Outkick's thoughts on the coaching search...no mention of O'Brien. You have to wonder what the issue is with Eric Bienemy; tons of success at KC and a few HC interviews in the NFL - no offers (yet). I'd give him a buzz.
Go Big Or Go Home:
Because I see no way they would bring in Hugh Freeze or Lane Kiffin with the mist of an NCAA cloud dampening their brow, Tennessee’s top wish list should include Matt Campbell or Luke Fickell. Vols fans won’t do any backflips over hiring another Cincinnati coach after the Butch Jones cliché energy bus rolled through Knoxville, but both Fickel and Campbell are very different. Both are proven head coaches who have won in places with fewer resources than Tennessee and have done so by doing more with less. This would endear them and this program to Vols fans cynical over recruiting rankings, considering their team routinely underperforms based off of their roster’s lofty star projections. I doubt either would leave their respective jobs for Tennessee right now, but both are absolutely worth a shot.
The Attainables:
There are quality head football coaches who want this job. Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell is at the top of my list of attainable coaches. He has strong East Tennessee ties, having grown up just north of Knoxville, and runs an innovative offense that could excite Vols fans. The other name in this group is Billy Napier of Louisiana. His name pops up on every major opening in the south. It’s not clear how badly he wants to move on to a bigger job in a better conference, but it’s hard to believe a Tennessee opportunity wouldn’t get his attention.
The First Timers Club:
Should Tennessee hire a first-time head coach again? Should Head Football Coach at the University of Tennessee be a “learn on the job” type position? The answer is no. We just saw how that worked out for the Vols with this last hire. But IF they decide to go that route, they should pick up the phone and call Patriots ILB Coach Jerod Mayo and see if he is interested in leading his alma mater. If he’s good enough for Bill Belichick to create a position for him and to get a HC interview with the Eagles, is he good enough for Tennessee? That’s for the new AD to decide, but it’s worth a look. Clemson OC Tony Elliott and a few other would be/first time head coaches are worthy of mention in this category, but I don’t think you can go that route unless you want to hire an alumnus with true star potential (Mayo).
The Low Ceiling-High Floor guys:
I’m not just going to ignore the fact that a coach who just got fired for going 68-35 while never suffering a losing record in the toughest division in college football and went 3-5 against Alabama and Nick Saban is available. I’m also not going to ignore the fact that it might be awkward in the first coaches meeting when Gus Malzahn bumps into Kevin Steele. Either way, Gus feels like a guy who could come in and immediately serve as an upgrade and get Tennessee on the path to respectability and at least competing with the big boys in short order. I think Gus Malzahn could be Tennessee’s “Football Rick Barnes.” Tom Herman, who got fired after going 32-18 and 4-0 in bowls in 4 seasons at Texas, also belongs in this group.
The Prudent (Boring) Decision:
Tennessee could hire an AD and decide to hold that interim title on Kevin Steele for all of 2021. If he can keep the roster intact and improve the team in the win department, great. If the team is bad (which is expected anyway), then your new AD can hire the candidate of his or her choosing during a much more normal hiring cycle at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Steele is an alum who has coached all over the SEC and even served as a head coach (albeit an unsuccessful one) at Baylor. He is also a highly respected defensive coordinator and recruiter who is well liked by everyone who knows him. The third part of that previous sentence cannot be used to describe Tennessee’s previous head coach. It’s the least sexy decision Tennessee could make, but it may be the right one.
Given Tennessee Football’s last decade and a half, one thing is for sure: It won’t be boring.
