New coach isn't on players' radar

Even though Tennessee's search for a new head football coach is already two weeks old, it's still the hot topic in all the same places.

But beyond barber shops, bar stools, message boards and talk shows, there's another place where all the rumors are kicked around: Tennessee's locker room.

Whether the chatter involves NFL coaches like Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden and former Oakland coach Lane Kiffin or college coaches like North Carolina's Butch Davis and Texas Tech's Mike Leach, players aren't deaf.

And, according to sophomore Gerald Jones, they're talking about who might replace Phillip Fulmer, too.

"They keep up with it," Jones said of his teammates. "They talk about Gruden. And they talk about Kiffin and possibly Mike Leach. A lot of receivers are talking about Mike Leach, and I can guess why. But that doesn't really mean that much to me right now. Right now I'm worried about getting a victory against Vanderbilt. I don't pay attention to that too much."

Well, except for one conversation over the weekend.

With Tennessee (3-7, 1-5 SEC) off last week before Saturday's 12:30 p.m. kickoff (TV: WVLT) at Vanderbilt (6-4, 4-3), Jones chatted with his close friend and former teammate at Millwood (Okla.) High School, Tramain Swindall.

Swindall is a redshirt freshman receiver at Texas Tech, where he's caught 36 passes in the Red Raiders' wide open spread offense. After catching up, Jones and Swindall's talk turned to Tennessee's coaching search.

"He kind of sounded depressed," Jones said. "He said, 'I heard Coach Leach was interviewing for the job.' I didn't know how to respond to it. I was like, 'Yeah, I heard about it.' I was like, 'That would be bittersweet.' He said, 'What you mean?' I said, 'I'll be happy as hell, but that'd suck for you.' We laughed about that."

For the most part, though, the past three weeks haven't had a lot of laughs.

Following the announcement that Fulmer won't return next season, the Vols lost out on any shot at the postseason with a 13-7 loss to Wyoming. For Jones, who also expressed anger with UT athletic director Mike Hamilton on Sunday night, it's odd to think about playing for a coach other than Fulmer.

"I don't think it's the right time to talk about it," Jones said. "We're focused on Vanderbilt. This is what this week is about. It's not about who's going to be our head coach. We'll worry about that when our season's over with. That's why I don't talk about it. I'm focused on what I'm trying to do, and that's get the victory."

Quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who will make his first start since UT's 14-12 loss to Auburn on Sept. 27, said he's avoiding any talk of Fulmer's replacement.

"I actually have no clue how to get on those message boards, so I don't know what's being said," he said.

Defensive tackle Dan Williams can't seem to escape it.

On an almost daily basis, Williams finds himself fielding questions from classmates about who UT's next head coach will be. But players, like media and fans, have been kept in the dark by the administration as the search continues.

"Every day they come up and ask me, 'What do you know?' " Williams said. "And I don't know anything. I just tell them the same thing. I'll find out when you find out. I trust Mike Hamilton that he's going to make a good decision, and me as a player, all I can do is sit back and watch. Once I find out the news, I'll know who it is."

That's when Williams, a junior, will seriously begin thinking about his future.

Through 10 games, he has 40 tackles and leads the Vols with seven quarterback hurries despite being limited since suffering a high-ankle against Alabama. On Sunday, he acknowledged that UT's new coach will play some role in his decision to return for one more year or test the NFL waters.

"Nine times out of 10 when a new coach comes in, he will respect the seniors that are already there," Williams said. "I haven't really thought about it. As the season comes closer to the end, it does come up. It pops in and pops out, but for the most part right now, I'm just focused on Vanderbilt and Kentucky."

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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