The idea of him being coach in waiting made more sense as a courtesy to Barnes, who would retire in 5 or 6 years as a Tennessee Volunteer, and provide a smooth transition. If Barnes is chasing a paycheck now, I think it's fair to wonder if Lanier is ready to handle a high major job like Tennessee, today. In 5 more years, maybe, but he failed in his only stint as a head coach at a low major.
We can, and frankly, should do better, and that isn't a knock towards Lanier. I just don't believe he's ready, and Tennessee shouldn't feel indebted to him and Barnes if Barnes runs off to SoCal for the money.