Andy Staples explains why Tennessee's Tim Banks could be a head coach next season

Tennessee Football defensive coordinator Tim Banks is one of a handful of power-conference coordinators who could be in line for a head coaching opportunity next season, according to On3’s Andy Staples, but it will take a power-conference job to get him away from the Vols. 

“Banks has been either a DC or co-DC since 2007,” Staples wrote on Friday, “but his time at Tennessee has allowed him to truly shine. His unit is the bigger reason the Volunteers went to the College Football Playoff last season.

“His group also doesn’t appear in danger of dropping off this season — even though Tennessee’s offense may take a step back.”

Tennessee finished sixth in total defense last season

Tennessee’s 10-3 season in 2024, which ended with a loss at Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff, was powered by a defense that finished No. 7 in scoring defense (16.1 points per game), 10th in rushing defense (103.9 yards per game), 29th in pass defense (189.3) and sixth in total defense (293.2).

Banks was asked last week, before the start of fall camp, what gave him confidence that his 2025 defense can top the numbers posted last season. 

“Not to be cliche on you,” Banks said, “but we look at every year as a new year. And I think that’s why we’ve been able to build the culture the way we built it. We don’t necessarily talk a lot about what we did last year or where we need to go as a unit because it’s a different team. 

“There are obviously some things that you look at statistically where you can be better.” 

Other candidates Staples mentioned are Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Florida State defensive coordinator Tony White, Indiana offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein.

‘It probably would take a power-conference head coaching job to pry him away’

Josh Heupel hired Banks as his defensive coordinator when he got the Tennessee job in 2021, after Banks spent the previous five seasons as Penn State’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. 

Banks was also defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Cincinnati (2012-15) and at Cincinnati (2010-11) after stops as an assistant coach at Central Michigan (2007-09), Maryland, Memphis, Bowling Green and Ferris State.

The contract Banks has with Tennessee could keep his options limited to the power-four conferences.  

“He’s making $2.1 million a year at Tennessee,” Staples noted, “so it probably would take a power-conference head coaching job to pry him away.”