The University of Tennessee’s football program has welcomed six fresh additions to its athletic performance team, which is led by director Derek Owings.
Head coach Josh Heupel brought Owings to the Vols from Indiana, where he previously held an identical role for two years, during which time the Hoosiers secured the 2025 national title.
Carl Miller and Jason Wooding have been appointed as associate directors of football sports performance, with Elijah Blackman and Drew Painter taking on roles as assistant directors in the same department.
Josh Huff has been designated the director of applied performance science, and Katie O’Connor is slated to oversee football nutrition as its director.
Miller transitions to Tennessee from Indiana, where he functioned as an assistant athletic performance coach directly under Owings, contributing to the development of Heisman Trophy recipient Fernando Mendoza, 11 All-America honorees, 23 All-Big Ten athletes, and four individual Big Ten awardees between 2024 and 2025.
Wooding’s most recent engagement was at Maryland, where he spent five seasons (2021-25) as the associate director of football strength and conditioning under the guidance of head coach Mike Locksley.
Blackman’s immediate past experience includes a three-year stint at Kansas State as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Wildcats. His professional background also includes positions at Colorado State and a graduate assistantship at Arkansas.
Painter, who previously played tight end at James Madison, is now part of the Vols’ staff, having previously been an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Baylor.
Huff also arrives from Indiana, where he collaborated with Owings as both the sports science coordinator and an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Hoosiers. During his time in Bloomington, Indiana, the team achieved a 27-2 record, made two College Football Playoff appearances, and clinched an undefeated national championship season in 2025.
O’Connor joins Tennessee after her tenure as the director of nutrition for Kansas football from 2023 to 2025. Her responsibilities included managing the nutritional program, overseeing the training table, and establishing supplemental guidelines, along with developing tailored nutrition strategies for individual athletes. O’Connor possesses prior SEC experience, having served as the assistant football performance dietitian at LSU from 2022-23.
Head Coach Josh Heupel Expounds on Derek Owings’ Recruitment from Indiana
Josh Heupel, now in his sixth year as Tennessee’s head coach, provided insights into the decision to bring Owings over from Indiana.
“Throughout the year, physical and mental resilience are critical to every aspect of our program,” Heupel stated. “Derek’s understanding of this at a championship caliber is unparalleled. He is poised to enhance our strength and conditioning initiatives through his unwavering determination and by fostering robust connections with our athletes.”
“His record clearly demonstrates his proficiency in employing contemporary training techniques to optimize speed and power, alongside an expertise in preventing injuries. Furthermore, he comprehends the requirements for establishing a top-tier nutrition regimen to guarantee our players’ readiness for on-field triumphs and sustained health. We are immensely pleased to extend a welcome to Derek and his wife, Riley, to Rocky Top!”
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This report was initially featured on Vols Wire: Tennessee football completes 2026 athletic performance personnel appointments
