What Jeremy Pruitt’s defensive staff could look like in 2021

What Jeremy Pruitt’s defensive staff could look like in 2021.

November in college football means agents and schools begin to posture coaches for jobs in an attempt to better their programs and careers.

Will Muschamp was relieved of his duties as head coach at South Carolina Sunday. He is now a candidate to join Jeremy Pruitt’s coaching staff in 2021 at Tennessee.

Pruitt’s defensive staff could also see two other positions being filled for on-field capacities.

Tennessee’s defensive line unit has been vacant following Jimmy Brumbaugh being relieved of his duties during the 2020 season.

Inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer’s contract is set to expire following the 2020 season on Jan. 31, 2021.

Vols Wire takes a look at what Tennessee’s defensive staff could look like next season.

NEXT: What Jeremy Pruitt’s defensive staff could look like in 2021

Phillip Fulmer, Jeremy Pruitt, Vols’ assistant coach contracts and when they expire

Phillip Fulmer, Jeremy Pruitt, Vols’ assistant coach contracts and when they expire.

KNOXVILLE — Four games remain in the 2020 regular season.

Tennessee (2-4, 2-4 SEC) opened the 2020 campaign with wins at South Carolina and against Missouri. The Vols have since lost to Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama and Arkansas.

Ahead of Tennessee’s next contest against Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium Saturday (7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN), Vols Wire takes a look at Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer, head coach Jeremy Pruitt and the Vols’ assistant coaches contracts and when they expire. Contracts are provided by the University of Tennessee.

Rush Propst discusses the State of the Tennessee program under Jeremy Pruitt

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Phillip Fulmer

  • Through December 31, 2021

NEXT: University of Tennessee football contracts

Shelton Felton analyzes Vols’ outside linebackers

Shelton Felton analyzes Vols’ outside linebackers.

KNOXVILLE — Shelton Felton returns to Tennessee in 2020.

Felton served as a defensive quality control analyst for UT in 2018 during Jeremy Pruitt’s first season as head coach.

He left Tennessee in 2019 to serve as outside linebackers and defensive line coach at Akron. Felton was hired by Pruitt during the offseason to oversee Tennessee’s outside linebackers.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

During the third week of fall training camp ahead of the 2020 season, Felton met with media for the first time since returning.

He discussed the Vols’ outside linebackers unit on a Zoom call with reporters.

“We lost a great player in Darrell Taylor,” Felton said of the unit. “We are playing a lot of guys, we haven’t really dialed in on a No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 guy, we are just playing rotational. Deandre Johnson is doing a great job, Kivon Bennett is also doing a great job. Roman Harrison is a force to be reckoned with. We are getting a lot of work out of John Mincey. Moving J.J. Peterson over there to get some reps at times.

“The young guys, Tyler Baron and Morven Joseph are some guys. Right now, we are doing everything by committee and focusing on the details and doing everything right. As Coach Pruitt said, we are going to play the best man and the best person. As of right now, we are a committee. We don’t have a Darrell Taylor, we are trying to hunt a Darrell Taylor.”

Below are Felton’s question and answer session for UT players Tyler Baron, Kivon Bennett, Roman Harrison, Morven Joseph and John Mincey.

On junior John Mincey

KNOXVILLE, TN – AUGUST 19, 2020 – Defensive lineman John Mincey #99 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics

“I think Coach Pruitt and Coach Ansley also thought about numbers going into the spring because we are low in numbers and didn’t have a lot of guys. John Mincey is a very athletic big guy who can play the JACK into the boundary and do a lot of things for us. He flashes the ability to play on the edge as a pass rusher. The key for him is that he can set the point of attack against the run. I think Coach Ansley and Coach Pruitt saw something in him before I got here and he’s flashing those signs now during camp.”

On redshirt junior Kivon Bennett

KNOXVILLE, TN – AUGUST 25, 2020 – Linebacker Kivon Bennett #95 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Robert E. White indoor field in the Anderson Training Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

“The biggest thing that I’ve noticed since I’ve been here is his maturity and his attention to details. He’s more locked in and focused. He’s a natural pass rusher. He can be one of the best pass rushers in the conference once he locks himself in and focuses on the consistent day in and day out. He’s starting to develop into a leader now, grown leader on this team. I think the sky is the limit with him and we need him with this 10-game SEC schedule. We need him to perform every day, day in and day out.”

