U of Texas Looking At UT’s Strength Coach?

January 5th, 2011 01:47 PM ║ Posted By: John Pennington

Bennie Wylie

By now everyone is well aware of the turmoil and turnover in Tennessee’s football program since 2008. Three head coaches in three years. Player attrition with each coaching change. New assistants. New recruiting connections to be made.


But no single area of the Vols’ program has gone through as much change as the strength and conditioning program. Get this:

1. S&C coach Johnny Long loses his job in 2008 when Phillip Fulmer’s staff is cleaned out.

2. Lane Kiffin hires Mark Smith away from South Carolina to replace Long. But in May of 2009 — just six months into their relationship — Smith and Kiffin part ways.

3. A month later, Kiffin hires a former Tennessee track All-American to serve as the Vols’ new strength coach. Aaron Ausmus is on UT’s campus until January 2010 when Kiffin and much of his staff head to Southern Cal.

4. A few weeks later, Derek Dooley takes the reins in Knoxville and he hires former Texas Tech S&C coach Bennie Wylie.

Now Wylie is being mentioned as a potential target of Texas’ Mack Brown.

Wylie is a Texas native. He played at Sam Houston State. His coaching stops prior to Tennessee were at his alma mater, the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Desperadoes (AFL), and Texas Tech.

The folks at Orangebloods.com caught up with him yesterday while he was visiting family (also in Texas).

“I have not been contacted,” Wylie said. “It would be an honor because Texas is one of the premier universities but I have not heard from Texas.”

Dooley should hope that it stays that way or else his team might have to get used to its fifth new strength coach since November of 2008.