form this community. 

“As we say our goodbyes, I would like to thank Coach Barnes, the staff, our administration, the fans and every player we were blessed to go out and compete with. Thank you, Vol Nation, for four of the best years of my life. Rocky Top is a special place and we will miss Knoxville dearly. GBO!”

Rod Clark was hired by Rick Barnes in April 2021

Clark, 32, was the primary recruiter for two of Tennessee’s biggest stars over the last two season in transfers Chaz Lanier and Dalton Knecht. He was also the primary recruiter Tobe Awaka, BJ Edwards, JP Estrella and Amari Evans.

Clark and former Tennessee associate head coach Mike Schwartz were responsible for getting Zeigler to Tennessee.

Clark was hired by Rick Barnes in 2021 alongside current Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey. Clark and Gainey were hired after Kim English left to become head coach at George Mason and Desmond Oliver left to become head coach at East Tennessee State.

Clark leaving for Indiana is the first change on the Tennessee coaching staff since Schwartz left to become head coach at East Carolina. Schwartz was replaced by Gregg Polinsky, who was promoted from a volunteer analyst position.

Rick Barnes on staff opening: ‘We feel we’ve got that position covered’

Gainey was promoted to associate head coach in 2022, after Schwartz left to become the new head coach at East Carolina. The Vols are 119-35 over the last four seasons, with Gainey and Clark on staff, going to a Sweet Sixteen and back-to-back Elite Eights.

Barnes said Wednesday night at the Big Orange Caravan stop in Nashville that the Vols were already close to filling Clark’s spot on the staff.

“Rod was great,” Barnes said, “but you know what? We feel we’ve got that position covered.”

“We’ve got it covered,” Barnes added later, “because there’s a lot of people that would obviously love to be at the University of Tennessee … we are excited about the direction that we are going and we’ve got it pretty much filled.”

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