Just my 2 cents here.. No inside info.
Firing him after Bama makes the most sense. It will undoubtedly be the worst loss of the season. After Alabama, the rest of the games on the schedule are somewhat winnable. They know that there isn't a coach on earth who could take over and beat Bama on such short notice. Not Gruden, not Fulmer, no one... He wants to make himself look like the hero who saved the season, by giving the appearance that his decision led to positive results (aka wins). Fire him after Bama and an interim could easily win the remaining games on the schedule. This allows us to end the season on a positive note, with a positive outlook for next year. "We fired Butch and the losing stopped!". This will serve as additional confirmation that Butch was the problem, in case there are any non-believers left.
Best case scenario for Currie:
- Let Butch get destroyed by Alabama
- Fire him after the game.
- Announce interim (or New HC) the same day
- Interim brings team to life, beats KY handily and wins out.
- New coach takes over before bowl game; wins bowl game.
Headline: Currie Saves TN Football; Gets Raise & Extension