Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl said Thursday former Texas A&M assistant coach Steve Forbes will begin work on the Vols’ coaching staff June 1.

Forbes is being hired as the No. 2 assistant coach to replace Scott Edgar, who left UT to take the head-coaching job at Southeast Missouri State on April 13.

"I tried to hire Steve when I first came here, but he had just got to Texas A&M,’’ Pearl said. "He’s been on my radar from the beginning. I just couldn’t pry him loose.’’

Forbes, who formally interviewed in Knoxville on Tuesday, was at least the seventh coach Pearl seriously considered.

"Moving to Tennessee gives me the opportunity to coach with someone I’ve personally known and respected for the past 17 years," Forbes said, "and financially it provides my family with tremendous security."

Others formally interviewed were Maryville College coach Randy Lambert, ABA coach/general manager Bob Sundvold, former Texas San-Antonio coach Tim Carter, former Iowa State assistant Damon Archibald, former Ole Miss coach Rod Barnes and Kent State assistant Josh Oppenheimer.

Forbes has coached at Texas A&M the past two years.

"We’ve been wanting to work together for a long time,’’ Pearl said. "He sees what we’re trying to do at Tennessee, and he believes in the system.

"I’ve known Steve for over 20 years. He’s a real professional. His strength is in recruiting and coaching.’’

Forbes was an assistant at Illinois State prior to coaching at Texas A&M, and before that he was an assistant at Louisiana Tech for three seasons.

Forbes was also an assistant coach at Idaho (1998-99) and in 1999-2000 he was the Vandals associate head coach. While there, he recruited Kaniel Dickens, a second-round pick of the Utah Jazz.

Forbes was also a coach at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., from 1995-98 where he had a record of 68-28 with two national top 25 rankings and produced three All-Americans.

One of those players, Alexander Radojevic, became a lottery pick for the Toronto Raptors.

Forbes’ first head-coaching job was at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa. He was 36-27 in his two seasons there. He was an assistant coach on the staff prior to taking over as the head coach.

"Steve wants to be some place and settle for a bit,’’ Pearl said. "He’s tired of moving around.’’

Forbes, a native of Lone Tree, Iowa, graduated from Southern Arkansas University (1988) where he played baseball and earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education.