Former Woodruff Wolverine great embraces new SEC opportunity with the Tennessee Volunteers
By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
Woodruff Native Derek Jones Takes Coaching Role at Tennessee
Derek Jones has a new coaching home.
The Woodruff native, who led the Wolverines to the 1991 state championship game, has forged a reputation as one of the most well-respected assistant coaches in the Power 4 ranks over a 26-year career. Following a regime change at Virginia Tech, where Jones coached from 2022-25, he has joined Josh Heupel’s staff at the University of Tennessee as defensive backs and secondary coach.
According to Jones, the opportunity came at a good time and made sense for him and his family.
“(Tennessee) had hired a younger guy, and a few weeks later, he leaves to join an NFL team,” explained Jones. “I got the call, and it was a no-brainer. The proximity of Tennessee to my recruiting base, being prime SEC territory, and close to home were a lot of factors that made it a good opportunity.”
Connection to Tennessee and Coaching Background
Coach Jones had a connection at the University of Tennessee in athletic director Danny White, whose father, Kevin, was the athletic director at Duke University, where Jones coached from 2008 to 2019. Through that avenue, he was introduced to Heupel, whom he did not know previously.
Derek was offered the position and immediately spoke with his wife, he said. Both were completely on board.
“I discussed it with my wife,” he said. “We both felt like (Tennessee) was the place to be for us.”
According to Jones, the timing was also right for this stage in his career. Following a career that has, to this point, seen stops at Murray State, Middle Tennessee State, Tulsa, Memphis, Duke, Texas Tech, and Virginia Tech, joining the Volunteers’ staff brings him as close to home as he has ever coached, with Knoxville being just two and a half hours from Woodruff.
“I am excited to be at Tennessee, and it aligns with the timing of my career,” stated Jones. “I have been fortunate to coach at a lot of great places, Duke, Texas Tech for two years, and coaching with my good friend Brent Pry at Virginia Tech. I look at it as an upward trajectory. Things happen when they are supposed to, and this opportunity really excites me. Having the opportunity and resources to recruit the best players is great.”
Building Relationships and Recruiting the Right Players
Jones has hit the ground running, wasting no time in establishing relationships with many of the best defensive backs in the country. Derek explains that recruiting is about building relationships and trust with young men and impacting their lives positively in ways that go beyond football.
“Any time you take a job, you have to jump in with both feet,” he said. “That is what I have been doing since my first day at Tennessee. I have reached out to every defensive back on the (recruiting) board. You have to be consistent, but the biggest thing (about recruiting) is to have a simple approach. Be authentic and try to educate young men on these impactful decisions rather than just recruit them. Whenever I talk to a recruit, I always ask them what they learned from the conversation. It helps you recruit the right kind of players.”
A Proud Woodruff Wolverine
At heart, Derek Jones is a Woodruff Wolverine first. He is proud of where he is from and says that, above all, he wants to be an ambassador for his hometown and inspire younger generations to aim high and better themselves. That is important to him.
“More than anything, I want to be a good representative for my community and where I come from,” added Jones. “I have always taken pride in carrying that torch. I know there are kids back in Woodruff who look at me and know they can achieve success. I want to set a good example for them and show them that anything is possible with hard work and the right attitude.”
A mantra that should serve Derek Jones well at the University of Tennessee and quickly endear him to Volunteer players and fans.
