THE CHARLIE COINER FILE
Age: 51
From: Waynesboro, Va.
New position: Tennessee special teams coordinator and tight ends coach
Last position: Defensive assistant coach at North Carolina in 2010
By the numbers: Helped lead a young group of tight ends to career numbers during his four years with the Buffalo Bills, including career highs for Robert Royal in receptions (33) and yardage (351) during the 2008 season. In all, Coiner’s top-three tight ends combined for 58 catches and contributed as blockers for a rushing attack that ranked fifth in the AFC.
Coaching career: Appalachian State (1983-86), graduate assistant; Minnesota (1987), defensive line and kicking game; Austin Peay (1988-90), offensive line/special teams/linebackers; Vanderbilt (1991-93), special teams/recruiting; Texas Southern (1994 and 2000), various positions; Louisville (1995-97), tight ends/recruiting; Tennessee-Chattanooga (1998), linebackers; LSU (1999), special teams/wide receivers/recruiting; Chicago Bears (2001-05), tight ends and assistant special teams coach; Buffalo Bills (2006-09), tight ends; North Carolina (2010), defensive line.
Space is running out on the Tennessee coaching staff.
It seems the Vols are on the brink of filling one more of the six vacancies they've had in the offseason.
According to a source familiar with the personnel but not authorized to speak publicly on Thursday, former North Carolina assistant and NFL coaching veteran Charlie Coiner appears set to become the next special teams coordinator for the Vols.
The program did not formally announce the move, which is expected to give Coiner, 51, responsibilities with the specialists and the tight ends that were formerly held by Eric Russell before he left for a similar position at Washington State.
The vacancy created by Russell's departure was among the first the Vols were left to fill since the season ended last November, with defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, linebackers coach Peter Sirmon, offensive line coach Harry Hiestand and defensive line coach Lance Thompson all electing to take positions elsewhere after wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett retired.
After initially pursuing San Diego Chargers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia to fill one of the last two spots on Derek Dooley's third staff at UT, the program wound up targeting another assistant with NFL experience to handle that role — and will have only one more spot available with Coiner in the fold.
Coiner's last stop in the collegiate ranks was a brief one, filling in on the defensive line for the Tar Heels for a season after being fired along with the rest of the Buffalo Bills staff in early 2010.
He had spent nine years prior to his stint with North Carolina in the NFL, working with tight ends and special teams during stops with the Bills and Chicago Bears.
Coiner brings extensive experience at the NCAA level as well, including time with Minnesota, Austin Peay, Vanderbilt, Texas Southern, Louisville, Chattanooga and LSU before jumping to the NFL with the Bears in 2001.
Most recently he has worked with a software company he created, 1stDown Technologies, which produced an application for the iPad and iPhone that features 2,600 interactive plays used by teams at different levels.
"Rather than having to search for plays drawn on a napkin or filed in three-ring binders, this puts everything in place," Coiner told the Austin American-Statesman. "The idea is to let coaches spend more time developing football players and less time designing plays."
The chance for Coiner to do both of those again appears to be coming soon.
Austin Ward covers Tennessee football. Follow him at http://twitter.com/Vols_Beat and http://blogs.knoxnews.com/ward
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 118
ROCKYTOPBRAD writes:
who??????
Voltillyafall writes:
We have the whitest coaching staff in America. I was hoping Doolander would hire qualified African-American coaches to fill at least some of the six positions he had to fill. Jay Graham is a good hire, but I wish more AA coaches had been hired.
tennrich1 writes:
Dont care if they're green with envy, if they can coach, hire em....black, white, whatever...In fact, if my mother could coach then I say hire her...she's 82..imagine the outcry....There's no more racially sensitive person here than me but we HAVE to win football games....
A_Voice_ofReason writes:
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81volguy writes:
It's about helping recruiting. It's about giving these young men positive role models. It's about helping us win. Don't be so naive.
MTSUVOL writes:
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beachrvol#259150 writes:
I don't really care what race, creed or whatever a coach is. If he can coach, be reasonably likeable and knows how to impart his knowledge to impressionable young recruits, I want DD to hire him as soon as possible.
Take_Back_Knoxville writes:
Looks like a good hire. Over the last 10 years he spent a considerable amount of time as Tight Ends and Special Teams Coach in the Pros.
RoyaltyVol writes:
His bio looks good, hopefully a good hire. Only negative I could see was he has had MANY jobs.
thevoice writes:
AA? What does color have to do with things? I don't care if he's plaid or invisible. If he can coach and recruit, what does it matter? Seriously looking for an intelligent response.
tree_em_smokey writes:
ANYWAY the story is about our new hire, of which I am glad we have fiiled another vacancy.
Really glad we haven't lost a recruit from all of the departures and transition. We're on our way back up!!! GBO!!!
