Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence spent part of Friday in Knoxville interviewing for Tennessee’s offensive coordinator position.
Tigers coach Tommy Bowden confirmed that his offensive coordinator would interview with the Vols.
“Coach (Phillip) Fulmer called and went through the proper protocol, asking to talk to him a couple of days ago,” Bowden told reporters Friday.
Spence, who arrived in Knoxville around 2 p.m., would not confirm his interview at Tennessee following Clemson’s practice Friday.
“I’m flattered that they called me,” Spence told reporters.
Spence is the first known candidate to interview with UT. the Vols. That’s a big step, Bowden said.
“It’s serious anytime you make the trip,” Bowden said. “It’s like (former West Virginia coach) Rich (Rodriguez) going up to Toledo (to meet with Michigan). Once you get to that stage, it’s serious when you go to see somebody.”
Spence, 49, had talks with three different teams last year.
He turned down more lucrative offers to be offensive coordinator at Alabama and Minnesota, and also talked with the Oakland Raiders about becoming the team’s quarterbacks coach.
Family was a strong consideration in Spence’s decision to remain at Clemson, where he has been since 2005.
“When it’s all said and done at the end of the day, you have to love where you are and love the people you work with,” Spence told the Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail this year. “And I felt like that was really more important than all those other things.
“It says in the Bible, ‘What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?’ I felt like the price that my family would have paid, that I would have paid would have been much too high at this stage of my life to move again. I really feel like this is home, the place I’d like to be as long as I can be.”
Spence makes $207,000 a year, considerably less than UT’s previous coordinator, David Cutcliffe, who was scheduled to earn $340,000 this season and $375,000 by the end of his three-year contract in June 2010.
Cutcliffe will take over as head coach at Duke following the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.
Tennessee has also been in contact with Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Kippy Brown, a former UT assistant and offensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins.
New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone, another former UT assistant, is thought to be another potential candidate.
Spence is in his third year at Clemson and has extensive experience as a coordinator.
He began his college coaching career in 1989 as offensive coordinator at Iona, where he played tight end from 1978-81.
He has also been offensive coordinator at Hofstra (1990, 1997-99), Louisiana Tech (co-offensive coordinator 2000), and Toledo (2001-04).
This season, Clemson ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing offense, passing offense and total offense.
The Tigers’ 34.2 points per game ranks first in the ACC and 23rd nationally.
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 44
dfreeman writes:
“It says in the Bible, ‘What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?’
Be glad you turned down Alabubba!! LOL
tngivem6 writes:
sO..WITH fULMER cleaning house..or more like, the house kinda cleaned itself..like roaches running when you turn on the light..
what will the new offense look like..I have noticed that the last recruiting class had players that can play multiple positions..hmmm..maybe Big Phil knew something we didn't know after all..
Hixson_Vol writes:
Maybe Fulmer should interview the OC at Oklahoma State. I hear they have a good one.
tngivem6 writes:
ooo..good one FireChavis..wonder why Hamilton said money was not a problem..then Oka ST offers Trooper more money to be the Co-offensive Coordinator..Co?!..something just doesn't add up in Big ORange Country
wyomingvol writes:
TN didn't want Troop for the job, bottom line...
And that is why he isn't here.
southernACmavs writes:
DA DAA DAT DA DAT DA DAAA DAAA DAAA WEEES WORKENN LIKE HECK
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Hire this man! Neighboring area, knows the South. Mixes run and pass well. Used to winning 6-9 games with Clemson, should easily move Vols to consistent 10 win season.
My standard of anywhere in the top 10 might become makeable, again. Clear this with old TJ and TDTN so this will be a smooth transition.
Think he'll bite if offered? Or is Phil going with Adkins all along? Stay tuned.
Orange4life writes:
I like the New Orleans Saints OC, gota have some big time play calling skills and hes the man
utwick writes:
Goolge this coach and you'll see that he has worked his way up the ladder starting with high school coaching. Check his offensive stats when he was at Toledo. At Clemson his quarterbacks have had very high ratings and he mixes pass and run. I'm glad to see CPF start the process with someone not in the UT family.
utwick writes:
I meant Google this coach (sorry, must be the margarita kicking in)
VOLinDAWGland writes:
How do you know that it's Marrone calling the plays at NO and not the HC? The HC is a former OC and offensive wiz.
TommyJack writes:
Stay the course, faithful. Wear the blinders. Pound the rock...
texan writes:
We need to go for the best guy even if he doesn't look to be out there. If we look in the ACC why don't we just roll the dice and see what it would take to get Jimbo Fisher? He can't be too happy with Daddy Bowden's contract extension. Plus he could do a hell of a lot better landing a HC job if he lights up Neyland Stadium and the SEC than he will if he waits for Daddy to retire at FSU. If you are going to hire a Bowden guy go for the best.
hippie60 writes:
How about a ncaa rule not allow any coaching contacts until the bowl season is over. This is crazy how can the players @ any school concentrate on football
texan writes:
http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-fo...
1974Vol writes:
To bad the Tuna signed with Miami, he would have been a great Vol OC! Get real folks, most of the names I'm seeing posted here are not leaving for at best a lateral move. Jimbo Fisher would love CPF's job but he's already an OC at a major program. The NFL guys will want too much money. MH can't pay the OC twice what anyone else on the staff makes without creating more problems than he solves. Spence may not be the guy but he is the "level" of guy we will end up with.
texan writes:
I think that MH has been given the green light from the Haslam crowd to do whatever CPF needs. Think about it. They keep CPF without losing face for a few more years. That's why somebody like Fisher makes sense.
texan writes:
It's much like their decision to hire back Cut isn't it? But this is just from a blogger's point of view. Who really knows what they are really thinking? If you have proof post it. I admit I do not.
rkastens writes:
This certainly is "opportunity time" for Fulmer and UT. If everyone had stayed put this year, we'd be looking at an off season of the same guys trying to do a better job next year. Now, there is the opportunity for fresh ideas and energy. If Fulmer makes good hires, then he will probably finish his career at TN in every one's good graces. If he chooses poorly, then the next 3-5 years are going to be more of the same from this year. Even though Cutcliffe and Taylor are not to blame for this years trouble, Fulmer has an opportunity to really distance himself from this year's negativity with really great hires. Let's hope that is what happens.
