SEC Podcaster Ranks Tennessee's New Baseball Coach as Worst in the Conference

Despite years of experience as an assistant, Josh Elander's lack of head coaching history leads to low ranking.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 11:31am

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In a new power ranking of SEC baseball head coaches, SEC Unfiltered's Chris Phillips ranked Tennessee's newly promoted head coach Josh Elander as the worst in the conference. Despite Elander's extensive experience as an assistant under former head coach Tony Vitello, Phillips cited Elander's lack of prior head coaching experience as the reason for the low ranking.

Why it matters

Elander's ranking highlights the challenges new head coaches can face, especially when taking over a high-profile program like Tennessee baseball. While Elander has paid his dues as an assistant, the perception that he is unproven as a head coach could impact recruiting, fan support, and the team's performance in his first season.

The details

Josh Elander was promoted to head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team after former head coach Tony Vitello left to manage the San Francisco Giants in the MLB. Elander has been on staff at Tennessee since 2018, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before being named associate head coach in 2022. However, SEC Unfiltered's Chris Phillips ranked Elander as the worst head coach in the SEC, citing his lack of prior head coaching experience.

  • Tennessee's baseball season begins on Friday, February 13, 2026 against Nicholls.
  • The Volunteers will play in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series against UCLA, Arizona State and Virginia Tech starting on Friday, February 27, 2026.

The players

Josh Elander

The new head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, promoted after serving as an assistant and associate head coach under former head coach Tony Vitello.

Tony Vitello

The former head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, who left to manage the San Francisco Giants in the MLB.

Chris Phillips

The host of the SEC Unfiltered podcast, who released a power ranking of SEC baseball head coaches and ranked Tennessee's Josh Elander as the worst in the conference.

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What they’re saying

“Do I think Josh Elander finishes at 16? No, I do not. But here's the reality: he's never been a head coach before. It's kind of like Michael Early last year, we had him at 16. Why did we have him at 16, guys? Well, because he had never been a head coach. How can I say Josh Elander is better than a guy who has been a head coach and has won games in the league?”

— Chris Phillips, Host, SEC Unfiltered Podcast

What’s next

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The takeaway

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