Vitello to Tennessee

[PintailKiller]

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/060717aac.html

Did not see this coming.

[outlawhogeywells]

Anyone with any knowledge confirm?

[jacobp]

UTsports is reporting it's a done deal

[TNhawgfan]

Talking about it now on local radio. TN loves the hire

[TNhawgfan]

It's already announced here

[TNhawgfan]

Big, big loss for the program

[outlawhogeywells]

Now our search for his replacement starts?
Any thoughts on maybe Elander going from volunteer assistant to assistant coach?  I know he does not have the resume

[knoxvillehog]

That stinks, but good luck to him. Had to know he would get a head job soon. Too good of an assistant.

[jry04]

Good for him. He will be missed, specifically for his recruiting, but this program is at a point that it can sell itself. I really enjoyed having Vitello, but we will be fine. I say promote Elander because he was the biggest reason for our surge in power this year and the players seemed to love him.

[RazorPiggie]

Time to go get another Vitello.

[311Hog]

ouch..... did not want to see that at least not yet.  Knew was matter of time.  I guess baseball doesn't prevent assistants from going to other schools within the conference (as head coaches)

[eSECpnBias]

Good for him. I'm really going to miss having him on the staff.

Who do we replace him with? What's Bubbs Merrill up to these days?

[WizardofhOgZ]

Life in the SEC just got even harder.  Give TV two years and Tenn will be in the upper tier of the SEC.  Home run hire (pardon the pun . . . couldn't resist) for them.

Of immediate concern is how it will affect our present commits for 2018 and 2019.

We need to get another ace recruiter.

[jry04]

ouch..... did not want to see that at least not yet.  Knew was matter of time.  I guess baseball doesn't prevent assistants from going to other schools within the conference.

No sport prevents assistants from going to other schools within the conference when it is an upgrade. He went from assistant to head coach. If Dan Enos wanted the Ole Miss coaching job and Ole Miss wanted him, there is nothing we can do about it. Same situation here.


We need to keep in mind before people panic is Dave almost always goes and gets an equal or better assistant. We lost Jorn, and got Wes and saw a lot of improvement. Butler was an amazing recruiter that everyone wanted gone because of our hitting but would miss because of his recruiting. We got Vitello, a guy who can recruit with the best of them. One thing I will say is as great as our offense has been lately, Vitello's hiring also was around the time Dave openly admitted to changing our recruiting philosophy and offering more hitters a larger % than just pitchers. Not saying that is why and Vitello isn't, but it is something to think about.

[ricepig]

5 years @ $500,000, I hate it for us, but he's earned his opportunity.

[311Hog]

No sport prevents assistants from going to other schools within the conference when it is an upgrade. He went from assistant to head coach. If Dan Enos wanted the Ole Miss coaching job and Ole Miss wanted him, there is nothing we can do about it. Same situation here.


We need to keep in mind before people panic is Dave almost always goes and gets an equal or better assistant. We lost Jorn, and got Wes and saw a lot of improvement. Butler was an amazing recruiter that everyone wanted gone because of our hitting but would miss because of his recruiting. We got Vitello, a guy who can recruit with the best of them. One thing I will say is as great as our offense has been lately, Vitello's hiring also was around the time Dave openly admitted to changing our recruiting philosophy and offering more hitters a larger % than just pitchers. Not saying that is why and Vitello isn't, but it is something to think about.

Oh yeah i am not in panic mode i like you said feel good about who Dave will get.  Not sure why i thought different but yeah no reason to prevent a guy from taking an upgrade.  I guess i rather not face TV within conference =)

[bighog2255]

Life in the SEC just got even harder.  Give TV two years and Tenn will be in the upper tier of the SEC.  Home run hire (pardon the pun . . . couldn't resist) for them.

Of immediate concern is how it will affect our present commits for 2018 and 2019.

We need to get another ace recruiter.

Maybe, but that's the same thing they said about Serrano a few years ago. Will be difficult with Vandy not far away

[runninhog]

Tennessee is a graveyard program. Haven't done anything since Delmonico's early years. Not surprised he took the job, but he's got his work cut out for him.

[WilsonHog]

Best of luck to Coach Vitello. He did good work for us while he was on the Hill.

[rhog1]

It sucks to lose him. Great coach and recruiter. Going to have to find an ace recruiter to replace Vitello.

[TNhawgfan]

New AD probably promised TV he would put the money in to upgrade the facilities. If they put a little of the money into baseball they do football...he could turn them around

[Maddhog]

Proud for him but kind of sad too.   I was sort of hoping he would be our HC in a few years.  TN has loads of potential and we know how hard Tony works.  They may be a monster in a few years. 

