Tennessee Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks Reportedly Fired After Five Seasons With Josh Heupel
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Tennessee football and Josh Heupel have decided to part ways with their defensive coordinator. Tim Banks, after spending all five seasons with the Vols under Heupel’s watch, has been fired, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Banks joined Heupel at Tennessee in 2021 to be his defensive coordinator and safeties coach. After inheriting a roster well behind the SEC standard, he helped turn the unit into arguably the best in the country in 2024. The defense was nearly the sole reason the team made the College Football Playoffs, while the offense struggled.
However, this past season, the defense came plummeting back down to earth. The Vols ranked third-to-last in the SEC in yards allowed per game (395.3) and points allowed (28.8).
Tennessee has dismissed defensive coordinator Tim Banks, sources tell ESPN.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 8, 2025
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Banks has been a defensive coordinator since 2007. From 2007-09, he served in the role at Central Michigan. From 2010-11, he was the co-defensive coordinator at Cincinnati. Then, from 2012-15, he was at Illinois as the defensive coordinator.
In 2016, Banks got the job under James Franklin as the co-defensive coordinator at Penn State. He stayed there until 2020, then hopped over to Knoxville to join Heupel in 2021. There was buzz about the potential of Banks rejoining Franklin at Virginia Tech, but the Hokies hired former head coach Brent Pry instead.
Now, the Vols will have to replace him. It will be the second time Heupel is tasked with replacing a coordinator after offensive coordinator Alex Golesh left for the head coaching gig at USF following the breakout 2022 season. It is also the first time that Heupel has fired a position coach or coordinator in his Tennessee tenure.
Position coaches on staff who could be elevated include linebackers coach William Inge and secondary coach Willie Martinez, both of whom have Power Four experience in the role. The other option is an outside hire.
