Reports: Eddie Gran to Florida State

Eddie Gran

Eddie Gran

Lane Kiffin was expecting another decision from an assistant, and it apparently didn’t take long.

The Tennessee coach likely is losing another piece of his respected staff and another elite recruiter.

Florida State has not officially announced the hiring of Eddie Gran or given any indication of what position the Vols’ special teams-running backs coach might be accepting, but Gran, according to multiple published reports, appears to be set to join new Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher’s staff. Kiffin was expected to be on a media teleconference on Sunday night, but his travel schedule made him unavailable for comment.

Kiffin has embraced turnover as a positive for his program, though, and he has repeated numerous times he has no problems helping coaches move on. To some extent, UT even expected it to happen when it put together its Dream Scheme staff last year.

Gran will be the second assistant to leave the Vols after receivers coach Frank Wilson joined LSU on Saturday, apparently taking over at the same position and adding responsibilities as recruiting coordinator. The Tigers also haven’t formally announced the hiring, though the decisions for both Wilson and Gran were made over the weekend.

Both are known as tireless recruiters, and Gran has built a reputation in South Florida in particular that makes him a perfect fit for the Seminoles.

“Eddie is still going over both options,” Kiffin said after practice Saturday. “Obviously that’s a really good place, so it’s a tough decision for him.

“He’s recruited Florida for years and years, and (Florida State) is a powerful school down there.”

It might have just added a bit more muscle on the sidelines. It certainly improved on the recruiting trail.

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Comments » 258

TonyGeist writes:

Have fun at the sinking ship

VOLKING writes:

...and he took Jeff Luc with him. Dang, this hurts.

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

No bowl news?

LILwaynesrockyTOP writes:

jumping off a sinking ship

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Why do you think they got on the train, moron? I mean, enjoy posting and all, just try not to sound stupid. Whoops, too late . . . .

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to LILwaynesrockyTOP:

jumping off a sinking ship

Great idea! Oh, you didn't mean you, huh?

tfoxi writes:

Sinking ship? Get the frick off of here you losers

volsfan4ever writes:

Yea it's awfully funny luc committed last night,now gran say's today he is going to fsu.I think that's B*ll****!!!He used the schools resources to recruit players.Now he takes another job and the players he has recruited with him.There is something wrong with that!

jobrando#216494 writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

No, it's the start of the raising of the Titanic

walter1998 writes:

You think the rumors about Nukeese talking to the NCAA is making all of these coaches hit the road?

chad_t31 writes:

What bothers me, and I don't have a problem with coaches leaving, is that he couldve been recruiting luc to fsu while he's still on our staff. If this is the case, what an a*s!

volsfan4ever writes:

I think kiffen has done a great job this year but this is getting ridiculous.Kids aren't going to go to a school where the coaches come in and out like a freakin revolving door!

chrisw2967 writes:

Im sure Gran takes the recruits with him but where is a link that Nuke is talking to the NCAA ?

kaplan#211944 (staff) writes:

in response to AllVol2008#1353998:

No bowl news?

It has been reported since Tuesday that Vols will play Va. Tech in Chick-fil-A. Nothing has changed and will be made offical tonight.

volsfan4ever writes:

in response to chrisw2967:

Im sure Gran takes the recruits with him but where is a link that Nuke is talking to the NCAA ?

That's what I'd like to know,probably just troll talk,they are freakin losers with no life!

lowman4vols writes:

in response to volsfan4ever:

I think kiffen has done a great job this year but this is getting ridiculous.Kids aren't going to go to a school where the coaches come in and out like a freakin revolving door!

i agree. i don't like kiffin's philosophy on that topic. if we change several coaches a year then we will never build chemistry with coaches and players. it's ok to lose a couple but i think we will lose another coach or two along the way too. not good.

notoriousBIGorange writes:

in response to LILwaynesrockyTOP:

jumping off a sinking ship

The UT program is in MUCH better shape that Fla State, even a blind man can see that. This will be a tough loss for UT, though.

On a happier note, ESPN is reporting that Urban Meyer has been hospitalized with dehydration. I guess it IS possible to cry a river. Where is the dignity with these guys??

volsfan4ever writes:

in response to kaplan#211944:

It has been reported since Tuesday that Vols will play Va. Tech in Chick-fil-A. Nothing has changed and will be made offical tonight.