On freshmen Tyler Baron and Morven Joseph

KNOXVILLE, TN – AUGUST 26, 2020 – Linebacker Tyler Baron #9 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics

“Any freshman is going to be tough in this defense Coach Pruitt and Coach Ansley are running. There’s a lot of things going through their young mind and they are kind of split everywhere. Once they hone in on their skills, you can see the flashes of the things of why we recruited them and why they were so highly recruited out of high school. Morven Joseph, his first step is electrifying — he gets off the ball. Tyler Baron is a powerful guy, very smart, but is playing the system and learning the system. Right now, it is a little difficult at times, but you can see the flashes of the guys getting it and with more reps, the better they are going to get. They are two bright young men who are going to be bright for our future here.”

On sophomore Roman Harrison

KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 03, 2020 – Linebacker Roman Harrison #30 of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

“Roman has all the tools — he’s athletic, he’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s learning to play the position. By trait, Roman is a d-lineman, but he’s learning to play on the edge and I think he’s going to be rushing the passer for us on third down and also playing on first and second down. He’s one of the most powerful and strongest guys on the team. Biggest thing with Roman is processing and learning the game, which I think he’s doing a good job for us. He’s getting better and better with repetition. He’s one of the guys we are going to lean on, and again, we are going to play by committee until that one guy stands out.”

Shelton Felton is part of a coaching tree that Vols ‘will have their pick’ of recruits

Shelton Felton is part of a coaching tree that Vols ‘will have their pick’ of recruits.

KNOXVILLE — Shelton Felton takes on his first career position coaching job at the Power Five level during the 2020 season.

Felton was hired as Tennessee’s outside linebackers coach during the offseason. He returns to Tennessee after spending the 2018 campaign as a defensive quality control analyst in Jeremy Pruitt’s first season as the Vols’ head coach.

Felton left Tennessee in 2019 to serve as outside linebackers and defensive line coach at Akron.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Shelton Felton’s coaching history

  • 2005-09: Crisp County (Ga.) High School, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
  • 2010-12: Dooly County (Ga.) High School, Defensive Coordinator
  • 2013-14: Colquitt County (Ga.) High School, Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line
  • 2015-16: Crisp County (Ga.) High School, Head Coach
  • 2017: Chattanooga, Assistant Head Coach/Outside Linebackers
  • 2018: Tennessee, Defensive Quality Control Analyst
  • 2019: Akron, Outside Linebackers/Defensive Line
  • 2020-present: Tennessee, Outside Linebackers

During Tennessee’s third week of fall training camp ahead of the 2020 season, Felton met with media for the first time and discussed returning to Rocky Top and reuniting with Pruitt.

Felton said he and Pruitt “developed a relationship through recruiting.”

“Getting the QC position, knowing Coach Pruitt for a long time, I worked with Rush Propst, I knew him through Coach Propst and I knew him through Georgia, Florida State and I have been blessed to have players that have been able to play in the SEC and he gave me a call when I was at Chattanooga and it was a no-brainer,” Felton said of working for Pruitt. “To be on this staff — to be part of this tree, how could you say no to it.”

Colquitt County coach Rush Propst runs onto the field moments after Colquitt County defeated Archer in the Class AAAAAA state high school football championship, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jason Getz)

Felton served as an assistant to Propst at Colquitt County High School from 2013-14. Pruitt was defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Propst at Hoover High School from 2004-06.

Propst is now in his first season as head coach at Valdosta High School. Propst previously discussed Tennessee’s recruiting pipeline to Valdosta as he hired two of Felton’s former assistants.

“I’ve hired two of his guys in Jeff Kent as defensive coordinator,” Propst said on the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” of hiring Felton’s former assistants. “He worked for me in 2017 and 2018, and worked for Felton at Crisp County. Seneric McCurdy is our special teams coordinator and defensive line guy who worked for Shelton.

