By Mark Nagi
In 2024, Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks was a finalist for the Broyles Award, annually given to the nation’s top assistant coach. He was only the third Vols assistant in program history to be a finalist for that award. He was given a contract extension that paid him $2.15 million annually through the 2027 season.
But earlier this month, Banks found himself out of a job.
“I want to thank Tim for everything he has done for Tennessee the last five seasons,” said Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel in a statement released by the University of Tennessee. “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. These are tough decisions, but one I ultimately felt was necessary for the future of our program.”
Banks received a $3.75 million buyout, mitigated by his hiring by Auburn as the Tigers’ co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
This was not a decision Heupel took lightly. He didn’t relish the responsibility of firing an assistant coach, especially one who had been with him right from the start of the Tennessee rebuild. However, this was a move he had no choice but to make. In 2024, the Vols were ranked 6th in total defense and 7th in scoring defense, allowing only 16.1 points per game. In 2025, Tennessee plummeted to 88th in the country in total defense, allowing 395.3 yards per game. They were also 92nd in scoring defense, allowing 28.8 points per game.
If you married the 2024 Vols defense with the 2025 Vols offense, you have a team primed to make a serious run at SEC and national titles. But the football gods are rarely that kind.
The Vols lost cornerback Jermod McCoy for the entire season due to a torn ACL he suffered during a workout in January. McCoy was a second-team All-America selection in 2024. His counterpart on the other side of the field, cornerback Rickey Gibson III, didn’t even get out of the first half of the season opener against Syracuse. Gibson suffered an arm injury that cost him the rest of the calendar. The saga of defensive back Boo Carter was a headache for months. Linebacker Arion Carter fought through turf toe on both feet. Defensive tackle Jaxson Moi missed multiple games due to injury.
However, even beyond those issues, this was a defense that had lost its mojo. Poor tackling. Poor positioning. Lack of aggressiveness. The Vandy game was the last straw, when the Commodores scored the most points against Tennessee than they had in over a century. Losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky are borderline fireable offenses in the first place. In this case, it was painfully obvious that Banks wasn’t going to turn things around.
Considering Heupel’s position, the DC hiring will go a long way towards either extending his stay in Knoxville or quickening its pace. But it didn’t take long for Heupel to find Banks’s replacement, as he hired former Penn State and Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
“Hiring Jim Knowles was our top priority from the start of this process,” Heupel said in another press release. “Jim has a proven track record of developing elite defenses that play with an edge, and we got to see that first-hand during the 2024 College Football Playoff. His defenses are always physical, well prepared, and can adapt quickly in-game against today’s complex offenses. He’s a competitor, a winner and someone who will get the most out of our players in practice and on gameday. We are thrilled to welcome Jim to Rocky Top as he helps us chase championships.”
Heupel alluded to the Buckeyes’ defense that swarmed the Vols 42-17 in that playoff game victory on its way to the national championship. Knowles led that group to being ranked first in the country in scoring defense, total defense and yards per play. They were also second in the FBS in sacks and red zone defense.
“I am excited for this opportunity to work with Coach Heupel and represent Vol Nation,” Knowles said.
If Knowles can get more out of Tennessee’s defenders, the 2026 season will be one to watch.
