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Vols Football: Updated Coaching Candidates For Tennessee

By Zach Ragan

LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 28: Jarrett Guarnanto of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball while defended by Denzil Ware
LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 28: Jarrett Guarnanto of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball while defended by Denzil Ware /
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BOCA RATON, FL – DECEMBER 20: Head coach Mike Norvell of the Memphis Tigers slaps hands with players during the fourth quarter of the game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at FAU Stadium on December 20, 2016 in Boca Raton, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /

Mike Norvell — Head coach at Memphis

Mike Norvell might seem like an uninspiring hire, but he’s turned out to be a pretty solid coach.

Norvell took the job at Memphis after serving as Arizona State’s offensive coordinator. After taking over for Justin Fuente in 2016, he led the Tigers to an 8-5 record. He has his team off to a 7-1 start this season.

It’s also worth mentioning that Norvell has done a tremendous job with former Tennessee quarterback Riley Ferguson.

So what’s are the concerns here?

Well, a lack of SEC experience and he’s only been a head coach for two seasons. That’s a really small sample size. Maybe Ferguson is the reason for his success?

I don’t think Norvell would be a bad hire, but I do think he’d be a bit of gamble. There’s no way to tell if he’d turn out to be any better than Butch Jones in the long run.

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