Tennessee’s coaching turnover is reportedly Washington’s gain.
ESPN’s Chris Low is reporting, citing sources close to the situation, that two Tennessee defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox (pictured) and linebackers coach Peter Sirmon will be leaving the V0ls for likely the same positions with the Washington Huskies.
Washington coach Steve Sarkisian did not retain defensive coordinator Nick Holt, linebackers coach Mike Cox and secondary/safeties coach Jeff Mills after the Huskies gave up a season-high 67 points in an Alamo Bowl loss to Baylor last week.
Wilcox, formerly the DC of Boise State, has spent the last two seasons under Derek Dooley; Sirmon just finished his first season as linebackers coach for the Vols after spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant with Tennessee, and previously, Oregon.
The departures would be the third and fourth coaches to leave under Dooley this year. Wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett “retired” and special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Eric Russell left to work under Mike Leach at Washington State.
The Vols finished with their second consecutive losing season, but finished in the Top 30 nationally in total defense.