Tennessee fires defensive-line coach/co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Brumbaugh

Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt confirmed on Monday that he fired defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Jimmy Brumbaugh following Saturday's 34-7 home loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. 

According to Chris Low of ESPN, it was Tennessee's first home defeat to Kentucky in 36 years. That loss dropped the Volunteers to 2-2 overall.

“Yesterday I decided to make a change at the D-line position,” Pruitt explained when speaking with reporters on Monday, per Patrick Brown of 247Sports. “Coach Brumbaugh done a really nice job for us, he worked his tail off. Sometimes from a philosophical standpoint, things are just not a fit, and it just didn’t work out for us, so I decided to do that. I’m going to coach the defensive line for the rest of the season.”

Pruitt continued: 

“If it’s not working out, it’s better just to do it right now. Me and Jimmy had a really good conversation, and unfortunately, probably because of the COVID circumstance, when you’re a new coach and you don’t have a chance to be around your players from March, April, May, and then limited in June, it puts you at a disadvantage. This is no knock on Jimmy as a coach whatsoever. He is one of the most knowledgeable guys I’ve been around, and he’ll do a good job wherever he goes.

“It’s just something that I felt like that we needed to do, and we did it.”

Brumbaugh accepted his roles with the Tennessee program in February to replace former defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and signed a two-year contract that carries a base salary of $650,000. The Volunteers are on the hook for over $800,000 of that contract that would be mitigated once he finds another job. 

As Brown wrote, Brumbaugh is required to make "reasonable and diligent efforts as soon as practicable following termination to obtain another comparable employment or paid services position."

Tennessee hosts the Alabama Crimson Tide, ranked No. 2 in the country, on Saturday ahead of an off week.