Dan Mullen to Tennessee?
- Thread starter Buffalo Skinner
- Start date
He's being considered for several jobs. Right now Tenn insiders still believe Gruden is their top choice and there is a real chance he will accept the job.
One knock on Dan has been his "excitement" factor. Tenn has tried going for that before and it didn't work as well as planned so maybe they need a different approach but I would have concerns if I were a Vol fan in terms of how much everyone will buy in.
What do you mean by "excitement factor?"
Also, how do you view him as a recruiter?
In-game management?
Thanks.
You can see Jarrett Guarantano's physical tools, but he's badly in need of coaching. Coach Mullen has a history of developing quarterbacks with Alex Smith, Tim Tebow, Dak Prescott, and Nick Fitzgerald. Give me this over the initial wow factor. Winning cures all over time.
How do you honestly think Mullen would do at Tennessee over the long run?
If Mullen does come to Tennessee, I'd like to see Mississippi State land Troy's Neal Brown. He's a rising star and would do well there.
Tennessee insiders are idiots. I don't even think Tennessee has any "insiders".
We have no idea what is going on in our AD's (John Currie) mind.
Gruden has never coached a CFB game and has been out of coaching for 10 years. I suppose that makes him a perfect fit based on our last 3 coaching choices.
I've been in the business almost 30 years and have to admit your school is a tough one to read and it's one of the few schools that I don't have any good contacts at so I can't help a lot. I know Butch personally from his time at West Virginia (I own the WVU site and have for 25+ years). As of last week he thought Gruden was your guy. As for Mullen it's hard to say what will happen with him. I think he knows it will be difficult to get MSU a lot better than the program is now and unfortunately fans and admins start to turn on you at some point.
The reason why UT is hard to read is because we are schizophrenic. The answer and direction you receive can change as soon as another persona pops into our head.
Gruden makes no sense for UT and makes no sense for Gruden. The only way you can make it fit is to throw out all reason and sensibility. Good thing, we specialize in doing just that.
Mullen has been and is a solid coach. He has served MSU well and here is where he belongs. UT fans will burn him at the stake if he doesn't have us in the playoffs in 3 years by way of leaving a burning and derelict bama in our wake.
Anywho, y'all have a bowl game to get ready for and I get to see if UT can avoid her worst season in history. We have never lost 8 games in a season and it is probably 50/50 against mighty Vandy Saturday.
You are saying that Butch told you he thinks Gruden is going to Tennessee?
No I haven't talked to him in about two years. We have several mutual friends and he's shared his opinion with them based on what he was hearing. Obviously he isn't involved with what his happening at Tenn right now but of course he's going to still have a lot of contacts within the AD. Should be interesting to see where he lands. He's probably a better fit for a smaller school, at least for now.
Della, I have always had concerns over Gruden as a college coach since he has never coach there except as a GA. But that doesn't mean that I can't see huge positive potential on multiple fronts. Your statement that "Gruden makes no sense for Tennessee and Tennessee makes no sense for Gruden" may be the most idiotic statement I have ever read on here in my 15+ years on the board. If he would happen to accept he may or may not be successful. But there are a ton of GOOD reasons Gruden makes good sense for Tennesse and Tennesse makes sense for him. Just a lutercrus, inane statement that is completely indefensible.
Gruden is risky for anyone but like you I can see many reasons it's makes sense for him and Tenn. He's a good coach and his name and your history should allow for some great recruiting. You could do far worse.
a few things butch should learn before returning to a school that seats more than 30,000 in the stadium.
1. how to develop players.
2. different offensive scheme.
3. gameday coaching.
4. clock management.
5. how to handle in game pressure.
6. how to handle non in game pressure.
7. how to handle offweek pressure.
8. how to handle off season pressure.
9. how to play the best players and at what position. (5stah cb warming the bench for wr's)
10. pressers, he should not do them.
many of us believe this to be a ploy by sexton to get mullen a raise. we see msu as being happy with mullen (rightly so) and i think mullen wouldnt leave that security for TENNESSEE.
