Josh Heupel isn’t the only Tennessee football coach contractually tied to the Vols long term.
The contracts of five assistant coaches have been extended beyond the 2023 season, Knox News has learned. Four additional assistants already had multi-year deals.
Only secondary coach Willie Martinez is not under contract beyond the 2023 season, but he received a $75,000 raise. Martinez has been a trusted assistant of Heupel’s for five seasons at Central Florida and UT. But the Vols ranked No. 127 in pass defense among 131 FBS teams last season.
UT could announce additional contract amendments at a later date.
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Heupel’s new contract, which expires January 2029, was announced in January. His pay nearly doubled from $5 million to $9 million annually after a memorable 2022 season. The Vols went 11-2 and beat Clemson in the Orange Bowl for their most wins since 2001.
Heupel has lost only two assistants in two seasons at UT, and that retention could continue with these extensions.
Offensive line coach Glen Elarbee got the longest extension. His deal was stretched two years to January 2026 with a pay increase from $800,000 to $900,000.
Defensive line coach Rodney Garner, linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, running backs coach Jerry Mack and special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach Mike Ekeler got raises and one-year extensions to January 2025.
Last week, Garner received a $150,000 retention bonus, which was part of his original contract. His pay increases from $700,000 to $785,000 with the extension.
Jean-Mary got a raise from $590,000 to $665,000. Mack’s pay increased from $425,000 to $500,000. And Ekeler got a raise from $475,000 to $575,000.
Most of Heupel’s staff extended beyond 2023 season
Four additional assistants already had multi-year deals.
Joey Halzle recently got a significant raise and contract extension to January 2026 when he was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.
Defensive coordinator Tim Banks has two seasons left on his deal through January 2025. His contract already called for a raise from $1.4 million in 2022 to $1.5 million in 2023.
Wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope already had a deal to January 2025 from when he was promoted from offensive analyst a year ago.
And tight ends coach Alec Abeln’s pay was almost quadrupled when he was recently promoted from offensive analyst. His salary starts at $243,000 on a contract that ends in February 2024.
Ranking pay of Tennessee football coaches
Here are the contract terms of UT football coaches, including the year their deal ends and their 2023 pay. The pay listed is the aggregate of base salary and supplemental pay. Bonuses are not included.
- Josh Heupel (head coach) | Jan. 2029 | $9 million
- Tim Banks (def. coordinator) | Jan. 2025 | $1.5 million
- Glen Elarbee (offensive line) | Jan. 2026 | $900,000
- Joey Halzle (off. coordinator) | Jan. 2026 | $850,000
- Rodney Garner (defensive line) | Jan. 2025 | $785,000
- Brian Jean-Mary (linebackers) | Jan. 2025 | $665,000
- Mike Ekeler (spec. teams/OLBs) | Jan. 2025 | $575,000
- Willie Martinez (secondary) | Jan. 2024 | $540,000
- Jerry Mack (running backs) | Jan. 2025 | $500,000
- Kelsey Pope (wide receivers) | Jan. 2025 | $250,000
- Alec Abeln (tight ends) | Feb. 2026 | $243,750
Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.