I received my first recommendation for Tennessee’s next football coach moments after the Vols lost to UCLA in the season opener.
“Norm Chow” the e-mail read.
Obviously, the recommendation was made in the heat of UT’s loss to UCLA and its offensive guru.
Forget Chow. The guy left the West Coast for Tennessee once before (See Titans for details). He won’t do it again.
Another heat-of-the-game recommendation came in the form of a text message while the Vols were stumbling around in the first half of their loss to Florida. The name: Mike Bellotti, whose Oregon team lost to Boise State on the same day that UT lost to Florida.
Bad timing aside, I don’t think Bellotti would be interested. He’s coaching in the Pac-10, and the program’s donors include Nike.
However, if you can convince Phil Knight to move his Nike headquarters to Knoxville, I’ll put Bellotti on my coaching A list.
As UT’s losses have accumulated, concerned fans have sent more recommendations for coach Phillip Fulmer’s successor. The list now includes (in alphabetical order): John Adams, John Chavis, David Cutcliffe, Butch Davis, Randy Edsall, Jon Gruden, Bobby Johnson, Lane Kiffin, Mike Leach, Skip Holtz, Jim Leavitt, Peyton Manning, Johnny Majors, Bronco Mendenhall, Will Muschamp, Bruce Pearl, Someone Like Bruce Pearl, Chris Petersen, Knute Rockne, Nick Saban, Randy Sanders, Pat Summitt, and Tommy Tuberville.
So far, I have been able to contact only one of them.
Let me make this perfectly clear: I would accept the job only if I could have Chow as my offensive coordinator, and Muschamp as my defensive coordinator. And I wouldn’t have a problem with either one or both of them making more money than the head coach.
Unfortunately, Chow wouldn’t leave the West Coast, and Muschamp wants a head-coaching job. So I crossed me off the list.
I’ve also eliminated a few others.
Summitt is close to winning 1,000 games in women’s basketball. There’s no way she would start over at No. 1.
Pearl has way too much energy for a football schedule, which would consist of 14 games at most. Unless college football suddenly adopts a 30-game schedule, we can’t talk seriously about Pearl as a candidate.
You also can discount Someone Like Bruce Pearl. There is no football coach like Bruce Pearl.
Football coaches spend too much time watching video. They don’t have time to market their program, cheer for women’s basketball games, serve as color analysts, fill up reporters’ notebooks and speak to civic clubs, booster groups, hotel workers, waiters, cab drivers, and convenience store loiterers.
Strike Peyton Manning off the list as well. He’s got a day job. I realize he could play quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts and assemble an offense that would be more productive than the one plodding along at UT. But you can’t expect a part-time coach to compete against Florida’s Urban Meyer, Georgia’s Mark Richt and Alabama’s Saban.
You can eliminate the rest of the ex-Vols as well. Chavis and Sanders are proven assistant coaches, and Cutcliffe has attained success as both a head coach and an assistant. But UT wouldn’t replace Fulmer with a Fulmer assistant. It needs a clean break.
As for the rest of the recommendations, I’ll take a closer look at them and get back to you.
But right now, I’ve got videotape to watch.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
National Signing Day 2010
Signing day celebration at Neyland…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 160
indianacurly writes:
john, you've learned well from our battle captain ...
andy112382#209793 writes:
Obviously some suggestions were purely for humor like Summitt, Pearl, Adams, and Randy Sanders.
Chris Petersen
Will Muschamp
Lane Kiffin (not 100% sold as a HC, maybe OC)
Bronco Mendenhall (a stretch to me)
Jon Gruden (though, no way he leaves TB)
Thats my top 5 for now.....I am sure there might be a couple of names I just haven't thought of or heard, but looked up plenty on all of these names to have an idea of their past....
Actually lets replace Gruden since that won't happen with Gary Patterson from TCU, hes been consistent and succesful at a school that isn't exactly a football power.
byobbio writes:
John:
I've met Rick Reilly. I've read Rick Reilly. I've seen Rick Reilly in Sports Illustrated since you've been in diapers. John, you are no Rick Reilly.
