UT has always had a thrifty mentality. Three decades of homegrown bleed-orange football coaches reinforced the belief that UT could get the same results for less. The university is being dragged kicking and screaming into the brave new world where you have to spend more to get more. They'll spend more this time... they'll have to in order to secure donations for that pricey reno. Tit for tat.
UT has always pursued Gruden. He knows the door has always been open. He's just never wanted to coach college football. But he never completely closes the door. This dance has been going on for a long time.
UT has always pursued Gruden. He knows the door has always been open. He's just never wanted to coach college football. But he never completely closes the door. This dance has been going on for a long time.
"I don't know how close,"
"Tennessee is a dream job for a lot of people, me included. Timing wasn't right,"
I don't even think 10/per for Gruden sounds that insane. You've already got two guys making around that.
Hell, we live in a world where Rich Rod is pulling in $5M. The market is still insane.
Here's what I think is insane. The net of taxes value of ticket sales for our 7 home football games is our football budget and no more. All money from the NCAA/SEC goes to something other than football. All donations for football season tickets go to something other than football. All monies generated by media distribution rights for football goes to something other than football. All net receipts from concessions and apparrel sales for football go to something other than football. Football gets absolutely none of that. Zero. Nada. Not a red cent. Not a damn penny. Football generates $107m in revenues, spends maybe $28m, and has to pay $79m in taxes to the athletic department.
He LOVES the attention.
People forget but his last few years in Tampa, while solid, were pretty stagnant and he wore out his welcome there. His name wasn't in a great light nationally - which is why he took the broadcasting gig. It's funny how TV can repair an image so quickly.
I'm not saying he'd be unsuccessful here but he loves being the "it" guy in every coaching search in both pro and college football. Consider me skeptical he wants to test himself and ruin that image.
The truth is hard to accept at times. They used the no money thing for so long the fans bought it.
Him flaming out is definitely a bigger possibility than people are suggesting.
He's a very good football coach. And he's a B list celebrity so recruiting is going to be a breeze. However, I do question if he would be able to identify talent on the high school level at a high rate right away. Also I very much doubt he would enjoy recruiting and the ass kissing it takes to sign a 17 year old WR.
And we don't know if he knows how to cheat effectively. Every program does it - does he know how to get away with it?
Both things are probably true. We're interested in Mullen, he's interested in us, and he also would like a raise.That Beav tweet brings up one question I do have with Mullen though. How much of this interest is Mullen and Sexton digging for a raise vs Sexton trying to push another one of his clients on us? Sexton just makes makes me nervous.
Both things are probably true. We're interested in Mullen, he's interested in us, and he also would like a raise.
