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According to Joe Biddle, who spoke about the UT coaching issue tonight on News 2 in Nashville, John Gruden is not coming to Tennessee, has no interest in coaching at the college level, and even wants “the people in Tennessee to quit putting [his] name out there.” Joe claims to have a source who is a personal friend of John’s brother, Jay Gruden.

Of course, if Gruden doesn’t want his name “out there,” all he has to do is address the matter himself, which he has not done. Biddle’s assertion also contradicts the reports from folks like Mort, who says that Gruden does indeed have some interest in the college game specifically.

If Biddle's claims are true, I expect that Gruden will make his non-interest known very soon, especially now that Dooley is out. The coming days should be interesting.

That will be true no matter what.   :biggrin:

So...hearsay,  which is all anyone else has. Biddle has been irrelevant for a long time. #Grudenwatch2012

Gruden probably isn't coming.

On the other hand, I didn't know Joe Biddle was still alive.

Joe Biddle likes to pick at UT.  He thinks he has to act this way due to the fact that he and Spurrier went to HS together.  He is usually anti UT and this seems like it would be right up his ally to get involved.  Not to mention he gets his name circulated again. 

I don't think Gruden is coming either but Biddle's source is no stronger than any other.

remind me again, what did Saban say before going to Bama?

If Gruden's word can be compared to Saban's, we don't need him.

I'm pretty sure 99.9% of UT fans would take Saban and his word in a heartbeat.  :nod:

Is ESPN gearing up for Gruden's inevitable departure?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/richard_deitsch/11/18/media-circus-jon-gruden-espn-trent-dilfer/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a1

Possibly so, but that wouldn't make UT any more likely to be his destination. There could be 3-4 NFL teams and a couple more NCAA jobs on the radar too. I know we've all heard that UT would be the only NCAA job he'd be interested in but personally I'm prepared for the tremendous gut punch we would take if we went to a different college job.

Arkansas is trying to get him.  Those #badwords#  :bird:

Reports today indicate that San Diego and Philly are no longer in consideration for Gruden. That leaves Cleveland in the NFL. Of the college jobs available, UT and Arkansas are the only really likely destinations . . . unless USC were to fire Kiffin, which seems unlikely. The only advantage Arkansas has over UT is money and I'm not sure they have an advantage there. Are they really prepared to offer $6m a year if that is what it takes?

At this point, IF Gruden decides to get back into coaching, I think there's an excellent chance that Tennessee is where he's headed. I think it's more likely he decides to stay put with MNF and ESPN, but we shall see.

I believe Haden has already said Kiffin is coming back, so scratch that one off the list.

http://www.sbnation.com/2012/11/17/3659624/lane-kiffin-hot-seat-usc-coach-says-hes-definitely-coming-back

Of course, (a) if so, does it really mean anything, and (b) Kiffin is apparently the source, and that speaks for itself.   :dielaughing:  So maybe you are right to still give it a chance of happening.

Frankly I don't think it will for simple reason.  I have always thought Kiffin was the fall guy for the probation, and if so, it makes sense to keep him another 1-2 years.  Let him bend over next year and and suffer the full sanctions, be humliated, and then slink out the door with one of the worst records in USCw history after a year or two.

Sounds about right to me... :naughty:

Nobody in their right mind would go to Ark unless they were like, actually born there and had no choice.

I was in Arkansas once....ONCE!

He did say that. But if Notre Dame humiliates USC and the fan base grows restless enough, his tune may changed. It wouldn't be the first time an AD's hand has been forced by a disgruntled fan base. I do think it's extremely unlikely. Kiffin will likely be the nation's No. 1 hot seat coach next season.

So, I’ve not heard that Gruden has said anything to quiet the noise. Again, if Biddle’s claims are accurate and Gruden truly wants Tennessee fans to stop bringing his name up in this coaching search, why doesn’t he just say, “Thanks but I am not interested…”