My Opinion

[73Volgrad]

I think AD White got several not interested replies when the search committee asked if the person contacted was interested in the job of HC. Thus a 3rd party can ask and be rejected without the AD offering the job. So the AD can truthfully say I only offered one person the HC position. Plausible deniability. 

Regardless, UT was never going to hire the big ticket HC some of the fans always clamor for. UT was never going to offer a HC with a NCAA record of sanctions. That is, Freeze was never going to be offered. It appears the search committee contacted plenty of candidates that said No Thanks and several that used the interest to get more money and/or time.

Like many others here, my advise is to stop whining about any hire. If it is not your decision, you have no right to say is is a bad hire. Would I have liked another coaching hire. Maybe. I do not know if it was good or not.

[VinnieVOL]

Totally.  It's pretty clear what happened.

White reached out to the wish list, and they said "not interested".  What's he supposed to do, say that right before he introduces JH?  I don't think so.   

White had JH in his back pocket the whole time, and had to give him a call when Elliot supposedly backed out at the 11th hour.  Honestly, in his presser JH seemed pretty surprised to be there, too.

[Tnphil]

Totally.  It's pretty clear what happened.

White reached out to the wish list, and they said "not interested".  What's he supposed to do, say that right before he introduces JH?  I don't think so.   

White had JH in his back pocket the whole time, and had to give him a call when Elliot supposedly backed out at the 11th hour.  Honestly, in his presser JH seemed pretty surprised to be there, too.

Yep...White had to look as if he was fishing in deep waters and he had a fall back in Heupel.

Like I heard it said on Fox Sports this morning....UT wasn't getting their top choices when UT has no idea what sanctions they are looking at...They used Chad Campbell as a example....Said....So we are to believe Campbell would leave ISU where he's built a real good program and ISU will probably be ranked preseason top 10 this coming season to leave and go to UT that's in the dumps before any NCAA sanctions.