Frederick Breedon / Associated Press
Former NFL defense alumni and Tennessee volunteer alumni Albert Haynesworth have accused the school of systemic racism and encouraged people to boycott the university after the football program appointed Josh Heupel as head coach without interviewing the former coach , Tea Martin, to do.
Haynesworth wrote on Facebook:
“BOYCOTT TENNESSEE FOR SYSTEMATIC RACISM !!!!!
“It’s clear that Tennessee Vols Tee Martin takes it for granted! Why is it for him, hell, that he even reduces his salary to help the university when he does not have to? Is it bc that he is black? UT will not even agree.” do not conduct an interview.I bring race into it because UT has passed on good qualified black coaches like Kippy Brown and others in recent coaching searches.The majority of your players are African-Americans, and place an African-American coach to lead them , especially the one who won Tennessee a championship? You guys are giving everyone except a black qualified man a chance! With that said, I will not attend or support any games until I see a change in the university that I love so much. no! I hope my fellow black Tennessee alumni follow me to boycott the university and show how serious we are not to experience equality for our fellow qualified black coaches !!! “
Former Tennessee recipient Peerless Price also stated that Martin was not questioned:
Peerless price @PeerlessTheVol
Just off the phone with my Quarterback Tee Martin and to say my husband is hurting, that’s an understatement! My brother, if my vision is ever clouded, I see all that you have sacrificed for our university. Damn the pain in my brother’s voice that I’ve never heard before!
The current Duke basketball head coach for women, Kara Lawson, an alumni in Tennessee, said in June that the school’s athletics department should improve its lack of diversity.
“I want to encourage all members of the council, the chancellors, the president, to look at the diversity or lack thereof of the senior staff of our athletics departments. … It is not only striking, there is not,” he said. she said, per Monica Kast of the Knoxville News Sentinel. “When I look at my alma mater, Knoxville, there is not a single African-American coach at the institution. It is not the same for the majority of the SEC.”
Per Will Backus of the Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee has had exactly three black head coaches in its history: men’s basketball head coach Wade Houston from 1989 to ’94, men’s basketball head coach Cuonzo Martin from 2011 to ’14 and JJ Clark from the field and field from 2001 to ’14.
The school also has no black senior staff members in its athletics department.
The school’s new sports director, Danny White, comes from UCF and brings Heupel along. Heupel sailed 28-8 at the helm of the Knights in three seasons.