newtonrail writes:
Adams, I still have no use for you. Compared to Siler and West, you come in 10th, and I only named two former KNS Sports Editors. Before someone lambastes me(you can if you wish, I don't really care) my problems with this jerk and his sarcastic brand of journalism go back a lot of years. Personally I'm ready for Fulmer to go. Wish he'd gone to East Carolina and left Majors here, but that's water under the dam. I am not happy seeing $9 million float out the door plus the tariff on a new regime, when Hamilton won't fix broken paper towel dispensers in Neyland Stadium.( One near my seats broken for at least 7 years). It will be interesting how Hamilton packages a buyout in these uncertain times. $ 7 million Reserve, $15 million in new TV money, but hey students don't show up because they have to pay for tickets. Something doesn't compute folks. But I have one prediction, actually two: Adams will write a scathing piece when Fulmer is "retired", and later a puff piece on the good Fulmer did in 30 years. Book it. I have to drive to Knoxville tomorrow, so I'll tear off my first BB tickets to hopefully see Pearl's charges whip up on Indianapolis.
scott_m99 writes:
I really like Will Muschamp...Great intensity and determination...and is Head Coach material. If we don't go after him, I guarantee Clemson will
MrBamSeydu writes:
hahaha, John Adams totally just teabagged Fulmer with that last sentence.
nightxtr4in#451385 writes:
Mike Leach is my choice!!
Colliervol writes:
Personally, I'm already weary of all the speculation. But I'm more weary of the way this program has hit the skids. Just let me know when the change happens and then I'll get excited. That is the ONLY thing that is of interest to me right now.
Rebelsfball2008 writes:
Ok here is my main staff.. Trooper Taylor for OC and Will Muschamp for HC.. can you imagine the intensity..???
indianacurly writes:
wltv, don't let adams get away with this rotten stuff. criminy, as brad said, he teabagged our battle captain!
GrandmaVol writes:
Regarding your first two sentences,I couldn't have said it better. I WILL NOT read another article by JA, (stands for, well, you know). I scan the headline and if he wrote it, I ingore it! Just read the blogs. In fact, I have alllllllmost made up my mind to cancel my subscription. Times are tough enough all over to read this hacks' vitriol.
FWBVol writes:
Bo Pelini was a hot choice last year as LSU's defensive coordinator. A lot of things about intensity and such that people are saying about Will Muschamp were being said about Pelini. Now he's struggling in his first year at Nebraska having a defense that gave up 50 plus to Mizzou and 62 to Oklahoma. Even if you take away the INT the Sooners returned for a TD,the Huskers gave up 55 points.
Let's face it, hiring a name coach won't be easy, and hiring an up-and-comer whether a coordinator somewhere or a coach at a lower division or smaller D-I program is a phooey shoot at best.
Alabama was lucky that Saban bailed on Miami (and so are the Dolphins) or the Crimson Tide might have made another bad hire.
DizzyBone writes:
My brother talked to Mike Hamilton at Calhoun's today at lunch and he told him that once Fulmer and Clawson get fired at the end of the season, Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett head coach Graham Clack would be hired in some capacity, possibly as the OC but more likely as head coach.
diamond_dave35#235769 writes:
Mike Leach would be a good choice..Any idea of what Barry Alvarez is doing these days??
diamond_dave35#235769 writes:
One more name came to mind..First of all get rid of Clawson..and Hire Gus Malzahn away from Tulsa as a OC
TheVolMan writes:
newtonrail is a whining idiot. Grandma Vol - good job not reading John's articles. Keep up the good work!
Ah, the anti-JA weenies just won't give it up - they hate that JA was right. Too bad...
hdhurst writes:
Ok, DB, got it. I will make note of that and get back with you after it's all said and done. (yeah, whatever)...
TommyJack writes:
Not bad, Adams. But why leave off the most qualified? That would be Paul Johnson.
NoogaVol55 writes:
Amen Brother!!
It is a matter of time before somebody else picks him up. Not to mention he can recruit and has coached in the SEC before. He would be a great fit at UT.
Grim1 writes:
CHRIS PETERSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NoogaVol55 writes:
Valid point about Pelini. But I don't think you expect a new coach to turn around a declining program in 1 year. (Saban went 7-6 in his first year at Alabama).
Call me crazy, but with the rebuilding process that takes place any time a new coach is hired, it might get worse before it gets better. I am a big Muschamp fan, for reasons mentioned in earlier post, but I would be satisfied with a number of canidates. I just pray to God that Cutcliffe is not in serious consideration, we need new blood in Knoxville.
Hunter writes:
Mike Leach actually is the Bruce Pearl of college football. You'd know this if you paid any attention to the little game in Lubbock this past weekend and not the embarassing debacle in the Palmetto State...
