Tennessee offensive line coach Greg Adkins has been hired to the Syracuse staff by head coach Doug Marrone.
Adkins had been on the UT staff since 2003, serving first as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator then in 2006 being promoted to offensive line coach.
Adkins will be offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Syracuse.
“Greg has been a part of a lot of great programs and he has won championships,” Marrone said. “He has recruited the type of players we are going to need to have success on the field in the future. Greg brings a wealth of experience in the offensive line position. I think offensive line is the second most important position beside the offensive coordinator. Greg is someone we are going to use in recruiting nationally. He has had great success recruiting. We never want to limit ourselves to the areas that are going to be our foundation. We also want to be sure to recruit great players around the country.”
Adkins has been ranked among the top 10 recruiters nationally.
“In recruiting, the bottom line is that we will be looking for the best players out there,” Adkins said in a statement. “Certainly we want to start as close as we can to the proximity of Syracuse University and then we will expand out from there. No matter where we have to go, we will do that to meet our needs for this first recruiting class and recruiting classes in the future.”
In 2007, Adkins’ line allowed four sacks, the fewest in the country.
Adkins came to the Vols in 2003 from Troy, where he was responsible for the offensive line while helping the Trojans make the transition from Division I-AA.
Before coaching at Troy, Adkins spent five years as an assistant at Georgia under Jim Donnan. He coached the Bulldogs’ defensive line in 1996 and mentored the tight ends and the offensive line 1997-2000. During his tenure in Athens, the Bulldogs posted a 40-19 record in five seasons and played in four bowl games.
Adkins was among four coaches on offense who new UT coach Lane Kiffin had kept on the staff and given a shot at keeping their jobs, Kiffin said. The defensive staff was let go.
Kiffin had recently hired offensive line coach James Cregg from the Oakland Raiders, but had not as yet assigned Cregg a position.
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Comments » 94
SmokeDog72 writes:
Probably for the best. Best of luck. Thanks for the physical line play over the last few years!!!!
invisiblekid writes:
Best of luck to Coach Adkins.
VolsAllTheWay writes:
Good for Greg. Probably best for him to take the sure thing. The writing is on the wall with the hiring of Cregg. CLK will put together an amazing staff, hopefully soon.
invisiblekid writes:
http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootba...
MidTennVol writes:
Good luck, Coach Adkins. You will do fine whereever you go.
Now go enjoy some time with your loved ones.
SmokeDog72 writes:
I guess Syracuse is convinced that they can be successful without a running game.
SmokeDog72 writes:
So, with Adkins gone, who will "man the charts"?
zqvol writes:
The trolls always have to spew their garbage. No wonder people can't move forward, since they are constantly looking backward.
Good luck coach. Thanks for your time in Knoxville.
SmokeDog72 writes:
Those schmucks in Syracuse are using the "only four sacks allowed all season" line in the article. That was a long time ago. Many sacks this past year.
BigMikeUT writes:
I like how the Syracuse people are reporting that our line only allowed 4 sacks this year...too bad that was 2 years ago when we had itcy trigger finger Ainge behind center. I haven't impressed with our run blocking since about 2001 or so. We haven't dominated the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball since around that time. Its time to start winning in the trenches again.
SomeGuy writes:
Free advice for Marrone: Hire a deprogrammer or a hypnotist to flush out all remaining shreds of Fulmerism from Adkins' brain.
dvols writes:
what sir charles think???
SmokeDog72 writes:
I hope Syracuse's QB has good feet. He's gonna need 'em.
BigOrangeVol29 writes:
Well said, our offensive line has been average at best under his reign. Coach Adkins seemed to be a very good recruiter, and I get the impression that's why he was kept aboard as long as he was by Coach Kiffin, but the writing was certainly on the wall that the offensive line was in need of and going to receive a change to a more physical philosophy. Good luck Coach Adkins in Syracuse and thank you for your efforts, but it was definitely time to move forward.
