Basically this is what was said.
"Going forward. Please stop with the rumors. Please stop texting and e-mailing me about what's going to happen. I'll let you know when it's coming. If I don't, somebody else will. I told you last week right here (check the blogs from last week) that the plan is to let Dooley dangle in the wind until they find the next coach. Dooley is not coming back. There was a rumor going around about the 3pm Sunday press conference. Wishful thinking. Magical thinking, but not truth. There was a rumor making its way through UT's complex that Sunseri was getting fired yesterday and that the school is going to announce Dooley is coming back for another year. Not true. There was a rumor that Gruden has already taken the job and would be introduced today. Not true. This much is true. Tennessee doesn't want to fire this guy and thus turn the media's attention toward the search for a new coach. In a way, Dooley is a convenient cover for these guys as they search for their man. They fire Dooley and the Gruden thing becomes a circus. Now, it's a curiosity. From that standpoint, I understand the way this is being handled.
Here's the truth. Dooley is done. This job will be Gruden's job to turn down when he gets an offer from UT. And I believe the offer will be in the 6-7 million dollars per year range. But here's where it gets tricky. Gruden won't get an offer until UT's point people in this search get EVERY INDICATION from Gruden that he won't say no. They simply won't give Gruden a chance to say no. And talking with some folks over the weekend, this is exactly the reason why Dooley is still there and didn't get fired after the Bama game. Here's how this thing is working. The major boosters are handling this. Hart has very little input in it. They've told him to sit tight and when it's time to work the deal, theyll bring him in. But they are not leaving the heavy lifting to him. That's why Jimmy Hyams can say over the weekend several times that Hart hasn't talked with anybody from Gruden's camp. Because he hasn't and he won't. That is until it's time to make a deal. I understand Dave Hart is upset about me reporting this stuff but I have to do my job.
Now, the question becomes is Gruden to Tennessee still a possibility? The answer is very much yes. I'm not saying it's going to happen but I will say Gruden is doing his due diligence on exploring the possibility.
I know for certainty that ESPN is afraid Gruden is about to jump somewhere and is considering contingency plans behind the scenes. That said, I believe he's already conveyed to UT that he wants to finish the season @ Monday Night Football if he takes the job.
I also know for a fact that Gruden has called a couple of major college football coaches regarding this opening at Tennessee. So, he's at least interested enough to do some due diligence. That's encouraging. Gruden spoke with Lane Kiffin on Wednesday of last week about the UT opening. Interestingly enough, Kiffin gave UT, this job, the facilities, the community and the commitment to winning a ringing endorsement! That's good stuff right there.
On Gruden, I don't know whether he takes it or not but I will tell you this. The rest of that short list (I've been sworn to secrecy but trust me here) is really impressive. I feel confident in telling you that Tennessee will have a major upgrade at head coach in 2013. The big money people are, to a man, pulling in the same direction to get this thing fixed!"
