Tennessee Vols Coaching Search: Dan Mullen Still The Top Target?
By Zach Ragan
The Tennessee Vols could be nearing the end of their head coaching search.
This might not go over well with a certain section of the Tennessee Vols fan base, but it appears that Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen is still the top head coaching target for UT.
Chris Landry, who owns a coaching consulting business that helps schools and NFL teams locate and evaluate head coaches, tweeted to me on Friday night that Mullen is still the top guy in Tennessee’s search.
I've given evaluations on a lot of coaching candidates there so I'm not sure how short their list has gotten,.....If they are willing to spend $ on support staff etc. I have felt that DAN MULLEN would take it---but he will need to be convinced to leave MISS ST.
— Landry Football (@LandryFootball) November 25, 2017
Landry also said that Mullen is the smartest hire that Tennessee could make.
Mullen’s career record at Mississippi State, on first glance, isn’t that impressive. But you have to take into account that Mullen’s had unprecedented success as the Bulldogs’ head coach — while playing in the toughest division in college football.
I think Mullen would be a great option for Tennessee. He isn’t my top candidate for the opening, but I do think he’d have Tennessee competing for SEC championships.
By the way, my first option for the Volunteers would be Washington head coach Chris Petersen. There were reports on Friday that Tennessee athletic director John Currie flew to Seattle this past week to gauge Petersen’s interest.
Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t seem like Petersen, a west coast lifer, is a realistic choice.
That’s a sentiment that Chris Landy shares.
NO....Chris is locked in at Washington...he's a northwest guy.....If he won't go with his ex boss at UW---Scott Woodard now AD at TXAM, it will be tough to get him out of there......
— Landry Football (@LandryFootball) November 25, 2017
There hasn’t been a lot of good information on the Vols’ coaching search floating around. Currie has done a marvelous job of keeping everything quiet.
Next: Vols Coaching Search Hot Board
But if anyone has an inside track on what’s going on in the coaching search world, it’s Chris Landry.
Which means there’s a good chance Dan Mullen is Tennessee’s next head coach.