What Josh Heupel said about firing Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks

Tennessee Football coach Josh Heupel called the firing of defensive coordinator Tim Banks as a “tough decision” but one that had to be made for the Vols and “the future of our program.”

“I want to thank Tim for everything he has done for Tennessee the last five seasons,” Heupel said in a statement on Monday afternoon. “He helped restore our program to national prominence. More importantly, Tim is a great man of character and someone I have the utmost respect for.

“We wish Tim all the best moving forward.”

William Inge to be Tennessee’s interim defensive coordinator

Linebackers coach William Inge will serve as interim defensive coordinator when Tennessee (8-4) faces Illinois (8-4) in the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. 

Banks was Penn State’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2016 to 2020, before being hired away by Heupel to join his Tennessee coaching staff in 2021, after Heupel had been hired away from Central Florida by the Vols.

Tennessee finished sixth nationally in total defense last season, giving up 293.2 yards per game, and seventh in scoring defense, giving up just 16.1 points per game.

The defense carried Tennessee to a 10-win season in 2024 and a No. 9 seed in the first 12-team College Football Playoff, but the Vols struggled in a 42-17 loss at No. 8 Ohio State, with the Buckeyes starting a run to the national championship.

Tennessee’s defense struggled mightily this season, finishing 88th in total defense (395.5) and 92nd in scoring defense (28.8).

“These are tough decisions,” Heupel said, “but one I ultimately felt was necessary for the future of our program. We are fully committed to identifying our next defensive coordinator who will uphold the standard that Tennessee has historically been known for.”

Josh Heupel said after loss to Vandy he would evaluate the ‘entire program’

Injuries hurt Tennessee’s defense from the start, with All-American corner Jermod McCoy suffering a torn ACL during offseason training in January, leading to McCoy missing the entire season. 

Corner Rickey Gibson II was lost to a season-ending upper body injury in the season-opening win over Syracuse, before other injuries slowed the defense throughout the season. 

Heupel was also asked after the loss to Vanderbilt on November 29 what the future would hold for his Tennessee coaching staff after a frustrating season.

“We’ll have a chance to meet with our guys and move forward as a program,” he said, “and revisit the season and look backwards before we look forwards, too.”

He said personnel evaluation would examine the “entire program.”

“We’ll do that as an entire program,” Heupel said, “and I’ll certainly take a hard look at all of it.”