Tennessee’s Tim Banks Listed As Miami Defensive Coordinator Candidate
The transfer portal, particularly Tennessee’s mass receiver departure to the transfer portal, has overshadowed one of the other biggest storylines of the early offseason for Tennessee football.
That’s the fact that Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks’ contract is up with the conclusion of the 2024 season and that the Vols have yet to agree to an extension with their defensive coordinator.
The uncertainty about Banks’ future at Tennessee makes him a candidate for other defensive coordinator jobs out there and one of them is Miami football’s defensive coordinator opening.
On3’s Pete Nakos listed Banks as the second coach on his three coach hot board of candidates Miami is pursuing to be its newest defensive coordinator. Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci and Miami defensive line coach Jason Taylor were the two other coaches on the hot board.
Miami fired defensive coordinator Lance Guidry after the Hurricanes’ defense ranked 69th in the nation and eighth in the ACC, allowing 25.3 points per game during the 2024 season. The Hurricanes allowed 30-plus points in seven of 13 games last season. They allowed 42 points in losses against Syracuse and Iowa State to end the year.
Miami’s week 14 loss against Syracuse cost the Hurricanes a spot in the ACC Championship game and a potential spot in the College Football Playoffs.
Tennessee’s defense was a major reason why the Vols earned a 10-3 (6-2 SEC) record and a berth in the College Football Playoffs in 2024. The Vols allowed just 16.1 points per game, a mark that ranked third in the SEC.
The Vols’ defense did struggle in two of their biggest games of the season, allowing 31 points in their loss against Georgia and got torched for 42 points against Ohio State in the College Football Playoffs.
Banks has been at Tennessee since Josh Heupel took the job ahead of the 2021 season. Inheriting a defense that was lacking talent and particularly depth, the Vols have gotten better-and-better every season under Banks’ guidance.
Tennessee allowed less than 20 points in 10 of 13 games this season and helped carry the Vols to wins over Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama while their offense struggled.
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