VTTW Board Index

Although premature, I was thinking about what we do if a coaching change does occur at the end of the season. I like the idea of backing up a brinks truck full of money and hiring the best coach out there but I dont see a Saban or Myer type as out there for the taking. 

There are some successful coaches who are consumate managers, who have the clout to recruit anywhere and can get great assistants to work for them (saban).  There are others who are genius at their craft, have unique offensive systems that make them successful and is attractive to recruits (Myer or maybe kelley).  Bama drug Saban back from the NFL with the brinks truck but is there anyone out there that fits that profile of surefire winner?  Pete Carrol?  He hasn't failed enough yet in the NFL to make a return to college.  Myer and Sabin are not going anywhere.  Petrino has too much baggage IMO.  Who is the sure fire bet that we can simply pay and get?  I dont see one.  I keep hearing the Gruden thing but that is not a good choice.  Gruden hates young players.  He had the biggest most complicated playbood in the NFL. He likes complicated offenses and would have no patience for college players abilities.  He has never recruited.  He makes more money than we can pay, to work much less.  Dont see it.  Cower has no reason to come....he is an NFL guy.  I dont see a sure thing college guy that we could pay a boatload to and be assured of results.  Who we gonna get?  Another young up-and-comer?  That hasn't worked out too well so far.  I hate the thought of it but Petrino is probably the best option as far as recruiting and system but the baggage is just too big a problem for many fans. 


Who else is there?

All I know is that I'm fully prepared to be underwhelmed.

It'll probably be Kirby Smart- who, to me, is Dooley 2.0.  The only difference being that Smart hasn't taken a mid-major HC job yet. :banghead:

Petrino is a sure-fire winner. He'll probably be gone in three years, but I'm good with winning big for those three. One thing to keep in mind about the UT opening (if things shake out that way) is that the NCAA is hanging over head and there is decent talent now.

The job is much more attractive than it has been before. For that we can thank Dooley. Hopefully he gets it together and wins 9 games, but if not he at least has done a good job cleaning up.

see Louisville, Atlanta, Arkansas.  No thank you.

Agree, hiring Petrino would be a disgrace.

I don't want Petrino in any way, but everybody better be ready for they possibility because if they want a big name, proven head coach, he is the only guy who will crawl to Knoxville to take the job.

I wouldn't mind Mike Riley of Oregon State or Charlie Strong of Louisville. They've done very good jobs Coaching at their schools

I am fully prepared for that possibility.  I'm also prepared to become an AFA fan for a few years until Petrino slithers out of town, leaving us in worse shape than we were 3 years ago.  :frown:

You are probably correct about that! :wave:

What happens if he has been truly humbled and stays at UT 10 years and wins big with no incident?

Then my fall Saturdays open up for the next decade.  But I think we both know that that won't happen.

I like Strong a lot, but if things don't work out bring on Petrino. Here's why.

1) You can't plan beyond five years realistically.

2) A coach who doesn't work out will be done after three

3) Petrino is likely good for three years.

So if you can get a sure-fire coach (there are about five of them) for three seasons you get him. Anything else is a bonus.

What about providing Dan Mullen an opportunity to upgrade schools? I think he is a good coach, though testy with the media at times. But I think he can win if he is given the facilities, fans and recruiting areas that UT enjoys.

My choice is Mark Dantonio from Michigan State.

He won at Cincy and has won in East Lansing.  They may not have looked too good the last two weeks, but he has that program in a good place.

He played at South Carolina, so there are some southern ties.

I don't know but he needs to be a jerk, apparently.

It sounds like Mullen may have to deal with some NCAA issues.  No thanks. :frown:

I'll tell you who I would back the truck up for, and then some...Bill Snyder.

Here's a guy who got it done at KANSAS STATE  :crazy:, not once, but twice   :wow: :wow: :wow:

Seriously, KState was as bad as vandy or kentucky, maybe WORSE, for like 50 years and counting and Snyder single-handedly changed that to where they consitently finished in the top 25 or even top 10, and actually won a Big 12 championship.

If he can do that at K State, imagine what he could do with UT's tradition and resources  :nod:

His name did come up briefly when Fulmer was fired, but everyone thought he was (a) too old, and (b) not interested in coming out of retirement.  But then he did come back to KSU, ironically right in the middle of the coaching search to replace Fulmer.

So I am just letting that long-term thing go and I think most fans are.  I think he would  be a great interim coach to get us back to that next level for 3-4 years.  We could even consider bringing in a hot young OC or DC as coach in waiting.  True, that did not work for UTexass but it did work pretty well (eventually) for FSU.

I doubt he would come.  KSU is "his baby", and I suspect he doesn't want to leave.  But you know, if the price is right....maybe?

Then again, he was 69 when he hired back on at KSU in 2008, and of course was really familiar with the place.  I doubt he would  consider jumping to Knoxville at 72-73.

But he would have, IMO, made a great replacement for Fulmer, in hindsight.

I have an idea..........Bring on Basketball!

go get him. Blank check.

Another good one.  He is a no nonsense kind of guy, too.