Hey are you with the staff?anything you can do about all these other teams fans comin on here and talkin smack?Ban perhaps?

mountainbrook writes:

in response to LILwaynesrockyTOP:

jumping off a sinking ship

Jumping to a ship that sunk long ago. Given the poor performance of TN special teams this year I think he can be replaced.

chrisw2967 writes:

in response to notoriousBIGorange:

The UT program is in MUCH better shape that Fla State, even a blind man can see that. This will be a tough loss for UT, though.

On a happier note, ESPN is reporting that Urban Meyer has been hospitalized with dehydration. I guess it IS possible to cry a river. Where is the dignity with these guys??

wait until next year and when Meyers figures out he is nothing without crying boy and Kiffin runs the score up on him ,he will end up in a psych ward.

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to kaplan#211944:

It has been reported since Tuesday that Vols will play Va. Tech in Chick-fil-A. Nothing has changed and will be made offical tonight.

Thank you, sir.

VolunteerLifer writes:

Gran and Wilson are replaceable without too much fuss. I trust CLK to target and get just the right people for replacements. It is Kiffin's M.O. to replace them with even better performers than the ones who left, so I look forward to seeing their replacements.

It's interesting that other programs are targeting our assistants after a 7-5 year. One would think there would be full scale attacks on the staffs of the Alabama and florida staffs. Kinda puts to the lie the statments that Kiffin doesn't know what he is doing if his staffers are highly coveted after only one year of performance. Some say "Leaving a sinking ship." But acording to these reports, these assistants were targeted by others, they didn't go looking for a new job. When a staff is as good as this one, starting at the top, people know they can coach and recruit. That's why they are targeted.

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Witch Doctor is right (as usual) "Yawn." 4-1 and second in the East and a fantastic bowl game and another top ten class. Yep, CLK is a real moron.

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to VolunteerLifer:

Gran and Wilson are replaceable without too much fuss. I trust CLK to target and get just the right people for replacements. It is Kiffin's M.O. to replace them with even better performers than the ones who left, so I look forward to seeing their replacements.

It's interesting that other programs are targeting our assistants after a 7-5 year. One would think there would be full scale attacks on the staffs of the Alabama and florida staffs. Kinda puts to the lie the statments that Kiffin doesn't know what he is doing if his staffers are highly coveted after only one year of performance. Some say "Leaving a sinking ship." But acording to these reports, these assistants were targeted by others, they didn't go looking for a new job. When a staff is as good as this one, starting at the top, people know they can coach and recruit. That's why they are targeted.

Excellent post.

VolGrad writes:

in response to walter1998:

You think the rumors about Nukeese talking to the NCAA is making all of these coaches hit the road?

NuKeese has 0 credibility right now. So at this point, so does your post.

SwagVol writes:

For years, all I heard was that Fulmer was TOO loyal to his assistants and that since other schools rarely tried to poach a coach, then those assistants must not be worth a "dang."

Now that many schools are coming after UT's assistants, this too is a bad.

So, which is it? Maybe try being a half full Vol fan instead of a half empty one. It's way more enjoyable.

volfan53 writes:

in response to volsfan4ever:

I think kiffen has done a great job this year but this is getting ridiculous.Kids aren't going to go to a school where the coaches come in and out like a freakin revolving door!

Anyone who follows college football knows that assistant coaches come and go. It is the quality of the people you bring in to replace the ones you lose that will make a difference as to how well you do both in recruiting and playing. USC has a revolving door for assistant coaches and they don't seem to have any problems recruiting players. Oh yeah, CLK adn Big Ed O were assistant coaches there. I guess when they left USC just fell apart and couldn't recruit anyone. We still have a great staff and there are plenty of great coaches we can get out there to replace them. If you remember those guys were not out of a job when CLK got them to come here. I don't know about the Gran situation but Wilson is getting more than double the pay and gets to move closer to his family and friends. Sounds like a smart move to me. Besides, after LSU figures out Miles is not as good as they think he is, Wilson just may get to move on up. He is a great recruiter in that area of the country and not a bad coach at that.

