Is Tennessee coach Jerry Mack heading to the NFL? Major blow to Josh Heupel's coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season

Jerry Mack's tenure as the running back coach of Tennessee has come to an end after three seasons. According to reports on Monday, the coach will be making his way out of the program to make a transition to the NFL where he will team up with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

His exit came as a big hit for the Volunteers as they will be losing a vital piece of their coaching staff. Mack arrived in Knoxville in 2021 alongside Josh Heupel. During his time with the team, he successfully built the Volunteers' running back room to one of the best in the landscape.

Tennessee’s notable improvement under Jerry Mack

Jerry Mack's tenure as Tennessee’s running back coach was much of a successful one. In his first season with the Volunteers, the running back room made significant strides, ascending from No. 84 in the previous season to No. 11 in yards per game.

In 2022, the team equaled a school record by notching 40 rushing touchdowns, a feat that positioned them third nationally. Remarkably, Tennessee stood out as the sole SEC program boasting multiple running backs with 10 or more rushing touchdowns throughout the year.

Tennessee's rushing game exploits were more notable last season, as they secured the second spot in the SEC and ranked ninth nationally in rushing yards, averaging 204.8 yards per game. Their running back options notably amassed a total of 2,663 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Mack's coaching experience has primarily been in collegiate football, spanning two decades, with no previous involvement in the NFL. He will be hoping to replicate his success with the Volunteers over the last couple of years on the professional stage.

Jerry Mack’s coaching career so far

Jerry Mack started his coaching career at Delta State as a graduate assistant in 2004 and moved to Jackson State in 2006 as a wide receiver and tight end coach. He would go on to become Central Arkansas's passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach in 2008.

He was named offensive coordinator at Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2010 before becoming wide receiver coach at Memphis in 2011 and at South Alabama in 2012. North Carolina Central gave him his first head coaching job in 2014 and his tenure with the Eagles lasted three years.

Mack's next stop was at Rice in 2018 where he was named offensive coordinator. He was subsequently promoted to assistant head coach in 2019 while keeping his previous role. He finally landed at Tennessee in 2021 following the hiring of Josh Heupel.