Tennessee officially introduced Stan Drayton as its new running backs coach Wednesday night.

That’s running backs coach.

Not wide receiver-turned-running back coach or quarterback-turned-fullback coach.

Drayton, Florida’s running backs coach for the past three seasons, expressed excitement at the opportunity to join Tennessee’s staff because of its history of producing quality running backs.

He described his recruiting style as honest and relationship-driven.

And he spoke frankly about the challenges of coaching running backs in Florida coach Urban Meyer’s spread-option offense, which is just as likely to give the ball to a wide receiver or keep it in the quarterback’s hands than hand it off.

“There have been a lot of questions asked about why leave Florida for Tennessee and the rivalry that goes behind it,” Drayton said in a press conference in Thompson-Boling Arena before the Vols’ basketball game against Ole Miss. “Obviously Urban Meyer (is) not too happy right now about me leaving to come to a rival. But I tell you what, I’m happy to be here. The reasons were very clear. It was a career decision for me. I’m happy to be a Volunteer.”

Drayton, 36, said he got a good feel about Tennessee’s family atmosphere — and another good feeling about Tennessee’s pro-style offense that features the tailback more than Florida’s.

Drayton said he wasn’t looking to leave Florida, but after speaking to friends and mentors in the coaching business it became clear that moving away from the spread could help him achieve his career goals.

“The offense that we were running at Florida didn’t have much involvement from the running back,” Drayton said. “There was some frustration there, to be honest with you. But you’re in a community that’s very supportive of Florida. Florida’s been good to me for three years. It was a very comfortable situation, it really was. Urban Meyer made it a very comfortable situation for me.”

The conversation about leaving, however, wasn’t.

According to Drayton, UT coach Phillip Fulmer called Meyer on Friday morning, presumably to ask for permission to speak with Drayton.

Meyer stepped out of a staff meeting to answer the phone and then dismissed everyone but Drayton shortly after returning to the room.

“I can’t go into too much detail, but it was a little rough, a little rocky,” Drayton said. “He had a coach that was getting ready to entertain a situation at his rival school. I understood that completely.

“Eventually we broke it down to what was really important: Is it Tennessee/Florida or is it about a career and a family move. For me, it came down to for my family and myself. That’s why I’m here.”

Drayton interviewed Sunday and arrived in Knoxville by plane Wednesday evening, in time for his pre-tip off press conference.

Since accepting the position, Drayton has spoken to UT’s running backs, including junior Arian Foster who has yet to announce whether he will leave for the NFL.

Details of Drayton’s compensation package were not immediately available.

Tennessee must still hire an offensive coordinator to replace David Cutcliffe and two more assistants.

Richmond coach Dave Clawson, who coached with Drayton while at Villanova in the late 1990s, interviewed for the offensive coordinator job Monday.

Former Michigan offensive coordinator Mike DeBord and former Michigan quarterbacks coach Scott Loeffler both left Knoxville on Wednesday after interviewing with Fulmer.

As of Wednesday night, no decisions have been made as to who will be Tennessee’s next coordinator, however Fulmer said he hoped the process will be completed “pretty soon.”

But whoever Drayton winds up working with on UT’s staff, he knows the Vols will be running the football — with a running back — and that’s good enough reason to come to Knoxville.

“It was a decision based on what the tradition of what Tennessee running backs are all about,” Drayton said. “(Fulmer) told me, ‘Stan, get those guys protecting the football and get them running the ball down hill.’ I was pretty comfortable making the decision based on that.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.