Steve Caldwell's 13 seasons on Phillip Fulmer's staff have seen the defensive end position maintain its lofty standard of excellence.

Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds, senior bookends one year ago, both had hands in Tennessee's SEC Eastern Division-clinching win at Kentucky. Mitchell intercepted his first career pass to set up a key touchdown, and then Reynolds stopped a pair of Wildcat two-point conversion attempts - including a sack on the game's final play to send the Vols to Atlanta.

Caldwell has advanced several Vols into the NFL, joining such former stalwarts as Shaun Ellis, Demetrin Veal and Parys Haralson.

Among Caldwell's most accomplished pupils was Will Overstreet, who not only finished his UT career with 19 sacks to tie for eighth on the all-time school list, but also mirrored the coach's emphasis on studies by being named to the 2001 Academic All-America second team. After retiring from professional football, Overstreet returned to campus and completed his undergraduate degree in May 2005.

A dean's list student himself at Arkansas State, Caldwell played four years of football for the Indians as a defensive end and linebacker.

Fulmer, who had worked with Caldwell from the latter's term as a graduate assistant coach on the Tennessee staff in 1990, brought Caldwell back to UT before the 1995 season.

His first taste of coaching came over three seasons at his alma mater, from 1978-80. From Jonesboro, Caldwell moved on to Northwest Mississippi Community College, where he coached the offensive line for four seasons and was part of a national championship team in 1982.

He then came back to Arkansas State, coaching linebackers under head coach and former UT defensive coordinator Larry Lacewell during a notable period of success for the Indians. A-State advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals three straight seasons from 1985-87, including a 1986 squad that finished 12-2-1 and lost in the national championship game. The Indians' only other blemishes that season were a loss to Mississippi State and a tie against Ole Miss.

Caldwell's 1985 linebacking unit helped Arkansas State lead Division I-AA in total defense with an average of only 258.8 yards per game.

Subsequent jobs took him to Tennessee, Pacific and Nevada, the latter school as co-defensive coordinator for the 1994 Big West Conference champions. Caldwell coached briefly at Mississippi before accepting Fulmer's entreaty to join the Vols.

Ten times in Caldwell's 13 seasons, the Vols defense has ranked in the top four among league schools in total defense. UT's defensive unit has led the SEC in fewest rushing yards allowed three times since 1995.

Tennessee's defensive front had its most recent banner season in 2005, sparking the Vols defense to the best rushing yardage average (82.5) in the league and secondbest showing nationally.

Caldwell also has received deserved credit of late for his work on the recruiting front, helping Tennessee sign what many observers call on an annual basis some of the
nation's top recruiting classes.

Caldwell and his wife, Leisa Henley Caldwell, are the parents of three children, Lauren, Lendl and Landon.

EDUCATION
Thayer High School; Arkansas State University 1977; Master's, Arkansas State University 1978

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Linebacker and Defensive End, Arkansas State 1974-77

COACHING CAREER
Arkansas State 1978-80, Northwest Mississippi Community College 1981-84, Arkansas State 1985-89, Tennessee 1990, Pacific 1991-93, Nevada 1994, Mississippi 1994-95, Tennessee 1995-present

WIFE
Leisa Henley Caldwell

CHILDREN
Lauren (April 19, 1980), Landon (May 25, 1982), Lendl (Sept. 15, 1988)

BOWL GAME COACHING HISTORY
1991 Sugar, 1996 Florida Citrus, 1997 Florida Citrus, 1998 Orange, 1999 Fiesta, 2000 Fiesta, 2001 Cotton, 2002 Florida Citrus, 2002 Peach, 2004 Peach, 2005 Cotton, 2007 Outback, 2008 Outback.