Evan Crabtree

Title:
Special Teams Coordinator

updated summer 2025

Evan Crabtree joined Tennessee’s staff in 2022 and enters his first year as the Volunteers’ special teams coordinator in 2025. He was officially promoted to the role by head coach Josh Heupel on Feb. 18, 2025.

THE CRABTREE FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Born: Aug. 2, 1996
Hometown: Dublin, Ohio
Education: Miami (Ohio), 2019 (bachelor’s in sport leadership and management); Miami (Ohio), 2020 (master’s in sport leadership); Tennessee, 2023 (master’s in ag leadership, education and communication)
Playing Experience: Miami (Ohio) – LS (2016-19)

COACHING HISTORY

2020-21: Miami (Ohio), Graduate Assistant
2022-23: Tennessee, Special Teams Graduate Assistant
2024: Tennessee, Special Teams Analyst
2025-present: Tennessee, Special Teams Coordinator

POSTSEASON APPEARANCES (6)

2024 CFP First Round – Tennessee
2024 Citrus Bowl – Tennessee
2022 Orange Bowl – Tennessee
2021 Frisco Football Classic – Miami (Ohio)
2020 Lending Tree Bowl – Miami (Ohio)
2016 St. Petersburg Bowl – Miami (Ohio)

Crabtree worked closely with former special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler as a graduate assistant and special teams analyst from 2022-24. It was during that time frame that Tennessee proved to be one of the elite special teams units in the country in all facets. Their play helped spark the Vols to their winningest three-year stretch in two decades, a 2024 College Football Playoff berth, a 2022 Orange Bowl victory and three straight top-20 poll finishes.

Tennessee has ranked either first or second in the SEC in punt return average in all three previous years that Crabtree has been on staff. The Vols averaged 14.9 yards per return during that span, a mark that trailed only Iowa in the FBS rankings. Over the past two seasons, the Vols rank seventh in the country and second in the SEC in touchback percentage on kickoffs (77.5 percent).

As an analyst in 2024, Crabtree helped coach a unit that led the nation in punt return yards (424) guided by the spectacular play of SEC All-Freshman Boo Carter, who emerged with an SEC-best 16.5 yards per return. UT led the SEC and ranked ninth in overall punt return average at 15.7. The kicking game also served as a field position weapon. Australian native punter Jackson Ross led the nation and SEC in percentage of punts downed inside the 10-yard line as 28.3 percent of his punts (15 of 53) were pinned inside that mark.

Crabtree’s second season in 2023 saw the Vols rank in the FBS top 25 in five categories, including blocked kicks (4 – third), blocked punts (2 - fourth), net punting (41.3 – 22nd), punt return defense (0.85 - sixth) and punt return average (12.3 – 15th). Tennessee led the SEC in punt return average, blocked kicks and blocked punts en route to dominating Iowa in the Citrus Bowl to finish No. 17 in the final polls.

Crabtree joined the staff in 2022, a year that saw the Vols rise to No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings and finish 11-2 with an Orange Bowl victory over ACC champion Clemson. Tennessee averaged 16.6 yards per punt return and racked up 331 total punt return yards, which ranked third in the FBS and second in the SEC. The Vols were tops in the SEC in yards per punt return allowed at 2.50, a mark that also ranked sixth in the FBS.

A native of Dublin, Ohio, Crabtree got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at his alma mater of Miami (Ohio), working with special teams. Crabtree was a four-year starting long snapper for the RedHawks from 2016-19, appearing in 45 career games.

Crabtree owns three degrees. He earned his undergraduate degree in sport leadership and management from Miami in 2019. He completed a master’s degree in sport leadership from Miami in 2020. He recently earned a master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communication at Tennessee in 2023.