On Friday, the Tennessee Volunteers football team introduced Mike DeBord to the media for the first time since hiring him on Feb. 6 as the team’s new offensive coordinator. DeBord is replacing former offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian, who left the Vols to coach quarterbacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL.

When DeBord’s name first surfaced early in the coaching search, many fans questioned the decision to hire this rather unknown candidate.

DeBord has not coached in the college ranks since he was Michigan’s offensive coordinator in 2007. His most recent stint as Michigan’s offensive coordinator was his second with the team, as he served the same role from 1997-1999, helping Michigan win the 1997 National Championship.

He spent several seasons in the NFL after 2007, primarily as a tight ends coach for the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears. For the last couple of years, however, DeBord has been removed from the coaching ranks and has served as sports administrator for Michigan’s Olympic sports teams.

Despite his time away, DeBord claims the game hasn’t passed him by.

“There’s no rust,” DeBord replied when asked about returning to the college game. “If anything, I feel fully charged. Coach (Butch) Jones said it’s just like riding a bike, and I’m pedaling really fast right now.”

Tennessee head coach Butch Jones and DeBord already have experience coaching together. From 2000-2003, DeBord was Central Michigan’s head football coach when Butch Jones was his offensive coordinator. Their experience together was a big factor in Jones’ hiring DeBord.

“I wanted someone who I knew and that I could trust,” Jones said about DeBord. “I wanted an individual who could come in and understand our terminology, our coaching staff, and I wanted a teacher and an individual who understood the fundamentals. Mike Debord was the right fit.”

Jones said he wanted someone who could “walk into the room and fix the problems of the entire offense,” and believes DeBord’s experience gives him that ability.

While Jones may think there are issues with the team’s offense, it’s not his wish for DeBord to completely overhaul the system.

Jones said he wanted “someone who could enhance our offense, not rebuild it” when explaining his thought process during the coaching search. “Our offense doesn’t need to be rebuilt,” Jones stated, “it needs to be enhanced.”

Tennessee finished 11th out of 14 teams in the SEC in total yards per game and 10th in points scored per game in 2014. While those numbers aren’t astounding, the offense did improve once sophomore quarterback Joshua Dobbs became the starting quarterback for the last five games of the season.

DeBord will also oversee an offense that returns 10 of 11 starters from 2014 and will receive immediate help from highly-touted commits such as running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Preston Williams from the 2015 recruiting class.

Thanks to a bevy of returning and incoming talent on the offensive side of the ball, DeBord won’t have to worry about restructuring Tennessee’s offense.

And in Jones’ third year as head coach, it’s crucial the offense flows without a hitch despite the coordinator change.

“It takes continuity and consistency to win,” Jones said, “and for us to be in year three of our program and bring in an entire new offensive system, that’s extremely challenging.

“I didn’t want to go down that path.”