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Tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Mark Elder has been hired as the new head coach at Eastern Kentucky, the Football Championship Subdivision program announced early Tuesday afternoon. Lexington-based television station WTVQ reported late Monday night that Elder would be hired. "I'm excited, blessed and honored for the opportunity to lead one of the most tradition-rich programs in college football," Elder said in Eastern Kentucky's release announcing his hire. Since Tennessee splits up its special teams responsibilities among its coaching staff, Jones has some flexibility with this hire, though he will want to ensure there's no drop-off on special teams or in recruiting. Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord has a background coaching tight ends, so Tennessee could elect to hire a full-time quarterbacks coach and have DeBord oversee the tight ends. Graduate assistant Nick Sheridan is highly regarded by DeBord and Jones and could be promoted, but he may in play to join Elder at Eastern Kentucky. Jones also could bring in another coach to whom he has ties. One possibility could be Mike Canales, most recently the interim coach at North Texas. Canales has a background as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and spent a couple of years in the NFL before coaching at Arizona, South Florida and North Texas. read more: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2015/dec/08/tennessee-assistant-mark-elder-reportedly-hired-eastern-kentucky/339465/