GreerVol22 writes:
our line is perfect for the Big East. To bad Phil never got support to change conferences with UConn.
cainclifton23 writes:
We are set to offer Ken Norton Jr. (USC LB's Coach) an offer.
Ive heard that on a couple blog websites.
and The Raiders TE and Special Teams coach is joining our staff.
..... Anyone else know anything about this?
asif writes:
2007 was a long time ago?
Adkins was a victim of a misaligned offensive plan. Not a bad plan, per se, but just not workable at TN under coach Fulmer.
He will do well at Syracuse, and we will feel the sting of his absence in recruting for many years.
I saw absolutely no reason that Kiffin couldn't have hired him as the Special Teams coach and Recruiting Coordinator.
Having said that, it's Coach K's team and staff.
Best of Luck Greg and GO VOLS!
TennThunder writes:
Folks, let me tell you a story which was relayed to me by one of the team's top players father before the Florida game. He said the very 1st day of practice Clawson got up in front of the offense to lead calisthenics and he said "..ready, one, two, three" and one of the senior offensive linemen stepped out of line and told Clawson they were not moving until he got some bass in his voice. Instead of kicking this guy off the team for such gross insubordination or making him run until he puked lunch from last Christmas he buckled under and tried again. This still wasn't good enough for the lineman and he insisted he try again and then a third time at which point they started to exercise.
I believe that should explain how we went from 4 sacks in a year to about 40 and an offense that was the butt of jokes all over the country. He had zero respect from the players from the players from day one.
crappieking writes:
COME ON! THERE WERE PLENTY OF MORE QUALIFIED AFRICAN AMERICAN COACHES OUT THERE TO COACH THE LINE AT SYRACUSE THAN CA. RIGHT CHARLES?
BigMikeUT writes:
Does this mean that Edwin Herbert will be switching his commitment to Syracuse now since he loved Coach Adkins so much?
SignalMtnVol writes:
Not too sure about that. It show's 2 different coaches for TE's and Special Teams on the Raiders website
Brian Schneider: Special Teams Coordinator
Kelly Skipper: Tight Ends
jobrando#216494 writes:
Sounds like a tough guy is in order for this bunch. Maybe one from Paris Island.
cainclifton23 writes:
In response to Cregg's resignation,He then addressed the situation at a team meeting and polled the remaining coaches to see if they had any intention of following Kiffin to Knoxville. Special teams coach Brian Schneider and tight ends coach Kelly Skipper coached with Kiffin in college. No other Raiders coach expressed a desire to join..
====================
Thats what it is saying in Oakland.
VolinCalif writes:
Could be very true but Lane is going after WR's and Def guys more than anything else (so far). Just maybe he thinks we had a little betters players than the season showed. He has already made it clear he thinks QB wasn't as bad as it appears. I don't knnow how it looked to you guys (the home games) but I was at the UCLA game and it was a preview of what was coming. I have no idea what really went wrong but i cryed all year.
gohawks1 writes:
To catch passes from Crompton?
VolinCalif writes:
Are you a relat. of John Penn?
SemperVol writes:
All Greg will have to do is wash his current wardrobe with a red sock and he'll have Syracuse Orange.
Latrell Scott has it a little easier... just add a little navy and he's set to go.
Glad I could help.
crappieking writes:
No. Thank God! Just can't stand Sir Stupid.
invisiblekid writes:
Not that I am in-the-know or have that ever-valuable "inside source", but I have seen a few things here and there about Norton and Skipper. Nothing I'd feel really solid about at this point though.
Skipper has ties to Kiffin going back to his playing days so he makes a little more sense to me.
Norton turned down a position with UCLA which included an associate head coach title last year, so I am not sure what it'd take to get him to come to UT.
FWIW, also saw James Lofton's name pop up to replace Scott at WR coach.
Truth be told, I'd say we will see plenty of speculation on all the Raiders coaches with the exception of Cable the next few weeks.
invisiblekid writes:
That's funny, what's the best way to get grass stains out again Mr. Clean?
