LSAClassOf2000

October 30th, 2017 at 11:44 AM ^

I don't see it, but I could be wrong.

I mean, he's been out of coaching for a decade now and I believe he's complained about the encumberances of being a college coach in general. That, and why would he leave the booth except in some "couldn't miss" scenario, and even then perhaps not?

Not saying such a thing couldn't work, but it always seems like Gruden is indifferent or cool on this idea based on actions. 

 

MotownGoBlue

October 30th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^

Gotta believe every recruit in the nation would listen to Gruden’s pitch. He knows the QB position inside and out; easily the most important spot in college football. Knoxville’s not the worst place to live. Tradition, fanbase, stadium, resources... I doubt he goes for it, but it could work. 30% chance of it happening, 50% chance it’d work.

Perkis-Size Me

October 30th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^

I don't necessarily think he "knows the QB position inside and out." Gruden's QBs in Tampa were pretty unspectacular. Brad Johnson, Chris Simms, Jeff Garcia. They were just average guys who he asked to not make mistakes. His offenses in Tampa, overall, were pretty meh. Tampa only ever got anywhere under Gruden because of the defense that Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin built together. That was what won Tampa the Super Bowl.

Also, most recruits these days were no more than 7-8 years old the last time Gruden coached. All they know him as is a MNF commentator. It's not unreasonable to question whether Gruden "has it" anymore. 

Perkis-Size Me

October 30th, 2017 at 4:49 PM ^

He couldn't get his QBs in Tampa to be anything more than game managers. I'm sure part of that in the early days was by design when Tampa's defense was so dominant that the QB didn't have to be a game-changer. But towards the end of his tenure, his QBs still weren't much to write home about. 

A lot of the stuff he spews on his QB camp show, I'm sure, is just for show. He's a TV personality, so I'm sure he says things that are meant to generate buzz. 

H8anythingState2

October 30th, 2017 at 11:47 AM ^

But I have always believed that Gruden kind of followed on Dungy’s coat tail. Dungy had setup that Super Bowl winning team in Tampa the year before. Scheme and all. The Tampa 2 was Dungy’s baby and Gruden got the Super Bowl ring with it. Dungy should have two rings.

MotownGoBlue

October 30th, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^

Dungy is a HOF coach with a SB ring for a reason, and he did build that Tampa Bay defense. But, he didn’t win squat with them. Perhaps another year, perhaps Gruden wins the SB with the Raiders... At any rate, I’m not arguing Gruden’s a better coach than Dungy, only that he gets the credit for the SB win, the same way Dungy gets credit for walking into a gold mine in Indy, and getting it done.

H8anythingState2

October 30th, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^

Of winning it all at Tampa. The playoff loss the year before was one too many playoff loses for Tampa execs. They were premature in firing Dungy is my real point. Yeah, Gruden did well with the Raiders, but really that is all I see. Tampa is not his to claim in my mind.

CRISPed in the DIAG

October 30th, 2017 at 3:20 PM ^

Dungy is on the cusp of being overrated. Never got over the hump with a dominant defense in Tampa. Was regularly housed by Bill and Tom in Indy an managed to win a ring against the token NFC opponent with Manning as defacto OC. Neg away, but Dungy always struck me as a Hall of Very Good rather than Hall of Canton HC.

cincygoblue

October 30th, 2017 at 6:35 PM ^

But to some credit, didn’t Gruden take the Raiders to the super bowl a year or two before he won it with Dungy’s team?

I personally don’t like Tony Dungy, glad Gruden got the ring and the reputation.

RainbowSprings

October 30th, 2017 at 11:48 AM ^

Everyone here in central Florida was delighted when he took the Bucs job from Tony Dungy, went 12-4 in 2002 with a SB win. In the subsequent 6 years he went 45-51, and the fans were even happier when he left town. His offensive play calling was overly complex, resulting in many false start and delay of game penalties when they couldn't get the plays called properly on time. The Volunteers can have him.

Perkis-Size Me

October 30th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^

The guy hasn't coached any level of football in a decade. He hasn't coached in college in over 25 years. Does he remember how to recruit, or even know how? Even when he was with the Bucs, he had only a handful of good seasons. Yes, he won a Super Bowl. But that was Tony Dungy's team. 

He's not a bad coach, but $10 million a year for him? Also, not sure Gruden would want it. He gets paid $6.5 million a year to work one day a week for sixteen weeks out of the year, followed by working a few weeks with QB draft prospects during the offseason. How much difference does an additional $3.5 million a year make when the condition for it is you're out on the recruiting trail 365 days a year, having to schmooze with the boosters, and handle the day-to-day responsibilities of running a big-time college program? Oh, and every year have to deal with Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, and whatever possible big-time coach Florida brings in? 

It might be stress he just doesn't want. 

lilpenny1316

October 30th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^

Wisconsin needs a threat in the B1G West, plus Purdue is off our schedule until 2020.  Let an improved Purdue team give OSU, PSU and Sparty trouble the next couple of years, then leave before the 2020 season.

Also, I hope Petrino doesn't take the job because Louisville would probably try to lure Brohm back.

Inman

October 30th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^

B shocked if he coaches there. If nd opened up in near future, which shockingly doesn't look likely I could see him taking that.

sleeper

October 30th, 2017 at 12:40 PM ^

his $6.5 million salary gets cut in the next round of ESPN layoffs? I would be suprised if he is the next coach. Maybe Campbell from Iowa State will get a look. 

Toasted Yosties

October 30th, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^

I always wanted him at Michigan, but, seeing as the guy hasn’t coached in a decade, coached college in a quarter century, nor taken part in 24/7/365 recruiting, I have a lot more doubts than I did five or six years ago.

erald01

October 30th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^

This is dumb and shows desperation. The guy has not coached football in a long time and to think he will walk in a collge campus and start winning right away is pure delusion. I also never understood what people saw in him. If he was that great he would still be out on the side line coaching. I could be wrong but i just dont see it.

charblue.

October 30th, 2017 at 4:46 PM ^

Cuckoo's Nest. The book and the film are totally different and the film was a huge star vehicle for Jack Nicholson's character, though the book was never intended to be told from his POV.

That is how I regard the Tennessee pitch, or in fact, any pitch to Gruden at this point to coach at any level. He's a guy who gets it but doesn't need to get it anymore. As a result, he is  a guy who answers lame questions in connection with Corona Beer. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It pays better than checking out high school phenoms to star in Knoxville.

Hoke the Joke

October 30th, 2017 at 9:07 PM ^

This has goto be fake news right?  In what World would TN hiring Gruden end well?  Illinois already tried the plan of hiring an out-of-work, ex-mediocre-NFL coach and it ain't working out too hot for them.