PureOrange writes:
The race card has been played until it is worn out. We want the best for our program, regardless of race, but not because it is one or the other. Try going to any game played by Tennessee Vols and see if you can distinquish when fans yell for certain color players. THEY DON'T!
Our favorites are not determined by color.
Tacamo01 writes:
Coach Dooley is putting together some assistants with NFL experience. This should also help with recruiting. Look forward to getting back on the winning side of SEC.
Dalton writes:
Seems to have an impressive bright resume...no dark spots on it...now I'm going home to watch Friends and dance badly
VolinCalif writes:
OK whats with this Racist BS? I an my wife both have Mulungeon heritage fro the Johnson City are.So call me anything you want. My mother, two sisters and two children could pass for Latin Americans anywhere in this country. But we are Americans. Period!. Get the best person for any purpose and forget the BS. Kids aren't going to get over this S... unless people stop trying to capitalize on the phooey. Mose people in the USA with African heritage are not Black, they are brown. Just like Mr. Obama. Been to S. Africa and the people are Black and hate the USA's Brown with a Pink Purple Passion. Just be grateful that you are an American and support our country because few around this world like us.
volfaninutah writes:
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VolinCalif writes:
PS DNA certified.
Voltillyafall writes:
Most of your responses to my post are knee-jerk, non-thinking reactions. I am NOT playing the "race card" with my post; rather, I'm playing the card that's what may be better for Tennessee in the recruiting game. Look at our roster, or for that matter, most anyone's roster who plays elite football. There are as many--if not more--African American players and recruits than white ones. There is NOTHING wrong with wanting to have African-American representation on our coaching staff. I, too, want the best man--purple, green, or polka dot--for the job. HOWEVER, deal with reality...we don't have any purple, green, or polka dot players or recruits. We do have black ones.
For many kids, this is their first extended time away from home. There is nothing wrong with helping them with the transition with a coach that MIGHT UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN YOU the unique way in which many minority kids grow up.
absolutenill writes:
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allvol8 writes:
But the color they wear and bleed. aka Orange!;)
Voltillyafall writes:
Thank you, 81 volguy, for THINKING and not having a knee jerk reaction and calling my post or me "racist."
I don't expect everyone to agree with me. However, attacking my post or me by calling me "racist" is beyond the pale. You either think having a black coaches on our team is good in selling the University of Tennessee, or you don't. I happen to think it DOES help sell the university.
VolinCalif writes:
BS
The kids are American, treat them all the same. As for the coach's if they show any type of racial preface fire them, polka dot or not. It is way past time this type of talk was history.
powert#205805 writes:
Great guy. He worked for DiNardo at LSU. Had lots energy and enthusiasm.
CincyOhVol writes:
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VolinCalif writes:
Sorry can't spell worth P. s/b preference
papavol writes:
WOW, ignorance is bliss and you're full of it. From what i can tell, we have some of the best recruiters in the country. Are you also saying white people can't be role models? Helping us win!?!? What? Think before you post. "Dont be so naive"?? what an ignorant remark.
CantStandCantStandSaban writes:
How many more vacancies are there on this staff? Anybody?
easleychuck writes:
We should hire qualified coaches who want to be here. Nothing more and nothing less.
What color of their skin is might help in some facets but should have nothing to do with whether they are hired by Dooley.
People may think that having a certain type of coach ie. color, age, former NFL player, etc. is the answer.
I think from what I have seen is that UT needs to have coaches who can coach the kids while treating them properly in today's 'everybody gets a trophy' world that we find ourselves in.
Jay Graham is here because he got results @ Carolina. That is the only reason he or any coach should be here. Same goes for Coach Sunseri.
If Marion Hobby continues to grow at Clemson, he would be a good choice to replace Coach Pal as DL coach when he retires. But only because he is a good coach, not because he is the 'right' color.
This may be wrong but I do love the fact that a school has alumni on their staff but, again, only if they can coach.
Go Vols.
Skwvols32 writes:
Yea, like it's really helping our basketball team!!
SmokeDog1972 writes:
This guy has his work cut out for him with the kicking game. Palardy and Darr both have a lot of growing to do. You know your kicking game is bad when it stands out in a negative way on a 5-7 team that lost to Kentucky.
Sure hope he can work miracles with those guys. If not, I don't have much confidence in Palardy pulling a game winning field goal off or Darr turning the field position around too often.
So far, I would say our kicker and punter have been busts. That needs to change.
ReVolver writes:
Oompa Loompas are not the correct shade of orange to work here.
mikethehistorystudent writes:
Get away from this race issue. I have a question. As I look at the backgrounds on our coaches, it appears to me that they have all been several places where the didn't stay very long. It's like they get anxious if they're somewhere for more than a year. Normally successful people stay where they are for a long period of time. I could be wrong on this assumption, but does this concern anyone besides me?