At least it seems like 80% of Vol Nation is behind a change now. When Fulmer/Clawson pulled Stephens after ONE PICK (AND Stephens being held to the ground with no chance to make a recovery tackle) and put in Crapton, I was 100% done with these jokers.
nightprowler writes:
Theres only one man than can turn this around than man is named Hal Mummy.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Yes, Hal Mumme, Mr. John Adams is really chomping at the bit. Will he be surprised when Fulmer is retained. Why should we pay 6 million and risk our next recruiting class? Our coach is in the top five percentage winners in active coaches. Who the hell do we think we are? Do we deserve to beat all of these teams all of the time? Are we that arrogant? Can't we stand losing at all?? Our arrogance and Mr. Adams' is self evident. Those who humble themselves shall be lifted up, and those who elevate themselves shall be debased. Wouldn't it be funny if Adams' was canned and Fulmer wasn't? Makes me wanna' laugh. I sure hope Mike Hamilton doesn't see it the way the "fans" do. Go back to work people, back to the salt mines, there is no savior on the way to help you.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
You've got it made, Sir, when can we rail on you? YOu get to drive, go to games, have a seat close to the bath rooms, and still cry about everything which does not suit you. Would Spurrier's record suit you? Bowden's? Paterno's? Do you suggest that one the one hand Adams' cannot hold a candle to any other writer, and then expect us to believe that there in no coach in America which you approve of?
snafu14u#241639 writes:
I hate to pour Orange Kool-Aid on this little party but here goes. Fulmer will be retained for one more year. The money dictates that.Clawson will be fired as a person to blame. Hamilton wanted to make this call two years ago but hands were tied.Besides if he waits one more year then it becomes open and shut. Fulmer will be retained at UT with a special position. Now onto the coaching hunt. There is not a current or former NFL headcoasch thast is worth a damn taht is interested in coming to UT. So you can forget about Kiffin,Gruden and Cowher or any other NFL coach you can think of. No, Bill Parsells is not interested (nor Bill Walsh for that matter).There is not a coach in the current Top Twenty Five that has the slightest desire to come to UT.So you can forget about anyone named Holtz, Stoops,Bowden or Paterno coming here. The only coaches that would be willing to do so are up and coming coordinators or smaller schools headcoaches (like Pat Hill @ Fresno State)as resume builders or to just roll the dice.And that decision is still a year away. Recruiting is going too well to change will be part of the offical reason.Sober up. bonzaivol
FedUpVolFan writes:
Wtg John! I love your stuff!
Cheer up!
We are now 70th in the rankings.
UCLA is 77th!
Stay the course!
kabul_vol writes:
Well, my Afghani interpreter's brother, Khalid has a third cousin whose neighbor once visited the USA and he knows a guy that drives a donkey cart in Kabul that said he heard from his brother in law that Mike Hamilton is going to hire John Madden to coach at UT. Apparently, you can score a lot of points in Madden so that's the logic there.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
If you are not joking... I may give up on football altogether.
VolinUtah writes:
I think Bill Walsh is dead. However, if we did hire him it would be a great story for ESPN. I can't imagine he would cost us very much.
kabul_vol writes:
Two words - Vince Lombardi
NOLAvol writes:
I agree with snafu14u#241639 on the NFL coaches, but what about this one...
Tony Dungy is year-to-year with the Colts, by choice. Voted BY FAR the coach most NFL players would like to play for. His priorities are ministry opportunities, and he has a personal burden for college-age young men.
Might he respond to the opportunity to do what he does best AND what he cares about most... at UT?
Hamilton--call Peyton and ask him to ask Dungy to have a heart-to-heart talk with Richt at Georgia.
bricker865 writes:
Quit making up stuff. No one will believe you...
kabul_vol writes:
I would imagine that if Tony Dungy decided to leave the Colts that it wouldn't be to come to UT - or any other job for at least a year. He'd probably take time off to be with his family.
Urbiewerecomingtogetyou writes:
John Adams the comedian! You probably need to stick to your day job.
richvol writes:
If UT really does retain Fulmer for another year the situation will be much worse next season. After firing Clawson who does Hamilton think would take a job for one year for a lame duck like Fulmer? No one worth a damn that's for sure.
It never pays to delay personnel decisions...if it's obvious someone needs to go then do it immediately. The bullet has to be bitten so just go ahead and stop worrying about recruiting. The same concerns will be there next year.
Phil has already shown that he has no clue about how to fix any of the problems that exist with the team. His dedication to Tennessee deserves some honor, so let's please don't drag him through another embarrassing season because we will not be any better. We have no players to upgrade the terrible offensive line.