[Kenny Dowell Loggains]

Good look for Arkansas & the program.  If anything, you like for your top assistants (Todd Butler to Wichita & Vitello to Tenn) to get high profile jobs.  Means we must be doing something right here in AR.  I expect a top name to come here.

[factchecker]

Good look for Arkansas & the program.  If anything, you like for your top assistants (Todd Butler to Wichita & Vitello to Tenn) to get high profile jobs.  Means we must be doing something right here in AR.  I expect a top name to come here.

Also Matt Deggs at Sam Houston:

https://twitter.com/SportsTalkwBo/status/872272572490166272

[Hog in Iowa]

Good luck to you, Coach Vitello.  Thanks for the job you did at UA.  I bet DVH has a good handle on who he wants as a replacement. 

[jbell96]

Tennessee is a graveyard program. Haven't done anything since Delmonico's early years. Not surprised he took the job, but he's got his work cut out for him.

Serrano, despite the lack of on field success, was able to get some good talent to UT over the past few years. I think Tony will do fine there with the talent left over and what he will bring in.

[311Hog]

Good luck to you, Coach Vitello.  Thanks for the job you did at UA.  I bet DVH has a good handle on who he wants as a replacement. 

yeah seems kinda quick after the end of our season i wonder if DVH knew and everyone was just waiting for our season to end.

[HogFansReunited]

Hate to lose him but can't claim him for leaving. Hope we don't get in many recruiting battles against him though.

[ricepig]

yeah seems kinda quick after the end of our season i wonder if DVH knew and everyone was just waiting for our season to end.

I'm sure both he and Long knew if Vitello was interviewing at UT.

[PorkRyan]

I'm sure both he and Long knew if Vitello was interviewing at UT.

I was told about it two weeks ago.  Never saw his name mentioned for the job so assumed it was just bad info.  It looks like Tennessee had a deal in place for the South Alabama coach but something fell through.  I assume it fell through because the SC job came open. 

[PigDaddyKane]

Congrats to Vitello.  I think it's a good sign the number of assistants that have become head coaches.  It will make it easier to replace him.

[zane]

Hate that we lose him to a fellow SEC school but he more than deserved the opportunity.

I know it's a big jump but does anyone think DVH moves Elander into the job. Seems he got some praise for the jump in hitting this year.

Edit: didn't see the replacements thread below...

[PigWig]

Huge loss, and he will be missed dearly.

[TebowHater]

He absolutely deserves it and I am so happy for him and his family but this certainly is tough. Hopefully our current commits were committed to UA and not TV - if so, we will be fine with the new guy DVH brings in. Baseball recruiting just happens so far in advance that many of the 2018 and 2019 kids are already lining up to schools, leaving fewer left to replace anyone who might flip / the people we were still working on who now may lean the other way. We will be good regardless, but something to consider. Congrats again to TV!

[Inhogswetrust]

On paper Tenn and Alabama both got a LOT better in the past month. 

Ironic in light of the former coach at Tenner and his coaching record prior to that. On paper when they hired him it looked like a great hire.

[pigture perfect]

I hate it for us losing a great Assistant. I hate it for Tennessee of getting him from us more. I hate any team with orange in their Uni"s.

[Inhogswetrust]

I hate it for us losing a great Assistant. I hate it for Tennessee of getting him from us more. I hate any team with orange in their Uni"s.

Same here but I'll say congrats to him on his getting a head coaching job at a P5 school.

[Maddhog]

Puts us in a difficult position, doesn't it?   I want TV to be successful but not Tennessee.   

[Knot2brite]

yeah seems kinda quick after the end of our season i wonder if DVH knew and everyone was just waiting for our season to end.

From what I have been told...Vitello was leaving at the end of the season for a head coaching job somewhere ...he wanted to be a head coach and was actively pursuing that dream

[PORKULATOR]

Well crap.
Good luck TV, thanks for the ballplayers you recruited.

[JRHoward]

Good luck coach.  Coach DVH has a coaching tree growing.

[Rocket23]

Three assistants on to P5 head coaching jobs ...   Childress, Butler, and now Vitelli.

[ucahogfan]

Three assistants on to P5 head coaching jobs ...   Childress, Butler, and now Vitelli.

Also have Deggs at Sam Houston State which is in a Super. DVH has a nice little coaching tree now.

[hog.goblin]

Happy for Tony.  Says a lot about DVH and the success of our program.  I trust DVH will go out and get the next great recruiter.