“He stays in contact with us constantly about these kids. I would imagine Tennessee will have their pick because of the relationship with Shelton, Jeremy and Todd (Watson), the guys I’ve got at Tennessee. Obviously they will be in the mix for kids at Valdosta. Jeremy has recruited this school and has built a lot of contacts in the city of Valdosta, so I think from a Tennessee perspective, Tennessee is always going to be welcome to Valdosta High School.”

The entire show with Propst can be listened to here.

KNOXVILLE, TN – AUGUST 19, 2020 – Outside Linebackers Coach Shelton Felton of the Tennessee Volunteers during 2020 Fall Camp practice on Haslam Field in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics

Sideline to sideline: Tennessee’s 2020 linebackers

Sideline to sideline: Tennessee’s 2020 linebackers

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee will kickoff the 2020 season on Sept. 5 against Charlotte at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols have two new coaches overseeing the linebacker unit in 2020.

Brian Niedermeyer spent the last two seasons as the Vols’ tight ends coach and moves to inside linebackers for the 2020 campaign.

Shelton Felton returns to Tennessee as the outside linebackers coach. Felton served as a quality control analyst under Jeremy Pruitt in 2018.

The linebacker unit will have the ability to play fast and physical from sideline to sideline this season.

Player personnel for the unit will showcase Kivon Bennett, Quavaris Crouch, Deandre Johnson, J.J. Peterson and Henry To’o To’o throughout the JACK, MIKE, WILL, SAM and BUCK spots.

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Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Felton served as defensive coordinator for Rush Propst at Colquitt County High School from 2013-14.

“He is thorough,” Propst told Vols Wire of Felton. “Players like him, and he demands a bunch. He is high-energy and is what you look for in a coach. To me, I put him on a top pedestal of some of the best coaches that I’ve had. I have had 25 guys coach college football and he is right there at the top. He is a heck of a football coach.

“He is full of energy and is very knowledgeable about the game. Kids love him and he gets the most out of his players. To me, that is the mark of a great football coach.”

Brian Niedermeyer Spring 2020
Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Niedermeyer started his coaching career at Arkansas-Pine Bluff as a defensive student assistant in 2012.

In 2013, Niedermeyer served as a volunteer analyst and assisting linebackers at Miami.

He also served as a defensive coach for Pruitt at Georgia and Alabama. Niedermeyer was a graduate assistant at Georgia in 2015 and worked with linebackers. He then followed Pruitt to Alabama and served as a defensive graduate assistant and worked with linebackers in 2016.

Brian Niedermeyer ‘a stud’ on the recruiting trail

Tennessee officially announces new defensive assistants

2020 Tennessee football.

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee has officially announced two new assistants to its football coaching staff.

Jimmy Brumbaugh is Tennessee’s new co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach and Shelton Felton will serve as outside linebackers coach.

“I’m excited to announce that we have added Jimmy Brumbaugh and Shelton Felton to our coaching staff,” Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt said in a press release. “They are both tireless workers and will bring a lot of positives to our staff in terms of coaching and recruiting. They are family men who will be outstanding role models and mentors for our student-athletes.”

UT press release:

Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt announced the hire of two new assistant coaches in Jimmy Brumbaugh and Shelton Felton.

Brumbaugh is the Volunteers’ new co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach, while Felton is set to take over as outside linebackers coach. They replace Tracy Rocker and Chris Rumph, who each spent the past two years with the program.

“I’m excited to announce that we have added Jimmy Brumbaugh and Shelton Felton to our coaching staff,” Pruitt said. “They are both tireless workers and will bring a lot of positives to our staff in terms of coaching and recruiting. They are family men who will be outstanding role models and mentors for our student-athletes.”

Brumbaugh Joins Tennessee Staff as Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach
Brumbaugh joins Tennessee’s coaching staff after a two-year stint at Colorado, where he was the Buffaloes’ defensive line coach.

In 2018, Brumbaugh’s first season at Colorado, the Buffs’ totals in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense all improved. Powered by Brumbaugh’s defensive line, Colorado improved its national ranking in rush defense by 64 spots, allowing 62.4 fewer yards on the ground per game. Overall the Buffs’ defense allowed 70.3 fewer yards per game and improved by 57 spots in 2018.

