Cameron Wolfe, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Mike Vrabel adds several assistants to revamped Titans coaching staff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mike Vrabel's first staff as Tennessee Titans head coach is coming into place.

A day after making his most important hires in offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Dean Pees, the Titans on Wednesday officially announced seven more members of Vrabel's revamped coaching staff: Craig Aukerman (special teams), Pat O'Hara (quarterbacks), Rob Moore (receivers), Arthur Smith (tight ends), Kerry Coombs (secondary), Shane Bowen (outside linebackers) and Tyrone McKenzie (inside linebackers).

The Titans are not expected to return any defensive coaches from former head coach Mike Mularkey's staff, a source told ESPN. Former defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend appeared to be the closest to a return and interviewed with Titans brass last week during the Senior Bowl. The Titans decided to hire Coombs for Townsend's position.

Matt Pees, the son of Dean Pees, is joining the Titans staff as a defensive quality control coach. Former Miami Dolphins defensive line coach Terrell Williams is reportedly set to join the Titans staff for the same position. Neither of those hires has officially been announced yet.

Running backs and offensive line are the two notable coaching positions yet to be filled. Vrabel also has to make a decision on the strength and conditioning team, including longtime specialist Steve Watterson, who has been with the franchise for the past 32 years.

A brief look at the newly announced coaching staff:

Aukerman: Promoted from assistant special-teams coach to the head post after spending the 2017 season with the Titans. Aukerman ran the Chargers' special teams in 2016. Titans punter Brett Kern and special-teams player Brynden Trawick (alternate) made the Pro Bowl in 2017.

O'Hara: Spent the past three seasons with the Houston Texans as an offensive assistant and spent significant time working with quarterbacks in 2017. He played quarterback in the NFL briefly and spent a lot of time as an Arena League quarterback and coach. He will have a big responsibility as Marcus Mariota's coach.

Moore: An 11-year NFL receiver. This will be his sixth season as an NFL receivers coach, including the past three with the Raiders. He will be tasked with getting better route precision from the Titans' talented receivers, including Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor.

Smith: He is returning to the Titans for his eighth consecutive season and will oversee the tight ends once again. Delanie Walker has been one of the NFL's best tight ends with Smith as his position coach.

Coombs: A 35-year high school and college coach making his jump to the NFL. He spent the past six seasons at Ohio State, most notably coaching defensive backs and special teams. Coombs has helped develop first-round picks Bradley Roby, Eli Apple, Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley.

Bowen: Spent the past two seasons with Vrabel in Houston as a defensive assistant, and the two also coached together for one season at Ohio State. Bowen played outside linebacker, the position he was hired to coach for the Titans, at Georgia Tech.

McKenzie: Vrabel plucked McKenzie from the Rams, where he was the assistant special-teams coach for one of the best units in the NFL. McKenzie is in his second season as an NFL coach and played in the NFL for four seasons, finishing in 2013.

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