KNOXVILLE – Although he has not coached for Tennessee since 2008, John Chavis’ name will always remain synonymous with the success UT experienced in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The former Tennessee defensive lineman and defensive coordinator paid a visit to UT this week, spending time with assistant Derrick Ansley.
It was an honor to spend time & pick the brain of Coach John Chavis. One of College Football’s most respected coordinators & VOL LEGEND. We are grateful for him sharing some of his wisdom with our staff. #VFL #LearnAndGrow#Pick6 pic.twitter.com/Ag1U6siKYG
— Derrick Ansley (@DansleyAnsley) June 29, 2020
After finishing his playing career in 1979 for the Vols, he began coaching as a graduate assistant at UT.
He returned to coach the Vols’ defensive line and linebackers in 1989 after serving as an assistant at Alabama A&M (1980-83, 1986-88) and Alabama State (1984-85).
Chavis was named Tennessee’s defensive coordinator in 1995, a position he held through the 2008 season.
After consistently fielding some of the best defenses in the SEC throughout his time in Knoxville, Chavis was hired by Les Miles at LSU, where he called plays on defense until 2014. From 2015-17, Chavis served as defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, and then under Chad Morris at Arkansas during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.