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It didn’t take long for Kevin Steele to find a new job.
On Tuesday, the University of Tennessee athletics department officially announced that the former Auburn defensive coordinator will be joining Jeremy Pruitt’s staff in Knoxville.
“Kevin is someone I have respected and admired for a long time on and off the field,” Pruitt said, “I had the opportunity to learn and work with him during our time at Alabama and our friendship grew from there. He has outstanding knowledge of the game and understands what it takes to be successful in this conference. Having coached under the great Johnny Majors, he has a sincere appreciation for what it means to be a Tennessee Volunteer. We are thrilled to welcome Kevin and Linda back to Rocky Top.”
Serving as interim head coach after Gus Malzahn was fired following eight seasons at Auburn, Steele was once a candidate for the head coaching position at Auburn until a fan revolt occurred. It has also been reported that Steele was going behind Malzahn’s back for two seasons in an attempt to stage a coup to get the head coaching job.
“Linda and I are excited to be coming home,” Steele said. “Tennessee is a special place to me personally. I am truly grateful to Coach Pruitt and Coach Fulmer for this opportunity, and I am eager to get to work alongside them once again. I look forward to helping create an environment where our players are successful and truly embrace what it means to be a Volunteer.”