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Rick Barnes, Tennessee basketball hire former Boston College coach Earl Grant
TL;DR
Tennessee basketball has hired former Boston College coach Earl Grant to join Rick Barnes' staff. Grant fills the vacancy left by Justin Gainey, who became the coach at NC State.
Key points
- Earl Grant hired by Tennessee basketball on April 23
- Fills vacancy left by Justin Gainey, who went to NC State
- Grant previously coached Boston College, finishing with a 72-92 record
Mentioned in this story
Tennessee basketballBoston CollegeEarl GrantRick BarnesJustin GaineyNC State
Tennessee basketball continues its eventful offseason by hiring former Boston College coach Earl Grant to Rick Barnes' staff on April 23.
Grant fills the staff vacancy left by former associate head coach Justin Gainey, who became the coach at NC State on March 30.
"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to serve, learn and grow at Tennessee," Grant said in a school release. "I look forward to helping the program continue to strive for excellence, both on and off the court. I feel blessed that coach Barnes has chosen me for this position. My family and I cannot wait to move to Rocky Top and be part of the Knoxville community."
Boston College fired Grant on March 8 after finishing the season 11-20 and 4-14 in the ACC. Grant went 72-92 with one winning record over five seasons. He had three seasons remaining on his contract, which had been extended through the 2028-29 campaign.
"Earl Grant is a perfect fit for Tennessee basketball and I'm so glad he is coming aboard," Barnes said. "I called him recently just to talk and, as we continued our conversation, I realized he was just the person we needed on our staff. I've known Earl for a long time and always had a great deal of respect for him. I love his coaching philosophies and we are bringing him here to help make us even better.
"Earl is a man of impeccable character and I am certain he will make a positive impact on the players in our program."
The Eagles have not been to the Men's NCAA Tournament since 2009.
Grant was hired by Boston College in 2021. He improved the Eagles' record by nine wins in his first season. Grant also led Boston College to its first winning record in six years during the 2023-24 season.
Grant landed his first head coaching opportunity in 2014 at Charleston and led the program to a CAA Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018.
The South Carolina native was brough to Charleston from Clemson, where he was an assistant coach from 2010-14.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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Q&A
Why did Tennessee basketball hire Earl Grant?
Tennessee basketball hired Earl Grant to fill the staff vacancy left by Justin Gainey, aiming to enhance the program's performance.
What was Earl Grant's coaching record at Boston College?
Earl Grant had a coaching record of 72-92 at Boston College, with only one winning season over five years.
What did Rick Barnes say about Earl Grant's hiring?
Rick Barnes expressed that Earl Grant is a perfect fit for Tennessee basketball and praised his coaching philosophies during their conversation.