Tennessee Vols: Smoke Around Jon Gruden Is Very Heavy
By Zach Ragan
The Tennessee Vols are in the middle of their fourth coaching search in less than a decade.
The Grumors surrounding Tennessee Vols football are red hot at the moment.
Former Vols beat reporter John Brice stoked the fire on Monday afternoon when he reported that Jon Gruden has reached out to coaches to gauge their potential interest in joining him in Knoxville.
"The overtures to Jon Gruden, a Super Bowl champion coach, the NFL’s most recognizable broadcast voice and one-time UT assistant coach in the 1980s, are very real and much further along than at any point in any of Tennessee’s previous courtships to the mega-star football mind.Six different sources, ranging from current coaches to former all-time great Vols to college administrators, in the past 72-96 hours tell me that Gruden is far more seriously considering this Tennessee offer than ever before; so much so that Gruden is making some preliminary calls to coaches and other college athletics folks about potentially joining him in Knoxville."
The assistant coaches that Brice is referring to have been identified as either USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin or Appalachian State linebackers coach Dale Jones, both former Vols.
Former Tennessee wide receiver Jayson Swain corroborated the reports on Monday.
This is true. He’s reached out to two former Vols who are coaching currently, to see if they join him. Only know of two at moment. I’ll still believe it when I see it. https://t.co/4UKeCGGgwt
— Jayson Swain (@SwainEvent) November 13, 2017
Swain also mentioned that he’s hearing Gruden will be in the area this week for “meetings”.
I got the same info that he’s going to be around this part of the country for some “meetings”
— Jayson Swain (@SwainEvent) November 13, 2017
Gruden to Tennessee is one of those things that you don’t believe it until you see it. But it certainly seems like it’s gaining some traction.
When the Vols job was open in 2012, Gruden entertained the idea of coming to Knoxville. In 2015, he said the timing (in 2012) wasn’t right, while still calling the gig a “dream job”.
The timing could be perfect in 2017.
Tenenssee’s roster is in better shape. The athletic department has better leadership (apologies to John Currie for doubting him) and Gruden’s job at ESPN might not be as secure/lucrative as it previously was.
Does this mean that Gruden is absolutely going to take the job?
No one has any way to know at this point. But I don’t think he’d put this much effort into calling folks if he wasn’t seriously considering taking the job.
Next: A Deeper Look at Gruden's Personality
Currie is going to do his due diligence in this coaching search, while also not letting it drag out. So I don’t expect it to take too long. I think we’ll know who the Vols’ coach will be in 2018 before the end of November.