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WTH? :wtf:

Coming from Warchant best I can tell right now.   :confused: :confused: :banghead: :banghead:

I suppose the most obvious conclusion is that he and Butch just don't mesh. If we're putting our trust in Butch to restore the program then I guess we don't want anyone on the staff that is causing friction. But this just sucks.

Well this is a big ole stone cast into the middle of the slowly calming waters of my TN sports psyche.

If this is true and it probably is it makes Butch look a lot like Dooley.  :hurl:  Hasn't been here but 3 months and already lost a coach.  :confused:  :run:

It's true. Butch confirmed via twitter.

True. Money I guess.

So much for VFL

Something is broken on The Hill.  I don't know what it is, but I think it goes well beyond the financial issues we've been hearing so much about.  Chuck Smith, Tee Martin, and now Graham.  When you fire/are subbed by/lose that many alumni, then something is wrong, and we all know it.  At this point, I would expect Bruce Pearl to take the UK job when his show cause is up next year.  For Peyton Manning to retire from the NFL and turn down the UT HC position to go and be a grad assistant at UF.  For John Ward to come out of retirement to go to Alabama and be Eli Gold's spotter. 

Seriously, WTF is going on in Knoxville?  I think we're owed some answers. :frown:

LOL. I'm stealing the John Ward remark.

Basilio says (yeah, yeah; I know) that Graham left out of frustration over the players he wasn't allowed to recruit due to Cheek's restrictions. IF that's true (and, honestly, it wouldn't surprise me), Graham took one for the team, because this might be the tipping point. Too many people are already upset with Cheek's interference.

I'm with you. When you factor all of that together it doesn't pass the smell test.

I think Cheek has become a convenient scapegoat for everything the AD is going through right now. I've yet to see any evidence whatsoever that he's putting extra restrictions on our recruitment of athletes or that he's sticking his nose into AD affairs any more than any other Chancellor would.

If it does end up that he's causing problems in the AD by imposing restrictions that don't exist at other SEC schools, then he needs to be called on it publicly. He came from a school that has managed success in academics and athletics as well as any in the country, so he ought to know better.

This is not a flame, but it would not surprise me at all if UT goes after the Towel Waver to replace Graham. He's got the recruiting experience and is available. How would that make you guys feel?

Speaking for myself, that would make me feel much worse.

Not for that. Troublemaker.

wouldn't surprise me either. I would be ok with it. Whoever it is, needs to to not be melanin challenged.

I agree with you, CO.  I believe that to be an internet/sports stalk radio bitch and wine excuse.  There's just nothing there to back that up.  Some of the recruits that UT is having issues with academically, other schools are having the same issues.  Don't believe that theory holds water. 

That would make me feel like shizzle.  Which is why I have every confidence that it will indeed happen. :banghead:

well, IMO he was a good RB coach but not so much a receivers coach. 

That being said, incidents while he was here and subsequent to his departure would put him in the not only no but HE'LL NO bucket!

That and that my chest still hurts from chest bumping him after beating the corn dogs in 05  :eek:

Has he been cleared in the NCAA investigation? Auburn took him off recruiting while Chizik was still there.

I don't think so, but Curtis Luper has been cleared and is now coaching at TCU.

Yep...and I don't think Trooper has anything to worry about.  Luper was the primary focus on that investigation, with Taylor included, but not the key focul point. I think he will be cleared if he is not already.

Me neither. Worse case scenario is probation ... how much worse is that from the last few years? At least there could be significant wins along the way!?!?!?!?

 :dielaughing:

So, was it just a coinkidink that when Trooper became such a good RB coach was the same year that Cut came back and revamped the offensive scheme? 

Trooper coached running backs in 2004, Cutcliffe returned to UT in 2006.

I think he is clear

Not that Erik Ainge has all the inside connections, but he was saying this morning that UT countered to match FSU's offer and Graham turned it down and left, with the reason being that FSU's program is in better shape.

So he quit because this job is too hard.

You know what? I'm sure it's hard. The talent level needs to be improved, there's a negative culture among the fans that needs to be turned around, and to do it you've got to start beating some of college football's juggernauts. This is a tough league, so of course this job was hard.

If this is an accurate description of the situation, then good riddance. This team needs a little more toughness than Jay Graham apparently has in him. So bring us another guy-- UT connections or no-- that really wants it.

Not accurate. Ainge will sometimes say things without knowing the facts.

However, FSU lost a bunch of coaches and is hiring a bunch of news ones.

Ainge has been right on a lot of things, and his take sounds pretty believable imo.

He also said Graham wanted the title of recruiting coordinator.

What are the facts?

Exactly.

Ainge is connected, imo.  He was right on with the Gruden thing when all of us were buying the rumors.  He earned some cred with me through that.

 https://m.govolsxtra.com/news/2013/feb/25/source-graham-was-offered-40000-raise-to-300000/ (https://m.govolsxtra.com/news/2013/feb/25/source-graham-was-offered-40000-raise-to-300000/)

According to Evan Woodberry of the News-Sentinel, Jones upped the ante to $300K and Graham still said no.  He simply didn't want to be here. 

Time to move on. 

Agreed there . . . move on to coaches who want to be here and are willing to work their asses off to bring UT back. It saddens me that Graham can't be counted as either of those but that's his choice.

FSU is an easier job.  Easier conference, easier school to recruit for.  That seems to be the bottom line to me.  Graham chose the easier route rather than rolling up his sleeves and going to work for his alma mater.

This suxes.  You never know if Grahm just didn't feel right with Jones.  Who knows.  We have to move on.

I have a feeling that FSU is on the verge of an implosion anyway.  The coaches deserting that program remind me of Dooley's last year.

I just look at the improvement in our run game last year and shake my head, but I am sure the OL coach had something to do with that also, and hopefully the improvement will stick.