Pruitt explains Kevin Sherrer's move to the role of special teams



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In the reshuffle of the coaching staff of Tennessee, Kevin Sherrer moved from defensive coordinator to special team coordinator while retaining his role of coach of internal linebackers for Flights.

On the surface, this could look like a demotion, but Jeremy Pruitt certainly not see it that way.

Tennessee rental from Derrick Ansley while his new defensive coordinator meant that the change was going to happen for Sherrer, Pruitt said Friday that he firmly believed that Sherrer was "best placed" to assume the duties of coordinator of the special teams, a role played last season by the coach of the security guards. Charles Kelly, who left the Flights in January to become the Deputy Defense Coordinator and the Alabama Security Coach.

Pruitt insisted that he still considered Sherrer as a valuable member of his coaching staff, and entrusting him with the role of special teams shows why.

"Kevin Sherrer will go from defensive coordinator to special team coach and (continue coaching) linebackers, "Pruitt said at his press conference, announcing the final roles of the new Tennessee staff. Kevin brings a really unique experience to this guy like me, he was a high school coach, where you have to train everything. And he has already done it. You know, the special teams are really a very important part of the game, maybe the most important part.

"I thought we had really done a good job with that last year and we want to continue to stay on the trajectory that we have been, and with respect to that, it's the guy that I'm felt the best in this position. "

Sherrer, who worked alongside Pruitt in Georgia for two seasons and was retained by Kirby Smart when he became head coach of the Bulldogs, he was one of the first hires from Pruitt in Tennessee in December 2017. He thinks to remain an essential part of Pruitt's confidence on the defensive side of the ball despite the addition of Ansley, which will result in Tennessee. defensive back at the top of his coordinator role.

He will also oversee one of the most fascinating competitions in the offseason as an old top-50 hopeful JJ Peterson Henry To oto's o join a position group returning his top three players from last season in Daniel Bituli, Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Will Ignont.

Pruitt and Sherrer were teammates in Alabama in the 1990s and their coaching careers have followed one another ever since. The two men worked together at Hoover High School in Alabama in 2005 and 2006, and Sherrer twice succeeded Pruitt, first as Hoover's defensive coordinator in 2007 and as Alabama's director of player development in 2010. Ansley was a Crimson graduate assistant. Tide in 2010 and 2011, Sherrer and he also worked together.

Sherrer spent a season as a defensive coordinator and defensive backcourt coach in South Alabama in 2013 before coaching Georgia's outside linebackers for four seasons.

Although Sherrer was the defensive coordinator, Pruitt was Tennessee's main defenseman last season. Sherrer was his main lieutenant on the sidelines, while Kelly and the defensive co-coordinator Chris Rumph were an integral part of the operation from the training cabin.

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Pruitt was delighted with Kelly's work in 2018, overseeing the Tennessee special teams.

(Photo: Wes Rucker, 247Sports)

Even after losing Trevor Daniel In the NFL, Tennessee was among the top 40 in the country in punt shots and led the SEC in the number of punt return yards allowed. The Flights blocked five kicks (two kicks, two extra points and a recessed placement), while Mark Callaway led the SEC and ranked 12th overall for the punt return average. Tennessee is ranked just ninth in the SEC in terms of average coverage and strike coverage, without scoring or allowing a touchdown in that department, and Brent Cimaglia was 10 out of 13 on goals.

Pruitt acknowledged that Sherrer had helped the Vols to win more than 30 places at No. 49 in the national total defense statistics standings, and believes that Sherrer can oversee the same kind of success for the Tennessee special teams.

"We have improved a lot on the defensive side," he said, "but I think we are going ahead with where we want to be from a special team (point of view). view) and in terms of staff responsibility, this is the type that best suits. "

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