Tennessee Vols Morning Report: Football Coaching Hires, Joshua Dobbs Letter, Tennis Coach Death

Tennessee Vols football coaching hires, Joshua Dobbs’s final letter, and the death of a tennis coach lead the Volunteers news for Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2017.

The changes to the Tennessee Vols programs continue, and it leads to huge news for today. With no basketball games happening, football became the main story.

It obviously starts with Butch Jones’s announcements on coaching changes to make them official. We finally have confirmation on the staff moves.

But before that, Joshua Dobbs made headlines by sending the Vols another shoutout.

Then there are other sports that have breaking news as well, including the death of a former tennis coach, a final finish for the Golf team, and even track and field recognition.

But football is the big news of the day, so let’s go there first.

Butch Jones announces new DL coaches – Rhiannon Potkey, Knoxville News Sentinel

The Tennessee Vols finally made their staff changes official up front. On Tuesday night, Butch Jones announced that Brady Hoke would be the new defensive line coach and that Walt Wells would be promoted to offensive line coach.

Former Michigan coach Brady Hoke has been hired as associate head coach/defensive line coach and Walt Wells was promoted to offensive line coach, the university announced Tuesday night.

Steve Stripling will move from associate head coach/defensive line coach to director of football program development. Don Mahoney did not have his contract renewed after serving as offensive line coach for the past four seasons.

Joshua Dobbs letter to Tennessee – The Players’ Tribune

Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs penned a letter to his alma mater saying goodbye to the program and reminiscing on his time. Here is a snippet of what he wrote.

On October 1, 2016, Josh Malone and I were standing next to each other on the sideline at Georgia’s Sanford Stadium as time painfully ticked off the clock. I turned to him and made a comment that not only summed up the game, but which also turned out to be prophetic regarding our season.

“Man, this is like riding a roller coaster.”

I know a lot of Tennessee fans were feeling the same way.

Former Tennessee Tennis Coach Louis Royal passes away – UTSports

The Vols lost a champion in tennis coach Louis Royal, as he led the program to eight individual SEC titles and 14 All-SEC titles.

Royal coached the Vols from 1968-76, notably leading the team in an SEC team title in 1970 and three second-place finishes. He finished with an overall coaching record of 120-69-1, including a 27-2 mark in 1972.

“He is an inspired and hard-working mentor who expects, and receives, a corresponding effort from his players,” proclaimed the men’s tennis team brochure in Royal’s debut 1968 season.

Vols Golf takes ninth place at Sea Best Invitational – UTSports

Junior Lorenzo Scalise posted his second top-10 showing of the season, tying for eighth place as the Tennessee men’s golf team finished ninth on Tuesday in the 9th Annual Sea Best Invitational at Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass.

The Vols shot 8-over 288 in the final round to finish at 23-over 863 for the tournament. Florida took home the team title at 4-under 836. The Gators’ Ryan Orr, who competed as an individual, won the individual championship with a 67-66-71–204 (-6).

Two Vols take home SEC Track and Field honors – SECSports

Tennessee had the men’s track and field runner of the week in Christian Coleman and the women’s freshman of the week in Dominique Turner.

Tennessee’s Christian Coleman extended his national lead in the 60m dash as he posted a time of 6.51 seconds in the finals of the Virginia Tech “Doc Hale” Elite Meet. He has now posted two of the top three times in the 60m dash this year.

Tennessee’s Domonique Turner collected two personal bests and two second place finishes at the Virginia Tech “Doc Hale” Elite Meet.