Rick Clausen liked his time in Knoxville so much he's going to stick around for a couple of more years.

"Rick's going to be a graduate assistant," Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer said Thursday. "I'm really pleased to have Rick with us.

"He's bright and he knows our offense."

Clausen finished the 2005 season completing 120 of 209 passes for 1,441 yards and six touchdowns while sharing quarterback duties with sophomore Erik Ainge.

The former LSU transfer and Most Valuable Player of the 2005 Cotton Bowl victory against Texas A&M, is the younger brother of former Vol quarterback Casey Clausen, now a graduate assistant at Mississippi State.

He's also the older brother of Jimmy Clausen, one of the highest regarded prep quarterbacks in the nation as a junior.

Clausen will step in right away and work closely with Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe.

"I think he'll be great in the transition from what we've done in the past to where we're headed," Fulmer said. "He's an eager guy to learn and he'll be a coach some day."

Clausen replaces former UT running back Jay Graham, who has spent the past two seasons as a graduate assistant.

"Jay has done an incredible job for us," Fulmer said. "He's definitely ready to be a coach.

"His time here and his experience in the NFL makes has him prepared to do a really good job for somebody."

Graham is in the process of looking for a coaching position.