I'm just not sure there is security in coaching anymore. Mullen is rolling right now but a poor season or two or more losses to Ole Miss and you'll see that security go away to some extent. I hate seeing coaches moving around so much but I think that's a big part of why they're doing it. I question how much he would give up for the Tenn job but there are others that would be difficult for him to turn down.
Are you familiar with the known liar and journalistic fraud Izzy Gould of al.com? Now there is someone who is hard to figure out...
The feeling around the athletic department is a little more optimistic than the one I have but I do think MSU has a chance at keeping him. The real problem for the Bulldogs is the fact that so many jobs are opening this year and schools are scrambling for replacements. I would say there's a 60% chance he stays but I've felt all along that he wasn't the first choice for any of the other schools being mentioned if that changes then that number could go way down. I know most of you guys think Tenn is going to make him the priority now and if that's the case it's going to be tough to keep him in Starkville.
I haven't. Honestly I thought we would hear some new info tonight but tomorrow should bring something. The real question is how quickly will coaches make moves with so many jobs opening?
Thanks. Quite a tizzy going on at Rocky Top. Some posting that Mullen inked a deal with Currie tonight and will be announced tomorrow.
Hearing on VolQuest Mullen cancelled staff and recruiting meetings, any validity to this, Tia???
So what are you Vols thinking about the Schiano news? It's a big joke on my WVU site because he and I had an issue about 15 years ago and they tease me about him all of the time. He was a pretty good coach at Rutgers but can also be a total clown and there isn't anything he won't do to win. Seems a little too much like Butch in my opinion.
Me either . VERY SAD day for Tennessee Football. I thought we hit rock bottom last night. Was I ever wrong!!!
You could do worse than Greg but your program should be able to attract a much better option. Maybe he can get you back on solid ground and get the program to where the next coach can have you playing for championships again.
With after what happened last night, and over the past 10 years, this was the time that Tennessee needed someone to rally around...to attract recruits...to regain enthusiasm for the program...
And this hire will do just the opposite. IT makes no sense whatsoever. It is almost like someone wants to kill the program.
Tennessee will have a hard time get any quality HC. They AD made a mistake in not understanding the fans. The fans made a mistake in not knowing Greg Schiano is a pretty damn good coach and having unrealistic expectations. No established HC with reasonable options will expose his family to that nightmare.
They have everything they need to land a quality coach they just made a bad decision in how they handled things to this point. It's not too late for them to find a great coach and if the AD will allow some outside help they'll find their guy.
It has been ten years of one disaster after another. It has been ten years of being the subject of jokes and ridicule from media from Knoxville to Connecticutt. It has been ten LONG years of very little to cheer for.
Many of us have been around awhile and can still remember the years of relevance. Is it asking to much for that again?
So, at no point, perhaps, in the history of UT Football, was it more important to get it right with the transition of yet another coach. We all saw it coming so it wasn't like Kiffin leaving in the middle of the night. The AD, administration, boosters, and advisers had plenty of time to put a plan into place. I think most of us thought they were finally singing the same song. Currie seemed so "in control" and masterful the way he was handling things.
We heard money was not going to be the holdup for the right coach. We heard the trustees passed an increased budget for the stadium renovations that would be completed in year 100 of Tennessee football...2021. We even were given the hint that the hire might even be as big as a Gruden.
So we watched intently from the sidelines while days and weeks passed. We saw proposed name after name floated. Many were homerun hires that would have excited fans and students. That is who we were led to believe were realistic targets. Yes, Schiano was mentioned like a name so far down the list it wouldn't even be considered. I don't think that anyone truly believed that he would be considered a serious candidate. We were sure this AD had his "stuff" together.
So when it was announced that Currie was in Dayton Ohio signing a contract with Greg Schiano, I think the shock ignited a fire like we have not seen in a while. Many were concerned about Schiano's past with the allegations of inappropriate actions at Penn State during the Sandusky era. But the truth is, many of us were SHOCKED that the search had already desinigrated so badly that we were actually even talking to Schiano. Then to hear it was a done deal....well we saw what happened.