Just kiddin' around man.
MarineDad writes:
I read that, too. I wouldn't have told the Raiders what my plans were either.
rabidvol1998 writes:
I know the father of a player whose 2n cousin is the Easter Bunny. He said Santa Claus is a sissy.
If there were a way to prove it, I'd love to bet on the verasity (lack thereof) of this story.
SemperVol writes:
Ask J. Crompton... he's had extensive experience getting the stains out of his trousers... heh!
allntl1#565211 writes:
Syracuse is building a real dynasty, they have dominated the Cardinals here in Louisville for the last two years. I guess things just got a little bleaker for the Cards and coach Kragthorpe.
gohawks1 writes:
Even if I was considering a move to another university, I doubt I would have jumped up during this meeting and said anything like, "Yeah, coach, I hope to be moving outta here asap. I hate it here among the bottom feeders."
At least not until I had signed a contract....
gwbask writes:
The article says that coach Adkins was a top 10 recruiter. What was Coach Kiffin and coach O. Does anyone know and who and where can you find these coaches recruiting rankings?
Hudro writes:
I wish him well. I think more of the blame for the poor OL showing may rest with our strength program and that is why Kiffin was quick to make a change there. Any time we need three tries to score a td from the one against KY tells me we weren't the Vols of old.
I think the reason we went from four sacks to so many "lock out" blocks the next year was because Cutcliffe had Ainge get rid of the ball within three seconds even if it was out of bounds. It is hard to get sacked when you don't hold the ball very long.
cainclifton23 writes:
It varies from website to website.
iwilbeafan writes:
Child attitude
iwilbeafan writes:
Childish
iwilbeafan writes:
Learn to read
iwilbeafan writes:
Another that can't understand what they read
iwilbeafan writes:
Why can't people move on? A lot of people keep wanting the new coach to be supported with out question, but can not let go of the past to do it. Please, if you want nothing but the best for the program then stop being so negative about the past or future.
Saltydog writes:
Everyone wants to blast this guy for the job his offensive line did this past year. This is where Fulmer F-ed up on bringing in Clawson in without changing all of the parts. Adkins was used to coaching a line with a different offensive style. On top of that, it's awful hard to keep holes open long enough for Foster to hit them and Crompton to actually get rid of the ball in time faster then 7 seconds. What offensive line can do that? Fulmer kept playing these clowns all year.
ctownvol writes:
Mickey Mouse is an alternate lifestyler.
BSweet writes:
Rivals is reporting that Scott has been hired by Virginia.
ncvol17 writes:
If Kiffin can straighten out the horrendous QB play and get the O line to help make 3rd and short ydage, he should get SEC coach of the year. That would be the ultimate 'making lemonade out of lemons'
elkman writes:
how many offensive linemen are returning next year
cainclifton23 writes:
Kiffin filling out staff
New Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin still has several spots to fill on his staff, which may not start coming together until next week. One of the biggest issues Kiffin must wrestle with is whether he wants to be his own offensive coordinator.
Monte Kiffin, Lane's dad, will come aboard as defensive coordinator. He's a longtime NFL coordinator who was head coach at North Carolina State from 1980-82.
Rivals.com has learned that former Auburn running backs coach Eddie Gran has interviewed for a spot on Kiffin's staff to run special teams and also coach running backs or tight ends. Gran widely is considered to be one of the top recruiters in the SEC.
Former Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron, who oversees the New Orleans Saints' defensive line, could be a target for a spot on Kiffin's staff. But it is thought that Orgeron, who coached with Kiffin at USC, likely will remain in the NFL.
=Rivals
BSweet writes:
So with Adkins going to Syracuse, and Scott apparently leaving for VA, that leaves Drayton and Michaels, right? Hopefully the kids still committed are comitted to UT and not to any of these particular coaches. I'm not upset about losing these coaches, but I do wonder if we will see any more defections because of them. Certainly this puts the pressure on CLK to finish assembling his staff so they can start recruiting as soon as the dead period is over.
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