Earl Grant Joins Tennessee Basketball Coaching Staff

Former Boston College head coach hired as assistant under Rick Barnes

Apr. 12, 2026 at 11:08pm

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A cubist-style painting featuring fragmented, geometric shapes in Tennessee's colors, representing the dynamic energy and strategic complexity of college basketball coaching.The addition of veteran coach Earl Grant to Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee signals a new era of Volunteer basketball.North Charleston Today

Tennessee basketball has finalized the hiring of Earl Grant to Rick Barnes' coaching staff. Grant, a North Charleston, South Carolina native, previously served as the head coach at Boston College and College of Charleston.

Why it matters

Grant's addition to the Tennessee staff brings valuable head coaching experience and a strong recruiting presence in the Southeast. His hire also continues a trend of Barnes' assistants landing head coaching jobs elsewhere.

The details

Grant spent the past five seasons as the head coach at Boston College, compiling a 72-92 record before being fired in early March. Prior to that, he was the head coach at College of Charleston for seven seasons, leading the program to three 20-win campaigns and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Grant has also served as an assistant coach at The Citadel, Winthrop, Wichita State and Clemson.

  • Grant was hired by Tennessee in April 2026.
  • He was the head coach at Boston College from 2017 to 2022.
  • Grant was the head coach at College of Charleston from 2014 to 2021.

The players

Earl Grant

A 49-year-old basketball coach who has been hired as an assistant on Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee. Grant previously served as the head coach at Boston College and College of Charleston.

Rick Barnes

The head coach of the Tennessee men's basketball team, who has hired Earl Grant to join his coaching staff.

Justin Gainey

A former assistant coach on Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee, who recently left to become the head coach at NC State.

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What’s next

Grant is expected to join Tennessee's coaching staff immediately and begin recruiting for the Volunteers.

The takeaway

The hiring of Earl Grant continues a trend of Rick Barnes' assistant coaches landing head coaching jobs elsewhere, further cementing Tennessee's reputation as a program that develops top-tier coaching talent.