Ten long years of frustration, embarrassment, heartbreak, and losing came to a head yesterday. ENOUGH ALREADY said a collection group of fans, old and young. Enough of being led by the Haslams who seem hellbent on killing the program, not helping it. Hey, I appreciate the money they give to my university. But it ain't like they don't get much more in return for their "generosity".
But the Haslam are not just buying the right to put their name on buildings. They are buying CONTROL. And hiring John Currie gave them the kind of control they want....to be able to do anything they desire, the rest of the boosters, trustees, and fans be damned. Well boys, your little plan didn't work this time and maybe never again.
So, what do we do now. I say, call Phil Fulmer and ask to put together a search team of former players and find us a coach to lead us back to prominence. It is kinda ironic should that happen. Because firing that HOF coach started this whole snowball that crashed yesterday.
Let Phil and company fix it. And send John Currie to Cleveland and let him work with a bunch of losers there. He is no longer wanted on Rocky Top.
Many of us have been around awhile and can still remember the years of relevance. Is it asking to much for that again?
So, at no point, perhaps, in the history of UT Football, was it more important to get it right with the transition of yet another coach. We all saw it coming so it wasn't like Kiffin leaving in the middle of the night. The AD, administration, boosters, and advisers had plenty of time to put a plan into place. I think most of us thought they were finally singing the same song. Currie seemed so "in control" and masterful the way he was handling things.
We heard money was not going to be the holdup for the right coach. We heard the trustees passed an increased budget for the stadium renovations that would be completed in year 100 of Tennessee football...2021. We even were given the hint that the hire might even be as big as a Gruden.
So we watched intently from the sidelines while days and weeks passed. We saw proposed name after name floated. Many were homerun hires that would have excited fans and students. That is who we were led to believe were realistic targets. Yes, Schiano was mentioned like a name so far down the list it wouldn't even be considered. I don't think that anyone truly believed that he would be considered a serious candidate. We were sure this AD had his "stuff" together.
So when it was announced that Currie was in Dayton Ohio signing a contract with Greg Schiano, I think the shock ignited a fire like we have not seen in a while. Many were concerned about Schiano's past with the allegations of inappropriate actions at Penn State during the Sandusky era. But the truth is, many of us were SHOCKED that the search had already desinigrated so badly that we were actually even talking to Schiano. Then to hear it was a done deal....well we saw what happened.
Ten long years of frustration, embarrassment, heartbreak, and losing came to a head yesterday. ENOUGH ALREADY said a collection group of fans, old and young. Enough of being led by the Haslams who seem hellbent on killing the program, not helping it. Hey, I appreciate the money they give to my university. But it ain't like they don't get much more in return for their "generosity".
But the Haslam are not just buying the right to put their name on buildings. They are buying CONTROL. And hiring John Currie gave them the kind of control they want....to be able to do anything they desire, the rest of the boosters, trustees, and fans be damned. Well boys, your little plan didn't work this time and maybe never again.
So, what do we do now. I say, call Phil Fulmer and ask to put together a search team of former players and find us a coach to lead us back to prominence. It is kinda ironic should that happen. Because firing that HOF coach started this whole snowball that crashed yesterday.
Let Phil and company fix it. And send John Currie to Cleveland and let him work with a bunch of losers there. He is no longer wanted on Rocky Top.
Maybe, but I don't know. In an environment when even lower level gigs are paying buckets of $$, why would a quality guy with HC experience come into that situation where the fans are running the show and the AD is on life support? Not to mention being in the pressure cooker of the SEC, and the lack of recruiting around Knoxville.
Even schools like Iowa St. and UCF are paying guys $3-4 million a year and those spots have way less stress. At a certain point, salaries have diminishing returns and quality of life takes precedent. Even Florida -- a better situation because of the recruiting -- had settle on their third choice. That was my point.
Apparently AD in other schools are saying, off the record, that the Tennessee job just became that much more difficult to fill.
But I agree; it's a cluster flub. They handled it poorly. Still time for them, but this year time runs faster because of the early signing, and complicated with the many job openings.
Good luck on your own search.
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