The group text started blowing up Monday night, congratulatory message after congratulatory message coming in from Jim Bob Cooter’s group of friends from the University of Tennessee.
Almost all of them are in athletics now, from high school coaches to NFL offensive assistants to college administrators. The group of former Volunteers all pegged the 31-year-old Cooter as a future football coach, but just not calling plays as the new Detroit Lions offensive coordinator so soon.
“His football acumen, he’s probably ascended a little bit earlier than people have thought,” said former Tennessee quarterback Rick Clausen, one of Cooter’s friends and a participant in the group text.