Under Brumbaugh’s direction, defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson registered 57 tackles, 16.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in 2018 to earn All-Pac 12 honorable mention accolades.

Before joining the staff at Colorado, Brumbaugh was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Maryland for two seasons. He had spent the prior four seasons at Kentucky—working alongside current UT defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley for three years—establishing himself as one of the top defensive line coaches in the country. He has also served as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech and Syracuse and was an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at LSU.

“Jimmy has a proven track record of developing outstanding football players everywhere he has been,” Pruitt said. “He also has experience coaching in the SEC and is familiar with the demands that come with coaching in this conference. We are excited to have Jimmy here at Tennessee and expect him to be a great addition to our coaching staff.”

As the defensive line coach at Kentucky (2013-16), Brumbaugh developed a pair of 2015 NFL Draft picks. Bud Dupree was a first-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Za’Darius Smith, who Brumbaugh coached in junior college, was chosen in the fourth round by the Baltimore Ravens. Smith was named to the 2020 Pro Bowl after leading the Green Bay Packers with 13.5 sacks. Overall, four defensive linemen earned All-SEC honors during his tenure with the Wildcats.

Prior to his time at Kentucky, Brumbaugh spent two seasons at Syracuse, where he coached defensive tackles in 2011 and the defensive line in 2010. The Orange defense displayed drastic improvements under Brumbaugh in 2010, moving from 81st to 17th nationally in scoring defense, and from 37th to seventh in total defense. Under Brumbaugh’s tutelage, defensive end Chandler Jones garnered All-Big East recognition twice and was drafted 21st overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Before taking the job at Syracuse, Brumbaugh coached the defensive line at Louisiana Tech in 2008 and 2009. He took over a defensive front that ranked 46th nationally against the rush in 2007 and moved that ranking to 13th at the conclusion of the 2008 season.

In 2012, Brumbaugh was at East Mississippi Community College, where he was in charge of the defensive line and also was the strength and conditioning coordinator. He helped lead the Lions to a top-10 national ranking, an 8-2 record and the Mississippi North Division championship. Brumbaugh’s defensive line combined for 224 tackles, including 44.5 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. For the season, the EMCC defense allowed just 75 rushing yards and only 15.3 points per game.

In his lone season at EMCC, Brumbaugh developed six defensive linemen who signed Division I scholarships, including Kentucky’s Smith, the nation’s No. 1-rated junior college defensive end prospect by JCGridiron.com.

Brumbaugh also has extensive experience as a strength and conditioning coach, working two seasons (2006-07) as an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator at LSU. Under then-head coach Les Miles, LSU won the 2007 national championship, defeating Ohio State, 38-24, in the BCS title game in New Orleans. While with LSU, Brumbaugh helped produce 12 NFL Draft selections, including five first-round picks.

Brumbaugh lettered four years as a defensive lineman at Auburn, playing both the nose and outside tackle positions, from 1995-99. He started 44 of his 48 career games, recording 291 tackles and 15 sacks. Brumbaugh was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 1995, earned Auburn’s Most Improved Defensive Lineman honor for spring ball and then garnered second-team All-SEC honors as a sophomore in 1996 before earning first-team All-SEC accolades as a junior in 1997.
Brumbaugh was a member of the Tigers’ 1997 SEC Western Division champion team and played in the 1995 Outback, 1996 Independence and 1997 Peach Bowls. Due to an injury he sustained at the end of the 1997 season, Brumbaugh played in only three games in 1998. He was granted a medical hardship waiver and had 51 tackles, six sacks and three fumble recoveries after returning for the 1999 season.

Brumbaugh played in the Blue-Gray Classic All-Star Game following the 1999 campaign and participated in preseason camp with the San Francisco 49ers in 2000 after signing as an undrafted free agent. He went on to play in the XFL with the Birmingham Bolts and then in arena football with the Georgia Force and Birmingham Steeldogs before embarking on a coaching career.

