Tennessee football announces hiring of defensive assistant coaches
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Tennessee announced the hiring of three defensive assistant coaches on Friday.
Anthony Poindexter will serve as the Vols’ co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He served as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Penn State from 2021-25.
Andrew Jackson will serve as a LEO coach for the Vols. He was an assistant defensive line coach for the Nittany Lions.
Michael Hunter Jr. was also announced as Tennessee’s cornerbacks coach. He was an assistant defensive backs coach at Ohio State from 2024-25.
Tennessee hired defensive coordinator Jim Knowles following the 2025 regular season. He was Penn State’s defensive coordinator in 2025 after serving in the same capacity at Ohio State from 2022-24.
“Hiring Jim Knowles was our top priority from the start of this process,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. “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.”
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Vols hire defensive assistant coaches after 2025 football season
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