What I'm saying is don't sweat the small stuff. We will have assistant coaches coming and going for many years but CLK will start piling up the wins real soon. If you don't have faith in his ability to coach just look at what he has done this year with an offense that had basically given up last lear. We could have just as easily been 10-2 as 7-5 if the offense had started clicking a little earlier.

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to VolGrad:

NuKeese has 0 credibility right now. So at this point, so does your post.

What does the NCAA want to do? Use Nukeese in a training video on how to get kicked out of school?

volsoutlaw writes:

What was one of our weakest links this season?
1...
2...
3...
times up!

Special teams

Hopefully this was mutual and the team can improve the area through both coaching and players

cardinalvol writes:

Hey, it is part of the business side of this sport! You can't blame someone for pursuing what they beleive to be a better opportunity. You have to hope and I beleive both of these guys are ethical and not recruiting for their new schools while working for us.

Change is good and CLK will repalce with top taelnt!

volsbandit writes:

if orgeron and monte leave, then i'll worry. until then, take care of the hokies. oh yeah....go HORNS!! embarrass the turds! please!

volsoutlaw writes:

in response to volfan53:

Anyone who follows college football knows that assistant coaches come and go. It is the quality of the people you bring in to replace the ones you lose that will make a difference as to how well you do both in recruiting and playing. USC has a revolving door for assistant coaches and they don't seem to have any problems recruiting players. Oh yeah, CLK adn Big Ed O were assistant coaches there. I guess when they left USC just fell apart and couldn't recruit anyone. We still have a great staff and there are plenty of great coaches we can get out there to replace them. If you remember those guys were not out of a job when CLK got them to come here. I don't know about the Gran situation but Wilson is getting more than double the pay and gets to move closer to his family and friends. Sounds like a smart move to me. Besides, after LSU figures out Miles is not as good as they think he is, Wilson just may get to move on up. He is a great recruiter in that area of the country and not a bad coach at that.

What I'm saying is don't sweat the small stuff. We will have assistant coaches coming and going for many years but CLK will start piling up the wins real soon. If you don't have faith in his ability to coach just look at what he has done this year with an offense that had basically given up last lear. We could have just as easily been 10-2 as 7-5 if the offense had started clicking a little earlier.

Agree.

Look at the coaches that joined our staff, where they came from (Auburn/Alabama/S.Carolina/ etc.)
Florida lost their OC to Mississippi St.
Alabama the LB coach to us, etc.

Look at how many OC left USC during or after CLK time( Norm Chow/Steve Sarkisian) just to name a few.

Not much changed

GahLee writes:

in response to walter1998:

You think the rumors about Nukeese talking to the NCAA is making all of these coaches hit the road?

Stop it...seriously, just stop it.

Cldvols1 writes:

No worries, good luck to the departing coaches! CLK and staff will replace them with even better coaches and recruiters, I have no doubts. Go Big ORANGE!!!

GahLee writes:

in response to chrisw2967:

Im sure Gran takes the recruits with him but where is a link that Nuke is talking to the NCAA ?

He won't be taking anyone.

volsfan4ever writes:

in response to volfan53:

Anyone who follows college football knows that assistant coaches come and go. It is the quality of the people you bring in to replace the ones you lose that will make a difference as to how well you do both in recruiting and playing. USC has a revolving door for assistant coaches and they don't seem to have any problems recruiting players. Oh yeah, CLK adn Big Ed O were assistant coaches there. I guess when they left USC just fell apart and couldn't recruit anyone. We still have a great staff and there are plenty of great coaches we can get out there to replace them. If you remember those guys were not out of a job when CLK got them to come here. I don't know about the Gran situation but Wilson is getting more than double the pay and gets to move closer to his family and friends. Sounds like a smart move to me. Besides, after LSU figures out Miles is not as good as they think he is, Wilson just may get to move on up. He is a great recruiter in that area of the country and not a bad coach at that.

What I'm saying is don't sweat the small stuff. We will have assistant coaches coming and going for many years but CLK will start piling up the wins real soon. If you don't have faith in his ability to coach just look at what he has done this year with an offense that had basically given up last lear. We could have just as easily been 10-2 as 7-5 if the offense had started clicking a little earlier.

