Tennessee football on Monday announced the hiring of Derek Jones as the new cornerbacks coach for the Vols. Jones replaces Michael Hunter, who last week left to join the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff.
“Derek understands what it takes to play cornerback at this level,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said in a press release. “He’s coached and played SEC football and has a track record of developing cornerbacks for the NFL. He’s also shown great ability as a recruiter in over two decades of coaching.
“He has familiarity with Coach Knowles and will make a seamless transition to our staff. We are excited to welcome Derek to Rocky Top.”
Volquest’s Austin Price reported the hiring of Jones on Sunday. He comes to Tennessee from Virginia Tech and previously worked with Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Knowles at Duke.
Jones will make $425,000 in his first year of his contract, then $450,000 in Year 2.
‘I am fired up to be a Vol and begin preparations for spring practice’
Jones was associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Texas Tech from 2020-21 before going to Virginia Tech.
“I want to thank Coach Heupel and Coach Knowles for this opportunity,” Jones said in a statement. “Being back in the SEC and having the opportunity to coach at a place like Tennessee is special. I am fired up to be a Vol and begin preparations for spring practice. I look forward to building bonds with our players and future Vols.”
Tennessee hired Hunter on Jan. 2 to work under Knowles, whom he worked for at Ohio State and Oklahoma State. Hunter spent two seasons as Ohio State’s assistant defensive backs coach, including in 2024 when the Buckeyes won the national title. He was Oklahoma State’s assistant defensive secondary coach in 2021 and 2022, working with Knowles in 2021.
Co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter continues to be in charge of the entire Tennessee secondary.
Derke Jones played cornerback at Ole Miss
Jones worked with Knowles at Duke in a previous stop. Jones worked in various capacities with the Blue Devils’ defensive backs and spent 10 seasons as assistant special teams coordinator from 2008-17.
Jones coached at Memphis (2007), Tulsa (2006), Middle Tennessee State (2005) and Murray State (2000-04) before going to Duke in 2008, where he coached until 2019.
He was Duke’s assistant special teams coordinator for nine seasons, along with coaching defensive backs.
The Woodruff, South Carolina, native played cornerback at Ole Miss from 1993 to 1996, then played professionally in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos, then played in the Arena Football League with the Nashville Kats.