BTW-if you're a Tide fan.... -Your team is ranked #1 during the season for the first time since 1980 -Auburn sucks -Fulmer gone -Notre Dame mediocre This may be their best week ever, or at least in a long, long time. Talk radio in North Alabama is flowing crimson payback today.
I think it had to be done. I also think he was a good coach and a good man, but his time had run it's course. It's going to be interesting to see who they get. Tennessee should be able to get a good coach.
Corey beat me to the punch. This became public information during my drive to work. I feel sorry for Phil but am ecstatic for the program.
Sorry Tom, I didn't mean to steal your guys thunder. I waited for a while to see if the topic popped up and when it didn't.. I just decided to lay down the dance floor for ya. You kids enjoy the music, I'll just spin the records. So.. Lane Kiffin?
Corey, I think Kiffin is my #1 choice (of who's available). It's a difficult job and, IMO, you need a young guy who can inspire a lot of positive buzz and make a good pitch to kids. Maybe with a hire like Kiffin Tenn. can retain the commitment by Tajh Boyd that they received over the weekend.
Kiffin has supposedly let Washington know that he's interested, and being a West Coast guy I would imagine if offered the Wash job he'll take it. But personally I'm not sure why people like Kiffin, as I said the last time we talked about this his resume' is pretty thin. But he is young, and he did grow up in a football coaching familiy. His dad is a very highly thought of NFL DCoord. What I would be worried about with Kiffin is that his college resume, while with USC during their NC runs, is based on him taking over for Norm Chow and just not screwing it up. His guys were Chow trained and all he had to do was go with what was already in place.
Rumor has it that there are 5 names being tossed about: 1) Butch Davis 2) Mike Leach 3) Will Muschamp 4) Lane Kiffin 5) Gary Patterson
Will Muschamp certainly knows the SEC and knows Defense. Never having been a head coach before though he'd be a big risk, but so was Bob Stoops when he took over OU. Gary Patterson has done the classic great job at a smaller program with far less resources than Tenn has to offer. So conventional wisdom says if he can do it there, what could he do with Tenn resources. Kiffin just doesn't do it for me. Mike Leach...Pirate meets Smokey, that would be some great cartoons!! I've already said that I don't think he'll get a sniff due to personality and lack of well rounded coaching resume....ie has good offense and good defense. Although he's only been at Baylor 1 year, I would put Art Briles on my list ahead of Kiffin and Leach. I would also be interested in Skip Holtz and I would be interested in Mike Dantoni at Mich State and the Kelly guy at Cincy.
Hey guys I don't like Kiffin as a pick BTW. I think he was a clipboard guy for Chow and Sarkisian is a better coach. That's just my opinion that, hell I could be wrong. What about Turner Gill? What about Kelly?
I'm surprised that Jim Grobe of Wake Forest hasn't been mentioned. He's sure done a great job with The Deacons. PJ in Jersey
PJ, good one! I watched a thing on Wake earlier in the year. They've dumped an absolute ton of money into that program in an effort to keep him from leaving. They are re-doing the stadium, facilities etc... Or he could go to UT and have all that right now
Not really suprising that the players would feel this way I guess. But they don't always have the best perspective.
These are also the guys that are proclaiming to play harder for him in the remaining games. Hey idiots: If there was more to give and you didn't give it... Guess who got him fired!!!!! If he wanted to leave on his own terms, he missed that opportunity in 2005. He didn't do it then, and he wasn't going to do it now. These kids just learned a harsh lesson. The real world is based upon achieving expectations. You don't deliver... you don't stay. It is just that simple. The sooner they learn that, the better off they will be.
One thing for sure, in the end it will be somebody nobody could predict. When looking back a coach searches at big time schools who would have predicted these outcomes in the early search. USC - Pete Carrol was hired as the 5th or 6th choice I was overjoyed and figured our dominance of USC would continue. Ohio State - Jim Tressel...Bob Stoops was supposed to come home I think. Alabama - Nick Saban ..".I am not going to be the coach at Alabama" Notre Dame - Too many to list. Florida - Ron Zook - Bob Stoops was to come home here as well, then maybe Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden. Michigan - Rich Rodrigues ...Les Miles was supposed to come home to Mama! Dare I say Tenn will also have a suprise coach as well.
Cross off Butch Davis, David Cutliffe and Steve Spurrier. All denied any interest in the job yesterday. As usual Spurrier provided the best quotes for the day!!