What Danny White is looking for in next Tennessee baseball coach after Tony Vitello exit

Danny White is searching for the next Tennessee baseball coach at an uncommon time of year and in an unusual situation.

The totality of the situation following Tony Vitello vacating the post to become the manager of the San Francisco Giants has White taking a comprehensive look at the search.

“I’m going into this with open eyes,” White said.

White has made six hires at Tennessee, including for two of the most prominent programs. He’s now looking to fill one of the other most prominent positions on campus and replacing arguably the most popular Vols coach.

He has appointed pitching coach Frank Anderson as the interim coach and asked associate head coach Josh Elander to be a candidate for the position.

As he enters the search, White said he has “nothing specific” he is looking for in a candidate. He wants his first “data point” to come from talking to the leaders of the baseball team.

“I still want to hear their perspective, learn from that and then go into the process, but I don’t have anything particular in mind,” White said.

White’s search differs from his previous ones at Tennessee and is unique in its circumstances. Vitello’s departure is the first time an MLB franchise has hired a college baseball coach with no prior MLB experience. It also comes less than 18 months after the Vols won the national title, whereas his other coaching hires all followed necessary change.

Heupel’s six hires are football coach Josh Heupel, Lady Vols basketball coach Kim Caldwell, women’s soccer coach Joe Kirt, rowing coach Kim Cupini, cross country coach Justin Duncan and track and field coach Duane Ross.

The most consistent pattern in White’s hires stems from the choices of Heupel, Caldwell, Cupini and Ross. All four were winners lower levels and proved they could build high-level programs as head coaches.

Heupel was White’s first hire. He previously hired Heupel to coach at UCF then brought him to Tennessee shortly after he was named the athletics director. Heupel brought a big offense and questions about recruiting, but put the latter to rest at Tennessee.

Caldwell is White’s most notable choice since Heupel. White moved on from former coach Kellie Harper in April 2024 then quickly hired Caldwell. Caldwell had only one year of head coaching experience at the Division I level, but had won a national title at the Division II level and has been a high-level winner in her whole career. She brought an elite offensive system with her.

Kirt’s hiring perhaps most similar mirrors the baseball situation. He was an internal candidate after Brian Pensky dashed to Florida State. White went through the process but ultimately chose to appoint Kirt the coach instead of an outside hire.

Cupini was a proven program-builder. She built a successful program at San Diego then was a winner at SMU, where she was before she was hired at Tennessee. She won three AAC titles at SMU and the Mustangs to three consecutive NCAA Championship appearances.

Ross has a similar background, having led North Carolina A&T from 2012-22 and creating the program into a winner. He brought head coaching experience.

Duncan was a pivotal assistant at Oklahoma State, which fielded one of the nations best distance programs.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.