Adam Schefter reported on his blog at NFL.com that new Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin attempted to lure Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Jeremey Bates as he assembles a coaching staff.
According to Schefter, “Bates was said to have seriously considered Kiffin’s offer, but eventually opted to stay in Denver, where the Broncos gave him a raise and an extension.”
The 32-year-old Bates has been an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets.
He was a reserve freshman quarterback at UT in 1995. He later transferred to Rice.
Bates and his brother, James, were standout players at Sevier County High School.
Jim Bates, the father of Jeremey and James, is a former UT linebacker (1964-67), graduate assistant (1968) and linebackers coach (1989). He coached in the NFL for 16 years, including seven games as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2004.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 77
cainclifton23 writes:
I wish we wouldve gotten him, we wouldve installed that ZONE BLOCKING that denver has perfected the last decade
Ironcity writes:
Zone blocking is good if you have no talent. It doesn't work as well if you do.
cainclifton23 writes:
So the broncos dont have any talent?
VolPatrick writes:
Um, he is the quartebacks/receivers coach. I'm not sure this would qualify him as the guy to implement a blocking scheme.
wesw33z#667083 writes:
this story hit the wire yesterday.
db11_cn writes:
You gotta be kidding me!
cainclifton23 writes:
WOW, I tottaly read this article wrong... my bad.
Yea he probably has nothing to do with that, but it would be nice though
jsm67vol writes:
Hmmmm, weighing the option of living in Denver vs. Knoxville coaching crompton, BJ and Nick vs. Jay Cutler. I love K-town but Denver is sweeeeet! Can't blame him for not coming home to TN.
IPOrange writes:
Well, at least we got him a raise.
bugman writes:
hey at least kiffin went after a former tennessee boy. gotta give him props for that.
khelton657 writes:
Impact..everything Kiffin is doing has the feel of impact...he's going after the coaches he feels are the best, not just the next guy in house..
bone03162002 writes:
HAS ANYBODY HEARD WHO KIFFEN IS TALKING TO FOR HIS COACHING STAFF
rclarkvols#224537 writes:
Bring back Bill Bates!!
BolivarBob writes:
Th hardest working football player that ever lived...bar none.. I may be wrong, but I think he is the only player to ever make the Pro Bowl as a special teams player
IPOrange writes:
Not sure, but didn't Derrick Mason make it as a special teams player in 2000, and then in 2003 as a receiver, while with the Titans?
cainclifton23 writes:
I think the hardest working football player would be one of the best ever,,,
Manning
Tomlinson
Ray Lewis
Ronnie Lott
Walter Payton..
You know the guys who are going to the hall of fame
IPOrange writes:
I may have misunderstood you, BB. I bet you meant the only Vol player.... and you could be right about that.
BolivarBob writes:
I'm almost positive he was at the time. I don't really know since then. When I say hard working,,,he was really too small to play in the NFL but he could knock your arse off.....think about the hit Berry put on Moreno this year.....Bates did that on a regular basis
madvillevol writes:
Anyone have any info on an OC or any other offensive posistion coaches??
cainclifton23 writes:
I highly doubt he could hold a candle to Eric Berry
BolivarBob writes:
I don't think Bill Bates will ever make it to the Hall of Fame. He was not a gifted athlete, but he had 200% hustle. Small in stature and could hit like a freight train
BolivarBob writes:
William Frederick Bates (born June 6, 1961, in Knoxville, Tennessee) is a former American football safety in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys.
[edit] High school and college career
Bates attended Farragut High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. He led the Farragut Admirals to the State Semi-Finals in 1978, in which the Admirals lost to Red Bank by one point. Bates played college football at the University of Tennessee where he was second team All-SEC as a junior and senior.
[edit] Professional career
Because of his size -- Bates was later listed by the Cowboys at 6'1" and 203 pounds -- he was not highly recruited when he graduated college. He joined the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, where he spent his entire career. He was a one-time Pro Bowler in 1984 as a special teams player, a spot that was basically created for him, where he was also elected All-Pro that season. While with the Cowboys, he played in Super Bowl XXVIII and XXX (Bates was injured when the Cowboys played in Super Bowl XXVII.) His autobiography is entitled Shoot for the Star. He spent one year with the Jacksonville Jaguars as Special Teams Coach in 2001. On August 18, 2005 Bates was inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.[1] Bates then was an assistant coach for Nease High School's football team, which won the 2005 Florida State Championship. He will now be an assistant coach for Ponte Vedra High School. Besides being a great high school coach, Bill Bates also is a well known motivational speaker all around the country. Currently Bill Bates also runs a cattle ranch in North Dallas. He has five children: Dillon, Tanner, Graham, Brianna, and Hunter. Graham, Brianna, and Hunter are triplets, and Graham and Hunter are currently playing college football at Arkansas State and Northwestern, respectively
madvillevol writes:
Has the savage completely dissapeared?? I really miss his info.
