Trade Done: Volunteers Head Coach Josh Heupel Acquired Three Top Players In…

According to a report from 247Sport’s Matt Zenitz, the Jaguars are set to hire Tennessee Volunteers running backs coach Jerry Mack to the same position.

Mack’s name had popped up in reports a few days earlier, with Mack now set to be the official replacement for ex-running backs coach Bernie Parmalee.

During Mack’s first season at Tennessee, the Volunteers improved from No. 84 in rushing yards per game to No. 11. In 2022, The Volunteers tied a school record for rushing touchdowns with 40, a mark that also ranked third nationally. Tennessee was the only SEC program with multiple running backs who logged 10 or more rushing touchdowns for the year.

Prior to being hired by Tennessee, Mack served as Rice’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for three seasons. Before then, he was a head coach at North Carolina Central for four seasons, compiling a 31-15 record.

Before then, Mack was a wide receivers coach at South Alabama for two seasons, a receivers coach at Memphis in 2011, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2020, a passing game coordinator and receivers coach at Central Arkansas from 2008-2009, a wide receivers and tight ends coach at Jackson State from 2006-2007, and a graduate assistant at Delta State from 2004-2005.

Mack has also participated in five internships in the NFL with the New York Jets (2009, 2010), Buffalo Bills (2008), Houston Texans (2018) and Miami Dolphins (2019).

The last big game of a big Saturday in college basketball will pit the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats against the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers in Lexington. While both teams are ranked in the top ten of the AP poll, they’re both reeling entering the Saturday night showdown.

Tennessee is coming off a four point loss at home to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Kentucky just lost by three at home in an overtime defeat to the Florida Gators, the team’s second loss in its last three games. The other one was a 17-point road drubbing at none other than South Carolina.

One of these SEC juggernauts will end the weekend on a two-game losing streak. It would be the Wildcats’ first losing streak of the season (the Vols actually lost three straight earlier this season to a murderers’ row of Purdue, Kansas, and North Carolina).

What are three keys to a Kentucky Wildcats victory over the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night?

From a Kentucky perspective, this game is the perfect opportunity to show just how much of a burden the Wildcats can be to opponents when March rolls around. The talented, young squad has flipped the script on those calling for John Calipari’s job earlier this year, emerging as a legitimate Final Four and championship contender.

This game could also set the stage for next month, as Kentucky closes the regular season with a trip to Knoxville. It would be good to have a victory in hand when it’s time to make that trip.

Here are three keys to a Kentucky victory.