After working as an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Tennessee, Trey Johnson has held important recruitment positions at Liberty University and the University of Southern California.
But when the Vols brought in Josh Heupel to take the position of the ousted and disgraced Jeremy Pruitt three years ago, Johnson embraced the chance to go back to Rocky Top.
Johnson’s commitment is beginning to pay off.
Johnson has been promoted to director of recruiting for Tennessee football by Heupel & Co.
He takes over for Angelia Brummett, who left to seek other possibilities.
Most notably, Johnson was instrumental in Liberty’s success over the previous ten years as the Flames. Although he worked for Turner Gill, Johnson improved the recruiting strategy that laid the groundwork for Hugh Freeze and Jamey Chadwell’s success.
Notably, California imposed tough regulations, but the Trojans, working with Johnson and others, managed to support its present players while continuing to recruit for the future.
Johnson worked extensively with both schools as a direct point of contact for NFL scouts and personnel in addition to holding director of scouting and personnel positions with USC and Liberty.
Johnson has partnered with Brandon Lawson and the rest of Tennessee’s bolstered personnel department to help with the program’s NCAA Transfer Portal recruitment in addition to his work with the Vols in personnel and high school prospect scouting.
Among other important, seasoned acquisitions, the Vols recently acquired Oregon State cornerback Jermod McCoy, LSU transfer offensive tackle Lance Heard, and Notre Dame transfer tight end Holden Staes.
Tennessee, who finished 2023 with a 35-0 thumping of Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, will play Tennessee Tech on August 31 to kick off the 2024 season. The Vols decided to play North Carolina State the following week in Charlotte, North Carolina.