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Monday morning update: Volquest is reporting that Tyson Helton will accept the Western Kentucky head coaching job. Tennessee will need a new offensive coordinator.
BREAKING: Tyson Helton to be named next head coach at Western Kentucky. ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/wQkil4e41u
— Austin Price (@AustinPriceless) November 26, 2018
Original post from Sunday night
As of right now, Tyson Helton is still the offensive coordinator at Tennessee. It seems like that’s going to change soon, however, one way or another. Football Scoop reported on Saturday night that Jeremy Pruitt was expected to move on from Helton. Tennessee denied that possibility on Sunday through a spokesman.
However, the Western Kentucky job opened up today. Mike Sanford was fired today after two years on the job. Why does this matter? According to Chris Low of ESPN, Tyson Helton is the emerging favorite to replace Sanford.
Told by multiple sources tonight that @Vol_Football offensive coordinator Tyson Helton has emerged as the top candidate to replace Mike Sanford as head coach at Western Kentucky. Helton, 41, was the OC/QBs coach at WKU in 2014-15. Sanford was fired Sunday after two seasons.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) November 26, 2018
Football Scoop also reported that Helton was the favorite. Both sides added that they would be “surprised” if Helton didn’t land the job.
Helton was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky during the 2014 and 2015 seasons under Jeff Brohm. His results in Knoxville this season weren’t good, but he’s a guy that knows the landscape in Bowling Green. The Hilltoppers have had success with keeping it in the family and may be trying to replicate that once again.
Stay tuned.