I also don't know why people assume that Gruden will still be a great HC. He hasn't coached in 7 years or so. I just don't buy that he would instantly be a great coach in CFB or NFL.
Who is a top level coach to hire right now though?
No, it's not - in-state recruiting is mediocre and you're surrounded by giants.
Lane Kiffin is the best coach they have had since 09, and Tennessee hasn't had any NCAA sanctions. Great coaches learned when Schellenberger built the wall around south beach and made a rich resort college a national power out of the blue, that the new mass media recruit has more on his mind than the tradition of a blue blood program. Tennessee has had success only when Bama is on sanctions or when they just steal a once in a lifetime player. Their in state recruiting is horrible, and they require a great national recruiter more than a game day coach. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Florida can fall exclusively on in state talent and still field a good team. Tennessee can't. It is not anything close to a destination job, and that's why it's always a "who is that" coach or a "my daddy coached" guy that is hired.
Chris Petersen would be a home run if they could get him away from Washington. That may be possible now that the premier job out west seems to be locked up for a while (assuming USC continues their great play).
Peterson would be a great hire, and anything's possible, but I'd be surprised. He turned down several offers while at Boise, and apparently is a western US guy. I wouldn't see him leaving a Washington program he spent several years bringing back to prominence, for UTe.
Respectfully could not disagree more. And they've always relied on out-of-state recruiting, even when they were really good. These things are cyclical, the vols will be good again with the RIGHT COACH.(and after Saban retires)
Les got run out of the state when he didn't really have to leave the state to recruit. What's he going to do at UT?
You made the comparison to us in 2006, and that is not a great comparison given their recruiting situation. Alabama in 06 was a sleeping giant in a state full of great recruits hit with recruiting sanctions. Tennessee is an old name in a history book that is more or less a hungry blue tick hoping someone throws him a scrap. Alabama's potential has always been way higher than Tennessee. Tennessee is like Nebraska in that they need serious help from the outside to succeed. No top coach in their right mind would go there unless it's purely personal reasons to go.
To be a success in Tennessee fans eyes a coach would need to win a SECE crown, beat all 3 of the rivals within a 4 year time period, and make it to a r respectable bowl. Again all 3 of their big rivals (UA,UGA, and UF) have huge recruiting advantages even without a great head coach at the helm. Tennessee is constantly playing the game of "replacing the first string" in recruiting instead of "choosing from the wealth of talent accumulated from years and years of recruiting". Fulmer did win a championship there, but it happened in a down period at UA, UF, and UGA in which they had a lot of recruits coming to be a part of the Peyton Manning gravy train. Oddly enough it was in 98 when he won, but it should tell you all you need to know about Tennessee if you look at their success from 95-00. You can see when it really took a rebuilding Florida phase for them to finally break through.
Chip Kelly, mainly because he's unemployed.
You make a lot of good points.
I think Butch is only on the hot seat because of the stupid things he says. Otherwise I think Tennessee would be happy at his improvements from the Dooley days. But Tennessee fans are just tired of the Brick by Brick, Champions of Life, and other crap being thrown back at them.
