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Tennessee Football: 3 coaches to take over as head coach

By Colton Pickard

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 26: Fans take their seats before the Tennessee Volunteers play against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 26: Fans take their seats before the Tennessee Volunteers play against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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Dec 29, 2020; San Antonio, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns coach Tom Herman celebrates after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2020; San Antonio, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns coach Tom Herman celebrates after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Former Texas head coach Tom Herman

This might be Tennessee’s best chance at hiring a head coach with Power 5 head coaching experience in a quick manner. Tom Herman is currently unemployed and could be looking to get back in the game. A head coaching offer from Tennessee could offer exactly that.

This could be beneficial for both sides, the most beneficial of any coach I’ve presented so far. Tennessee can give Herman a second chance at coaching a Power 5 program, and Herman brings much-needed experience to Tennessee’s football program.

If there’s any university that has higher expectations from fans for an incoming head coach than Tennessee, it’s probably Texas. Herman was expected to be the guy to bring Texas back to the National spotlight. That obviously didn’t happen, and he was fired for his unsuccessful attempt.

That doesn’t mean he was a bad head coach, though. Heck, given the circumstances of 2020, I’d say he was pretty successful. He led the Longhorns to a 7-3 record in 2020 and has a 25-12 record at Texas.

He’s been fairly successful at Texas and was very successful at Houston before taking the Texas job, where he led Houston to a 22-4 record in two seasons.

Herman might be Tennessee’s best option if they’re looking for a guy that has experience being a successful head coach at the Power 5 level. Sure, the pressure might’ve been too much at Texas, but as a lifelong Tennessee fan, I don’t think the expectations will be nearly as high for him at Tennessee, at least in terms of immediate success.

He’s an offensive-minded head coach, and if there’s one thing Tennessee has lacked over the last few seasons, it’s a good offense. With Kevin Steele likely being Tennessee’s defensive coordinator in 2021, Herman could shake things up offensively and put together a good offense while Steele does his thing on the defensive side of the ball.

I would be happy with the Vols hiring Herman, and it seems like things could work for both sides, and the deal could get done pretty quickly with Herman not having too much on his plate right now.

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