Brumbaugh returned to Auburn after his pro career to finish up his degree, graduating in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Performance. He then decided to get into coaching, starting out as a student assistant for Jacksonville (Ala.) State, which won the 2004 Ohio Valley Conference championship with a 7-1 league record and 9-2 overall mark. His first full-time position followed the next year, as he was the defensive line coach at Chattanooga, which posted a 6-5 record in 2005.

Brumbaugh and his wife, Kelly, have two sons, Legend and Nash.

Felton Returns to Rocky Top to Coach Outside Linebackers
Felton was a quality control analyst for UT during Pruitt’s first season as head coach in 2018 and returns to Rocky Top after spending one year as the outside linebackers and defensive line coach at Akron.

“Shelton is a guy who was with us in a quality control role during our first season and did a fantastic job,” Pruitt said. “I was impressed by his work ethic and knowledge of the game. He’s coached in college for several years, and he also was an outstanding high school coach in Georgia. His ability to connect with the players on and off the field will make him a valuable piece to our on-field coaching staff.”

During his lone season with the Zips, Felton helped develop redshirt-senior linebacker John Lako into a first-team all-conference selection. Lako led the Mid-American Conference and ranked fifth in the nation with 138 total tackles in 2019.

Prior to shining a quality control analyst for the Vols in 2018, Felton spent one season as the outside linebackers coach at Chattanooga. With Felton’s help, the Mocs had the top defense in the Southern Conference in 2017 and finished the year ranked No. 25 in the FCS in total defense, allowing just 326.4 yards per game.

Felton began his coaching career in the high school ranks, where he spent time at three different high schools in Georgia.

Most recently, Felton was the head coach at Crisp County High School in Cordele, Georgia, for two seasons. He was the first African American head coach in the school’s history and led an impressive turnaround in just two seasons at the helm. After going just 3-7 in Felton’s first season as head coach in 2015, the Cougars went undefeated in the regular season and finished the year with a 13-1 record in 2016, advancing to the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

Under Felton’s guidance, Markaviest Bryant and Quay Walker became the first players in Crisp County history to garner All-America honors.

Following Crisp County’s impressive turnaround in 2016, Felton was named the Georgia Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year, the Recruit GA Coach of the Year and the Region 1AAA Coach of the Year.

Before accepting the job as head coach at Crisp County, Felton spent two seasons as the run game coordinator and defensive line coach at Georgia high school powerhouse Colquitt County. The Packers won the Class 6A State Championship in 2014, and Felton was named the Georgia Coaches Association Class 6A Assistant Coach of the Year.

Felton also spent three years as the defensive coordinator at Dooly County High School (2010-12), where he coached future Auburn All-American Montravious Adams. He began his coaching career at Crisp County as the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator from 2005-09. Throughout his prep coaching career, Felton helped elevate more than 20 players into Division I football careers.

A native of Cordele, Georgia, Felton was a defensive lineman at Troy from 1999-02, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social work in 2002 and a master’s degree in education in 2008. He also earned an E.D.S. in physical education from Jacksonville State in 2012.
Felton and his wife, Laquanda, have four children: Alexius, Shelton, Jr., Shemori and Shelton III.

Coaching Profile: Shelton Felton

Coaching Profile: Shelton Felton

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt has suffered the most turnover on his defensive staff since taking over in Knoxville, and one of the latest was the departure of co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Chris Rumph to the Houston Texans.

Rumph is replaced by Akron outside linebackers coach and former Tennessee defensive quality control analyst Shelton Felton.

Felton is still in the early stages of his coaching career, and returns to Knoxville as a familiar face for Tennessee’s program. Before his off-field role at Tennessee in 2018, Felton was the outside linebackers coach at Chattanooga for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Felton coached in the high school ranks before entering the college game, as the head coach at Crisp County High School. A Cordele, Ga. native, Felton also spent time as a defensive assistant under Jeremy Pruitt’s former mentor Rush Propst at Colquitt County High School. Felton was part of a team that won the 6A Georgia State Championship at Colquitt County in 2014.

Tennessee gets a young, aspiring coach in Felton that knows the personnel of the linebacking core after spending just one season away from Knoxville.