Maybe Coach Pearl would consider helping with the offense. Perhaps the guys would at least play with a sense of urgency and intensity. :-)
texan writes:
Pearl is too busy trying to get his guys "play with a sense of urgency and intensity. :-)" :-)
Fulmer has made great hires in the recent past according to many. So what happened?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TommyJack, could I get a new rock? Swap ya a dozen......
utwick writes:
Fisher is the next HC at FSU within 3 years. NFL coaches cost too much. If you increase one coordinator's salary, you would probably have to increase the other coaches as well or have bigger rift within the staff.
yeavols#228407 writes:
If someone from Clemson is interviewing for the job..please forgive this comment...But I don't see a lot of people wanting it. This doesn't smell right.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
true utwick - it is thought by some that Fisher already has a deal in place. Papa Bowden just can't stand the thought of Papa Joe 2-3 games back!
invisiblekid writes:
You hit the nail on the head 1974Vol.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Good column - Climer -Tennessean.com - Staff needs overhaul - Good read. No TJ, he doesn't mention glazed.
1955_Vol writes:
No grvol...that was 2004 and he started after the bowl game.
skyhawk836 writes:
Posted by FireChavis on December 21, 2007 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe Fulmer should interview the OC at Oklahoma State. I hear they have a good one.
-------
Really? Is that why they took the huge step of naming him the co-OC?
andy112382#209793 writes:
pdhuff, is this the article you were talking about? It gives a good picture as to what Fulmer is looking at doing.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.d...
vol4jesus writes:
UN-VOLCR can you climb out of your negative pit ever? OOOPs I forgot ewe know everything so this really was a token interview....please get real. Take your time coach get a good one. Oh btw he coached kid named Gradowski at Toledo who the pros picked up A backup somewhere in nfl.
TommyJack writes:
I agree with VolCR. Interview is just window-dressing. The Large One will hire a yes- man from within. Stay the course. "We looked far and wide, and lo and behold, the most qualified candidate was here all along". The Big One is nothing, if not predictable.
CoverOrange writes:
I disagree. This isn't like out here in the real world where they take a bunch of resumes and interview selected candidates and pick the best one. In high profile jobs, companies pick the best one then see if he is interested then interview. That Spence came to K-town to interview may indicate less than warm receptions by Kippy and Marrone.
rubbervol writes:
Not !!!
agentorange writes:
i interviewed with Fulmer yesterday for OC position. We had heckuva talk and he said that I'm his first choice. I told him I'll be bringing in busybody to coach qb's, mbumburu for wrs, savol as the team trainer (not dsavol) and invisiblekid for rbs. crvol, i told Phil I knew a guy/girl is who loves cleaning jocks and he said you have a job if you want it.
ncvol17 writes:
Feel good: Go to the Adams column and give your memories of the food on the 'strip'...
movol77 writes:
I want to make an original post...here it goes:
"CPF is koolaid drankin, fat donut-eatin' and stay the course kinda money-grabber. (I might post this again if I can't think of anything meaningful to say.)"
txsvol#372416 writes:
agentorange, LOL. SAVol
GoVol writes:
Does it really matter who Fulmer hires? As long as PF continues to keep the reins on the guy it really doesn't matter. I believe most of the coaches realize this and why the list of interested candidates is limited and why Fulmer may have to stay hire from within...again. The coaches talk among one another and this is the reputation Fulmer has. The only good news in all of this is that when the next guy 'fails' so will Fulmer and his number will be up, but not soon enough.
utwick writes:
GoVol, it does matter who Fulmer chooses. Proof of that is Sanders versus Cut. My opinion only, but Kippy Brown and Marrone have been away from college and are not used to recruiting and are not familiar with the competition. I read on another site that Mike Locksley (the OC at Illinois) and Chris Hatcher (the HC at Ga. Southern) were on the "list". Locksley coached under Zook at Florida and was a top 25 recruiter. He played defensive secondary in college. Sounds like a more experienced (at least at play-calling) Trooper. His team also beat Ohio State this year. Hatcher's teams have created some great offense. He was a quarterback in college and knows how to coach that position. He is also familiar with recruiting Florida and Georgia.
budrhon writes:
Better yet, why isn't UT scheduling Clemson since these two teams are so close and have such strong tradition?
PumpUptheVOLume writes:
some of these post are just plain comical...LOL
GIVEHIMSIX writes:
if larry slade retires, we should hire dale jones to coach db's; we also desperately need a special teams coach to come up with creative plays for rogan and co. ut refocused its efforts on special teams after the florida game, but the vols have long been known for ignoring the kicking game.
britt writes:
What about Michigans former OC. You know he wont be needed with rodriguez bringing the spread with him. And when will we find out if Luke and Roper will go with Cut?
skyhawk836 writes:
Posted by GIVEHIMSIX on December 23, 2007 at 7:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
if larry slade retires, we should hire dale jones to coach db's; we also desperately need a special teams coach to come up with creative plays for rogan and co. ut refocused its efforts on special teams after the florida game, but the vols have long been known for ignoring the kicking game.
------
Would Dale Jones come back now?
He was a Coach Majors guy.
Seems that I remember him not liking things changing? Anyone know?
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