Tony Vitello couldn’t stay away from Knoxville for long.
The former Tennessee baseball coach was spotted walking into Neyland Stadium for the Vols football game against Oklahoma on Nov. 1. Vitello was hired as the new San Francisco Giants manager on Oct. 22, and he had his introductory press conference on Oct. 30.
Vitello spent eight seasons leading Tennessee, which he turned into a national powerhouse and led to its first national championship in 2024.
Josh Elander was hired to replace Vitello on Oct. 25. Elander was on Vitello’s staff for his entire tenure, serving as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator before he was promoted to associate head coach in 2022.
Vitello talked openly about how difficult his decision to leave Tennessee for the MLB was. He spent several days mulling things over before ultimately accepting the Giants’ offer, which was an unprecedented move for the organization. Vitello made history as the first MLB manager to make the jump from college to the pros without any prior experience.
But Vitello made it clear he was leaving part of his heart in Knoxville.
“I think if someone truly invests in being a VFL for any amount of time, they are just that — a Vol For Life,” Vitello told a group of local reporters on Oct. 23. “That is what I am in my mind. One thing we coach our players up on is peace of mind and you make your own decisions. You create your own definition of success. For me, I am a VFL.”
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social‬. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe