Vols lose another assistant coach Willie Mack Garza, who coached the Vols' secondary last season under Lane Kiffin, packed up his office and left town sometime in the last 24 ... Sports Blogs For the Vols, the recruiting combination of native Texan and former University of Texas star Willie Mack Garza and top defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin ... Vols land top receiver prospect Hunter was recruited by defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza. How will coach Dooley's first UT recruiting class fair nationally? Well, a potential top-5 class under Lane Kiffin, reports now have the Vols dropping out of the top-10, but it's still early and a number of the top kids are still undecided. Also positive for UT is that eight early enrollees, including Corey Miller, Jawan James and QB Tyler Bray have stayed at Tennessee. Swinney confirms Steele staying at Clemson» GoVolsXtra Linebackers coach Lance Thompson and defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza appear likely to be retained, which would leave a vacancy on the defensive line ... Staff changes have Walker thinking draft» GoVolsXtra Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, linebacker coach Lance Thompson, offensive line coach James Cregg, defensive back coach Willie Mack Garza and quarterback coach David Reaves, who is Kiffin's brother-in-law, are all considered on UT's staff until further notice. If Chaney left UT, he would owe $190,000 after making $380,000 last year. Thompson's buyout is $200,000 after making $350,000 last year. Garza's buyout is $55,000 after making $110,000 last year. Cregg and Reaves' buyouts are $50,000 after making $150,000 last year. If the Vols replace the above coaches, UT would owe them two years salary or the difference in their salary and any new job they accept. B... Kippy Brown jettisons Vols for Seahawks » GoVolsXtra Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, linebackers coach Lance Thompson and defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza are the lone holdovers from Kiffin's staff. Dooley declined to comment on staff moves when asked by the News Sentinel on Saturday. Gunter Brewer, who served as Oklahoma State's offensive coordinator last season after sharing the job with Trooper Taylor the previous year, could be part of Dooley's staff. The Cowboys hired Houston offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen on Friday. Brown, who was hired by Kiffin on Dec. 17 with the title of wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator, was named interim coach by athletic director Mike Hamilton as he bega... Dixon tells Vols to count him as commitment» GoVolsXtra ... to forgo his senior season and enter April's NFL draft. Dxon was recruited by defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza, who handles recruiting in Texas. New UT coach Derek Dooley adds Terry Joseph, Eric Russell to staff ... linebackers coach Lance Thompson and defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza -- remain at UT, but Dooley still needs to add several more assistants. ... Dixon, Copeland reaffirm pledges » GoVolsXtra Dixon, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound athlete from Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Ga., said he spent time with defensive backs coach Willie Mack Garza and linebackers coach Lance Thompson during his trip. Dixon said UT's coaches and fans made him feel better about the program's future. "Tennessee showed me a lot this weekend," Dixon said. "The fans stood behind the whole program even with (former coach Lane) Kiffin leaving. "If they can stand behind me and welcome me I'm guessing it will be that way all four years. I'm looking forward to being there." There's only one school that could keep Dixon from signing with UT on National Signing Day on Feb. 3.

Dooley hurried, but wants to stay put; First two hires are Joseph, Russell» GoVolsXtra Joseph and respected special teams coach Eric Russell from Texas Tech on Sunday to go with holdovers Jim Chaney, Lance Thompson and Willie Mack Garza. Dooley also has hit the ground running as a recruiter, and for the most part he appears to be holding together a highly rated class so far. The empty spots on the staff, the short time before signing day and an already depleted roster made the situation he inherited look bleak at first, but obviously none of those things have given Dooley a second thought about leaving Louisiana Tech. "What I don't want to do is form opinions with my ears on the status of our team, the personnel issues, who's good, who's bad," he said. "I wou...