The fallout from Tennessee's three-game losing streak that culminated with last week's 16-15 defeat to South Carolina and led to the demotion of offensive coordinator Randy Sanders could bring a familiar face back to Neyland Stadium.

David Cutcliffe, who held the position during Peyton Manning's career as a Vol, is now back in Knoxville after being fired last year at Mississippi. Cutcliffe will certainly be a popular choice, but will he be the best choice?

Why not Norm Chow? Nothing against Cutcliffe, but Chow should be Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer's first call. Now in his first season with the Tennessee Titans, Chow was the offensive coordinator at Southern Cal who developed both Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart into Heisman Trophy quarterbacks.

Did we forget to mention that Chow's offense helped the Trojans win back-to-back national championships en route to what is now a 30-game winning streak?

Before going to USC, Chow was the offensive coordinator at North Carolina State who brought along a freshman quarterback named Philip Rivers. Chow was at BYU for Ty Detmer's Heisman Trophy career.

"We're going to look around nationally and find the best person that fits what we want to do and brings the right things to the table," Fulmer said.

Chow could be the perfect choice to help turn around the career of talented but erratic sophomore quarterback Erik Ainge, who has been in and out of Fulmer's doghouse for most of his two years.

With fifth-year senior Rick Clausen gone next year, it would likely be Ainge's job. Hiring Chow might also be an incentive for Clausen's little brother, Jimmy, one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country as a junior, to follow big brothers Rick and Casey to Knoxville.

Chow left USC after last season because he came to the decision that his Asian-American heritage was working against him getting a head coaching job in the college ranks, the last instance being when Pitt's Walt Harris was hired at Stanford.

According to some at USC, Chow also felt that he wasn't getting enough credit from Trojans coach Pete Carroll.