KNOXVILLE- In a day that will want to be forgot by most Tennessee fans, a lot more question were raised than answered as Charlie Strong of Louisville became the 3rd Tennessee coaching candidate to reject the Vols in the last week. Jon Gruden and Mike Gundy pulled their names out of the hat last Thursday and Tuesday respectively, and with Strong now gone Tennessee is now back to square one. Tennessee was once a university of pride and tradition, but as of yesterday it became the laughing stock of the nation as it seemed everyone lined up to take shots at the Vols. It got so bad that the phrase #TurnedDownTennessee was trending worldwide on Twitter last night. If Dave Hart doesn't want to follow in Derek Dooley's footsteps, he needs to make a hire soon, and not just any hire either, he'll need to hit to hit a homerun with this hire, otherwise Tennessee may never return to its former glory.
KNOXVILLE- Mike Gundy is out as as a candidate for the head coaching position at Tennessee. The Oklahoma State head coach is expected to remain at his alma mater after rumors had him connected to the vacancies at Tennessee and Arkansas. Yesterday Arkansas snatched away Brett Bielma from Wisconsin, and Auburn hired former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, leaving only Tennessee as the only SEC head coaching position available. Charlie Strong of Louisville was thought to be close to signing a contract yesterday, but sources today have said that he and Louisville's athletic director are now in discussions about a contract extension. So now that it looks like Strong is out, where do the Vols look next? Here are my top five candidates still available:
1. John Chavis- Defensive Coordinator LSU The former defensive coordinator at Tennessee moved to LSU after former Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton fired Phillip Fulmer. He could bring a strong defensive presence back to Tennessee very quickly. 2. Larry Fedora- Head Coach North Carolina The former Southern Miss head coach left after coaching the Golden Eagles to a 12-2 record and a Conference USA title. After he left the Golden Eagles, who had 15 starters returning, they went 0-12, finishing as one of the worst teams in the nation. In his 1st season as UNC head coach he led the Tar Heels to an 8-4 record. 3. Bobby Petrino- former Head Coach Arkansas He knows how the SEC operates, and despite his questionable past, he could turn turn around Tennessee. 4. Phillip Fulmer- former Head Coach Tennessee This could be a long shot, but if Tennessee is desperate they could turn to Fulmer. If he can put aside everything the former athletic department did to him, he may come back. 5. Kirby Smart- Defensive Coordinator Alabama He is a great defensive coordinator, and the only reason he is lower than Phillip Fulmer is because he would just keep our defense the same way it was this year, and we all know that can't happen KNOXVILLE- As the regular season winds down for the rest of college football, the coaching search at the University of Tennessee has picked up steam. After a wild week of "Grumors", it finally seems that Vols fans have decided to move on from the former NFL head coach and Monday Night Football personality Jon Gruden. Now it looks like UT Athletic Director Dave Hart has narrowed his search to two candidates: Oklahoma State Head Coach Mike Gundy and Louisville Head Coach Charlie Strong. Mike Gundy is currently in his 7th year at head coach at his alma mater, and rumor has it that he is tired of being the 2nd best head coach in the state of Oklahoma. Charlie Strong is in just his 3rd year as Louisville's head coach, but he has already won shares of the Big East title the last two years. Charlie Strong seems to be the front runner as of right now, but Mike Gundy could make a move if he is truly unhappy at Oklahoma State. Look for a move to come within the next week.
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