IPOrange writes:
Yeah, I remember Bates - I was a Dallas Cowboys fan for many years until Landry was fired. Haven't cared for them since...
Bates was a hard hittin' guy for his size, for sure.
IPOrange writes:
Ray Lewis is a beast, brother. I see him coming, I'm gettin' outta the way.
Walter Payton - aah, Sweetness.
cainclifton23 writes:
Cool, you know what Wikipedia is.
IPOrange writes:
He checks in now and then, but I haven't seen his posts lately. I agree - I wish he would come on more often. He had a lot to share. Probably got tired of all the bad-mouthing, pissin' and moaning that goes on here sometimes.
BolivarBob writes:
When you're old and have CRS you have to rely on something just to see see if you're remembering things halfway right
IPOrange writes:
Heh heh heh. I understand, brother. I have a touch of CRS myself on occasion.
murrayvol writes:
Does the name Steve Tasker ring a bell? He was a 7 time Pro Bowler for the Bills.
murrayvol writes:
I'm on that team as well BB.
BolivarBob writes:
yeh you're right, forgot about Tasker. he was even smaller than Bates, but he wasn't a Vol.
murrayvol writes:
I think you nailed the reason savage is an infrequent visitor. Hopefully he'll resurface as signing day approaches.
IPOrange writes:
Can't say that I blame him. I've always enjoyed the back and forth banter, and even the more serious discussions, debates, and disagreements, but it's gotten nasty on here lately.
BolivarBob writes:
Why don't you go kick your dog. He's the only one you can keep captive.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Yes, very very good try, got to give him credit for that, does show a whole lot of class.
tenndave writes:
What about hiring Al Wilson as linebacker coach
cainclifton23 writes:
I hope we get Ken Norton.
utchris writes:
I believe that savage has had some stuff going on in his life that trumps football.
He will be back and have his good info as usual.
mprip#212085 writes:
Yes Bill Bates was tough..I was sitting on the 10 yard line row 20 when I saw Bill knock his own awrse off when he ran under the onslaught of Hershel Walker. Except for that, he was a hitter....and 6'1" ??? maybe 5'9" was pushing it..But he was a great guy....D.D. said he was the only one who autographed the football he sent back to the Cowboys after he retired for the auction in the last Boys Club Golf fundraiser at Holston Hills before Fulmer took it over. This was after Landry left and the rest of them wanted money for their autograph. A little different attitudes from now and 20 years ago, eh ?
FWBVol writes:
Bates was such a coward that he was an All-Pro special teams player more times than most of us can count. He was such a coward that they created a Special Teams Player of the Year to have an honor for him. And, oh yeah, he was such a coward that he stuck around the NFL 15 years. Everyone knows how pro teams love to keep guys on the roster so they can have the token slow white guy.
Bill Bates was such a bad football player that he was one of Tom Landry's all-time favorites. He accomplished more on the field than most of us would ever dare dream about with less talent than 99 percent of the players in the league.
jimr07 writes:
and he was white. you again are making up stuff. i bet you do not even know anyone that played with him. why don't you go away
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Was Bates somehow responsible for H. Walker's demons?
We blame TDTN's problems on Dupree.
That appears to be legit.
5_and_15 writes:
I wonder how many coaches Kiffin has tried to hire who turned him down? Admittedly, a man doesn't always get all of his first choices, but you would think he might get at least ONE of his first choices - other than family members, of course.
This suggests that the external industry opinion is that either (a) Tennessee isn't that great of a job (various possible reasons for this), or (b) this coaching staff isn't expected to be employed for the long-term.
Either way, it's not a good sign for us - or Mike Hamilton.
BolivarBob writes:
We could probably build a whole new world about the things you wonder about
sevenmaxims#354995 writes:
John Madden once said that BILL BATES was the greatest special teams player in the history of the NFL. BTW , JIM BATES , former Vol walk - on line backer was a tough guy too.
jimr07 writes:
i love a positive post like yours. i am sure you are vol all the way. what difference does it make. he is going after top notch coaches. i was wondering if you were aware of the moron convention going on. you can go with naffy
annemarie writes:
I heard from someone on his email list that he is out of town. Although he could use a lap top. Hopefully he will be back really soon.
Navalorange writes:
Naffy, total idiot!
UT37916 writes:
Has Kiffen no more relatives to put on the payroll?
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