Tennessee football is reloading off the field with a major overhaul to its sports performance staff - and the Vols are bringing in some serious championship pedigree to do it.
Under the direction of newly hired Director of Football Sports Performance Derek Owings, Tennessee has added six new staff members across strength, conditioning, sports science, and nutrition. The moves come as head coach Josh Heupel continues to push for an edge in player development, durability, and performance - and the hires suggest he’s going all-in on a modern, data-driven approach.
Owings arrives in Knoxville fresh off a national title run at Indiana, where he led the Hoosiers’ performance program over the past two seasons. That 2025 Indiana squad didn’t just win - they dominated, going undefeated and capturing the national championship. That kind of recent success on college football’s biggest stage isn’t just a resume booster - it’s a blueprint.
Joining Owings are two associate directors of football sports performance: Carl Miller and Jason Wooding. Miller, a key figure in Indiana’s rise, worked under Owings in Bloomington and helped train some of the program’s biggest stars - including Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
During Miller’s tenure, Indiana produced 11 All-Americans, 23 All-Big Ten selections, and four individual conference award winners from 2024-25. That’s a pipeline of high-level talent development that Tennessee hopes to replicate in the SEC.
Wooding brings a different but equally valuable perspective. He spent the last five seasons at Maryland as associate director of football strength and conditioning under Mike Locksley. His Big Ten experience, combined with a track record of building physically prepared teams, adds another layer to Tennessee’s evolving performance culture.
Elijah Blackman and Drew Painter round out the strength and conditioning additions as assistant directors. Blackman comes from Kansas State, where he spent the last three years helping lead the Wildcats’ strength program.
He’s also logged time at Colorado State and Arkansas, giving him a diverse background across multiple conferences. Painter, a former tight end at James Madison, was most recently at Baylor as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.
His experience as both a player and coach gives him a unique lens into athlete development.
On the sports science side, Josh Huff steps in as the new director of applied performance science. He, too, comes from Indiana, where he worked closely with Owings as the Hoosiers’ sports science coordinator.
During that stretch, Indiana went 27-2, made back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, and secured that undefeated 2025 national title. Huff’s role will be critical in integrating data and technology into Tennessee’s training methods - everything from workload management to recovery protocols.
Katie O’Connor joins the program as director of football nutrition, bringing SEC experience and a strong background in individualized performance fueling. She spent the last two seasons leading Kansas football’s nutrition program and previously worked at LSU as an assistant football performance dietitian. Her job will be to build customized nutrition plans that support everything from muscle development to injury prevention - a key piece in keeping players game-ready deep into the season.
Head coach Josh Heupel made it clear that this staff overhaul wasn’t just about filling positions - it’s about building a foundation that matches the program’s championship ambitions.
“Physical and mental toughness is paramount in everything we do year-round as a program,” Heupel said. “No one understands this better at a championship level than Derek. He will elevate our strength and conditioning program with a relentless mindset and forge strong relationships with our players.”
Heupel also highlighted Owings’ commitment to modern training methods, injury prevention, and elite nutrition - all pieces of a comprehensive performance strategy. “He understands what it takes to build an elite nutrition program to ensure our players are set up for on-field success and durability,” Heupel added.
Tennessee fans have seen what Heupel’s offense can do when it’s firing on all cylinders. Now, the Vols are investing in the infrastructure to make sure the players behind that system are faster, stronger, and more durable than ever. This new-look performance staff isn’t just about lifting weights and running drills - it’s about building a competitive edge, one rep, one recovery session, one meal at a time.
And if the results from Indiana are any indication, the rest of the SEC might want to take note.