FWBVol writes:
If only you were in your last year everyone would be happy.
Noogaorange writes:
Not really. Coaches move around all the time not unlike other workers in today society. The average time someone stays on a job is down to a round two years now. It used to be that good people stayed around a long time no more, if they're good someone wants them. In the case of coaches they can do a great job but if the team doesn't perform the head coach gets axed and the assistants along with them so there's a lot of movement in the coaching ranks.
Let's get behind all of them and pray that they have better results than we had last year.
GBO
mrvol2u writes:
Great, I was feeling ok about this till you told me that. I wonder if he still has to refer to UT as "The School to The East"?
movinonup writes:
So, are you saying that black coaches would not be able to mentor or help a white player with "the transition" ?
I am white - my favorite coach and father figure in college was black....you sir, are an idiot.
Dalton writes:
Maybe because they know more about this situation than the average Gator fan who posts on this site?
gc_scvol writes:
no
RoadTrip writes:
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sly_stone99#434111 writes:
I get what you're saying, but it came off kinda strong dude. Perhaps the better way of approaching it would be that the Staff is not very diverse. We all live in a society geared toward diversity. Sports is no different.
VOLliven2it writes:
Well after all that fun reading I have one thing to post, I am at least glad we have filled one more coaching vacancy at the University of Tennessee. If Coach Dooley reads this site(like he does haha)then he will be intimidated about any more hires he has to make. Glad to get all that off my chest. GO BIG ORANGE!
Society has created all the racist/PC hoo-hoo and sadly it likely will not be getting better any time soon.
BR_549 writes:
This post reminds me of the line in Smokey & the Bandit when Sheriff Justice says : The GD Germans had NOTHING to do with this!; after the black sheriff told him his comments were germane to the road block situation at hand.
PHAT_VOL writes:
What? It it is I dont understand left them with? Left who with what?
Back for 8 more years? Isnt the term 4 years?
I'm confused but Happily confused. LOL :)
Sounds like a good hire from everything I have found.
GO VOLS!!
OwensboroVol writes:
You are so right. I was watching the Bowl Games and it seems that Tennessee is the only Major College Team that doesn't have a kicker who can put it deep into the endzone 90% of the time. I've always wondered why we can't get a kicker like that. It is a heck of an advantage to have the other team starting at the 20 9 out of 10 times. Also, putting the ball through the endzone eliminates the chance of a big return.
senracjr writes:
We do have black coaches DA What color is RB coach, green?
RockVegas writes:
That's why the University of Tennessee is in the position it's in now because of the stupid comments that were made above.All I want is for us to hire the best coaches,so we can start back winning.On the other hand I think having a mixture of coaches on the staff does help sell the University,as long as they know what their doing.I think Hart is going to shake things up anyway and I can't wait.Right now we need all the help we can get.We are not only looking bad in mens basketball,but women's basketball,and football aren't looking to good either.If I were a recruit reading these post I would consider going else where too.You don't read anything like this on the winning programs site.....GBO.
Dougb-VFL writes:
Right on the money! NFL experience always looks good to recruits and I am a Bills fan and remember his face on the sideline.He seemed to always be full of energy and excited as the players were.Hopefully this hire will turn out great(it can't hurt our special teams!)Dooley will be a success and Hart will have no problem resigning our coach after he sees the improvement this year! VFL
Vols_even_in_Georgia writes:
I'm disappointed in this whole conversation!
But let me put my two cents in. First of all being "AA" as everyone has put it in this conversation is important to me, but overuse of the RACE card is annoying and bothersome. Most of the time white folks take it more serious than we do! That's becasue you don't understand the "HELL" we have been through and still go through. (Don't tell me racism is not dead until you change the color of your skin for a few days) I don't believe the folks responding to this post are racists - so let's not go down that path either. What I am saying is that most of us feel more confortable around folks who look and sound like who we are - that's a fact. God intended all of us to simply get along and be brothers - not looking at color. We could care less what color a player is as long as he's scoring, blocking, tackling for the Big Orange.
I don't think players really care about the color of the coach if the resume is good and they can get them to the league. Coach Sunseri has been well received by recruits because he can coach - not because he's white. The Vols go after the best player to fit their system and color is not an issue. They and the players just want to win. The fans want to win. Some of my beast friends are white, black, brown, or whatever Tiger Woods is, but we don't sit around thinking about it. In the end we call came from Adam and Eve. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "One Day...." Let's talk sports! God Bless you all.
dtacker#607308 writes:
Idiotic post. Go away flamer.
Pullingguard writes:
Gads I hope he is successful..Pulling for him..
However,mentioning jobs...if you take all his jobs and the jobs of DLC who was just hired they have enough to stretch around the block a few times.. Maybe both will work out..
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