Tennessee assistant coach Desmond Oliver during the NCAA men's basketball game against St. Joseph's in Knoxville, Tenn. on Monday, December 21, 2020. Kns Vols Stjosephs
After six years as an assistant on Rick Barnes’ staff with Tennessee basketball, Desmond Oliver is moving up the road to take the head coaching job of the ETSU Bucs, a position left vacant by Jason Shay, who stepped down after a year. Oliver was a huge part of UT’s rise under Barnes.
Although the departure left UT with two staff vacancies, one of which Barnes filled by hiring Austin Peay Governors assistant Rod Clark, there is obviously no ill will towards Oliver for leaving.