Tennessee is searching for its next defensive coordinator after parting ways with Tim Banks on Monday. He served as the Vols’ defensive coordinator from 2021-25.Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters is an ideal candidate to replace Banks on Josh Heupel’s coaching staff.Heupel and Walters have been on the same coaching staff at two different schools. Heupel served as Oklahoma’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Walters was the Sooners’ graduate assistant in 2012.The two coaches were also together at Missouri from 2016-17.Heupel served as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and Walters was co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.Walters also coached in Tennessee at Memphis. He was the Tigers’ cornerbacks coach in 2014.”I want to thank Tim for everything he has done for Tennessee the last five seasons,” Heupel said. “He helped restore our program to national prominence. More importantly, Tim is a great man of character and someone I have the utmost respect for. We wish Tim all the best moving forward.”These are tough decisions but one I ultimately felt was necessary for the future of our program. We are fully committed to identifying our next defensive coordinator who will uphold the standard that Tennessee has historically been known for.”More: Tennessee football defensive coordinator hot boardFollow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Josh Heupel, Ryan Walters’ history coaching together