Will Muschamp...
imnotwithphil writes:
Will Muschamp - this would be a bad choice. Texas' defense is not that great (witness last weekend) and this guy is untested. He has "Bill Battle" written all over him.
John Gruden - I can't believe this guy will be an effective recruiter. Not only that, he's the NFL's answer to Phil Fulmer. He took a program someone else built (Tony Dungy) to the next level - but has not built a program from scratch.
If TN is going to compete with Saban, Miles, Meyer, Richt and Spurrier - we have to bring in a proven program builder with a high IQ. That leaves two potential candidates:
Mike Leach - Texas Tech. We would have to throw a ton of money at Leach to get him to leave Tech... but it would be a Bruce Pearl type hire. The fact that Texas Tech is #2 right now says enough about this guy.
Butch Davis - North Carolina. Likewise, we would have to buy Butch. I also have concerns weather Butch has the IQ to compete against the elite SEC coaches. That said - he is a proven program builder and a disciplinarian.
The only other option I see for the Vols is to go with a proven winner on a smaller stage... but our current train wreck of an OC provides some evidence of how risky that strategy can be...
hglover40#234154 writes:
Promote Clawson to HC - it will keep the recruiting class intact and he was successful everywhere that he didn't have Fulmer telling which playmakers to put on the field.
vol4good#206163 writes:
Good post, well thought out and written. Thanks
Urbiewerecomingtogetyou writes:
I know a lot of fans don't like the idea of Coach Spurrier
at UT,but it would IMO be a great hire in the short term. Make no mistake about it with our resources (facilities tradition ect.) he can compete with the elite coaches in the SEC. The ole' ball coach would like nothing better than to be able to whip up on those gaters and this would be a great opportunity to do just that.Some say he don't like to recruit. Just imagine with his reputation,experience and the right assitant coaching staff what could actually happen at a place like UT. I say short term because considering his age I would assume he would like to retire to spend more time with his family in his golden years. This would with his input help to give us time to make the right hire for the long haul. Just a few years ago I myself would never imagine this either, but it seems like considering our circumstances would be a great alternative.JMHO!
Urbiewerecomingtogetyou writes:
Besides he and Coach Summitt are very good friends. If Coach Fulmer would swallow his pride to become recruiting coordinator the sky would be the limit for the BIG ORANGE!!
kabul_vol writes:
Mike Leach and keep Chavis.
burpee_von_rotweiler_IV writes:
Going out on a long limb here but I would recommend Maryville High School coach George Quarles, if not as head coach, then in some capacity. He has won his last 70 games, has three state championships, and has an overall 133-9 in his 10th season at MHS. He has accomplished this the past few season without any "superstars." He somehow takes what he has and motivates the best from them and gets them playing as a TEAM. He has shown an interest in coaching in some capacity at Tennessee but we all know the Big One probably saw him as a threat to his job:
http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2008/j...
carolinablonde writes:
John Adams tells it like it is. I enjoy reading his columns.
blitzshoot writes:
You left off Gundy from Ok ST
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Yeah, what the hay-all?
But I guess he only used those who e-mailed him.
With hyper-intelligent remarks about his anatomy.
carpentermike5#409005 writes:
To all the Mike Leach supporters... how many big games has that man won in his career? ONE, always starts the season beating doormats, then finishes under .500 in his last 5 or 6 games... WAKE UP, we dont need that. Thats how Fulmers career has been, just flip flopped. He loses half of the first 6, then wins out beating the HC game, SC, VANDY, UK. We dont need that!
hillsborovol writes:
There are a lot of great names being mentioned. But, I wouldn't think most coaches would leave a program that is winning for similar money at UT.
Chris Peterson is the best, most realistic choice IMO. In his first year as HC, he led Boise State to an, undefeated top 5 finish in 2006, including a win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. The next year he was 10-3. This year he is 8-0. He is paid $800 K per year. He just turned 44 years old.
Mickey37849 writes:
I think Chris Petersen should be at the top of Hamilton's list . Look at what he's done at Boise St in two years .This man could be your Bruce Pearl of football.
UTME06 writes:
It seemed like every time we made a major mistake on Saturday I would see ESPN flash a score alert across the bottom of the screen... and do you know who was doing the scoring? Boise State. I've been locked in on Peterson for a little over a month now, and the more I watch his team and his attitude and energy the more I think he's right to take a shot at the big time. Is he a lock to be a perennial top 15? No. But neither was Bruce.
It's time.
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