I do agree with the wilson perspective,can't blame him for wanting to live closer to his family and making double.The problem I have is these assistants recruit players with the school's resources,then go to other schools and take the recruits with them.

jhayes0926#638474 writes:

I'm sure that whatever recruits we lose because of this, we will more than make up when we hire better assistant coaches than we lose. Besides, the web sites are all saying we have many more high profile recruits targeted than scholarships to offer, so we can afford to drop a few. No problem as long as we keep the two Kiffs and EO.

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

SC beat Clemson. UGA beat Tech. KY very strong. And Fl was #1 all year. Yep, you're still stupid . . . .

CoverOrange writes:

Assistants are hired to recruit. Coordinators do the planning and programming of practice and the game. It's the recruiting aspect to worry about.

Tennessee can be a place coaches come to improve their resume or they can come to retire. Which would you want?

volsoutlaw writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Kentucky is up, Georgia is down...just a flip in the East. LSU and Mississippi were both up and down, but ranked highly during the season. Overall, I would say the SEC is much improved top to bottom from last year.

chrisw2967 writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Lets try to guess what RMFT stands for,here is my try
R=Redneck
M=Moron
F=From
T=Tuscaloosa

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll...

mlsoft#228820 writes:

in response to volfan53:

Anyone who follows college football knows that assistant coaches come and go. It is the quality of the people you bring in to replace the ones you lose that will make a difference as to how well you do both in recruiting and playing. USC has a revolving door for assistant coaches and they don't seem to have any problems recruiting players. Oh yeah, CLK adn Big Ed O were assistant coaches there. I guess when they left USC just fell apart and couldn't recruit anyone. We still have a great staff and there are plenty of great coaches we can get out there to replace them. If you remember those guys were not out of a job when CLK got them to come here. I don't know about the Gran situation but Wilson is getting more than double the pay and gets to move closer to his family and friends. Sounds like a smart move to me. Besides, after LSU figures out Miles is not as good as they think he is, Wilson just may get to move on up. He is a great recruiter in that area of the country and not a bad coach at that.

What I'm saying is don't sweat the small stuff. We will have assistant coaches coming and going for many years but CLK will start piling up the wins real soon. If you don't have faith in his ability to coach just look at what he has done this year with an offense that had basically given up last lear. We could have just as easily been 10-2 as 7-5 if the offense had started clicking a little earlier.

I am not all that surprised that folks are coming after our assistants -- that is the business side of the college game.

What irritates me is that they are doing so before our bowl game -- that used to be frowned upon. I hope they leave us enough coaches to manage the bowl.

mlsoft

CoverOrange writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Read carefully. I said they were HIRED to recruit. Meaning recruiting abilities are paramount over coaching abilities. Of course they coach but the principle reason for hiring was recruiting. If they prove out to be good coaches also they move up the ladder.

BillyVol writes:

Did anyone in their right mind think that these coaches don't work for money, and also wanting to move up. Family first, that means money.

Does anyone think that Lane will not bring in two more good coaches. Yes he will, because somewhere out there are those coaches that he has is eyes on even as you read this.

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.

Wake up, you pessimists, and smell the roses as in National Championship in a few years.

oldvolsfan writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

he is smarter than you are numnuts it's clear you don't know anything
go with fulmer to louisville

AllVol2008#1353998 writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Yep, a record ten teams going to bowl games. The SEC is really down. Still stupid. And can you spell anything correctly?

GahLee writes:

in response to RMFT987:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

His was much better and you know it..take a douche!!!!!!!

tuckepk writes:

Look at his picture--says Auburn. Didn't even stay long enough to get his picture made here. This is as bad as free agency in MLB and salary cap chaos in the NFL. Money talks and more money talks louder. The highest bidder wins--that's the only real loyalty.

UTmama writes:

This is off the subject. Was there a time deadline for today to try and get on the list for tix for a bowl game. We are season tix holders and want to get on the list and are unable to pull up the bowl application on uttix.com. Thanks for any help!

GahLee writes:

in response to Witch_Doctor:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

It never ends Witch...it never ends.

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