davidgagne.net

A dozen powder orange roses arrived at the home of Jimmy Ray Stephens on Tuesday, courtesy of Stephens’ new boss – Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.

Stephens, the former UF assistant and former rival of the Vols, was named Tennessee’s new offensive line coach Tuesday. He will be introduced at a press conference today in Knoxville.

“It’s exciting,” said Stephens’ wife Regina on Tuesday night. “It was a long wait, but he ended up where he was meant to be.”

Stephens had been unemployed since Steve Spurrier resigned at UF on Jan. 4. Stephens was not retained by new UF coach Ron Zook and had been the only member of Spurrier’s old staff without a job the past several weeks.

Stephens had been UF’s offensive line coach since 1993, the year after he coached quarterback Danny Wuerffel and Fort Walton Beach High School to a state championship. He was the Gators’ running game coordinator the past two seasons.