Big Board of Coaches Updated 1/4/2021

[DownNDirty]

Bumping this thread and now edited with what looks like is happening at UT right now. Changed my board up a bit. Comments below on these coaches:

1. Matt Campbell - Won the Big 12 this year at Iowa State and lost the championship game to Oklahoma in a thriller after defeating them in the regular season. His stats as a head coach are very impressive and he would be at the very tip top of my list. This guy can be on the Dabo level IMO at a better school. Back up the truck and pay this guy and see how quickly the entire UT football program turns around. I call this guy the Miracle Worker for what he has been able to accomplish in Ames friggin Iowa.

2. Luke Fickell - Fickell can definitely get the job done and has enough experience now where he would not be a risk at all. Had the one year at OSU and didn't have a great record but most of his losses were single digit and he's really turned the corner at Cincinnati. I don't necessarily love the idea of another "defensive first" coach but I can make an exception for Fickell. Just get a good OC to come with him.

3. Tom Herman - Texas is a weird place. I know some will say well if he couldn't win at Texas..........stop. He did win at Texas. Just not to the level they expected. He didn't come into a great situation there with Charlie Strong going 6-7 for 3 straight years before Herman got there. I would try to get Matt Campbell over Herman but Herman would be a hell of an upgrade over what we currently have and I think he would be a solid coach here. He was 4-0 at bowls at Texas and won his last two games over Kansas State 69-31 and the bowl game over Colorado 55-23. Last year in their 5 losses the most they lost by was 14 at Baylor. They lost to LSU who won the National Championship 45-38.

4. Jamey Chadwell - has taken this Coastal Carolina team and elevated them to the next level. Would be the bargain basement price hire but I've listened to this guy enough to believe he's the real deal and his team played very well at CC. He's at least a guy if they took a chance on you could look at it objectively and say it was a move that makes sense. He is like Dooley - except he can coach and has people skills. The fans loved Dooley the first year and a half or so then figured out what he was. This guy is the genuine article of a good old southern boy who can throw on the charm but can also fire up a football team.

5. Raheem Morris - I just have a hunch with Manning in play trying to "help" us this go-round there will be several NFL names mentioned as possibilities. Bill O' Brien and Doug Marrone will likely be names that swirl around also - and God help us - maybe even Adam Gase who I absolutely do not want. I think Morris would be intriguing and the one out of the "NFL Bunch" that I'd give the time of day to. The Falcons at least showed some life this year after he took over as Interim Head Coach and I believe someone like him could recruit well. He's got a big personality and if he could surround himself with good coaches he may be someone to keep an eye on.

6. Billy Napier - doing very good things at Louisiana. Beat Matt Campbell's Iowa State team this season. Also one of the riskier plays, along with Chadwell, but he's worth vetting.

7. Joe Brady - the only assistant I put on this list. Was one of the masterminds behind LSU's success and now in the NFL getting that experience. He will be a bigtime head coach sooner than later.

8. Kalani Sitake - Outside shot with him being at BYU but don't want to overlook him as I feel he's a good coach with tremendous upside potential. Beat UT in Neyland in 2019 with his undersized squad.

9. Doc Holliday - the fallback option to put this thing back on track. Solid coach, great recruiter. Could come in and do this for 5 years and hand the keys over to a great coach with the team in much better shape.

 

[74charger]

That guy in the middle is the one you want!

 

[titansvolsfaninga]

1. Matt Campbell - inside track to outright win the Big 12 at Iowa State. His stats as a head coach are very impressive and he would be at the very tip top of my list. This guy can be on the Dabo level IMO at a better school.

2. Luke Fickell (but I think it would be a very outside shot at getting him as he's likely heading to the Big 10 or maybe even Texas). Fickell can definitely get the job done and has enough experience now where he would not be a risk at all.

3. Jamey Chadwell - has taken this Coastal Carolina team and elevated them to the next level. Their team is very fun to watch and just won a huge game against Appy State. He'll be a head coach next year in one of the Power 5 schools.

4. Kalani Sitake - BYU is the real deal and this guy is a tremendous up and coming coach. Beat UT last year in Neyland and is undefeated this year absolutely crushing teams in his path.

5. Hugh Freeze - he would be higher on my list if not for some of his baggage. He'd probably win big here though. And we'd be fun to watch.

6. Billy Napier - doing very good things at Louisiana. Beat Matt Campbell's Iowa State team who may win the Big 12 this year. He'll be elevated next year to a Power 5 school.

7. Joe Brady - the only assistant I put on this list. Was one of the masterminds behind LSU's success and now in the NFL getting that experience. He will be a bigtime head coach sooner than later.

8. Doc Holliday - the fallback option to put this thing back on track. Solid coach, great recruiter. Could come in and do this for 5 years and hand the keys over to a great coach with the team in much better shape.

Anybody on this list but Brady. Does not have head coaching experience. Good/Great coordinators do not always make good/great coaches.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Hugh Freeze

 

[vols 30]

Chadwell and Napier seems more likely. I like Holliday's style - Very aggressive at the OK Corrall, didn't waste any bullets

 

[chattavol420]

I think you absolutely start with urban meyer. If his people tell you outright no then you go straight to freeze and lock him down. Nobody else on that list is with talking to until after you’re told no by those two (as they have both done it at the highest level and in the sec). Also, you wouldn’t have to go any lower on that list because freeze would absolutely take the job
But this is so complicated because fulmer has to go first. There’s no way in hell you can keep him around or allow him to have any involvement with this whatsoever. I think you let him go within the next week and try to bring on David Blackburn (or someone else if he declines) within the next few weeks. Then you allow the new ad to lead the charge.

 

[EconVol92]

It has to be Freeze with an air tight contract.

The excitement that would cause would more than bring in the money to pay the buy out.

Tennessee has much deeper pockets than South Carolina and they have already pulled the trigger on the same issues we are having.

 

[Nationdom]

the answer is Freeze.

 

[SalVolinus]

Freeze is the only one of those I'd consider the possibility of being an upgrade. Starting over from 0 with any of those others and I'd be checking out for another 4 years.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Not a single one on that board worth going through this pain again for.

Ohio State went out and bought Urban Meyer. Michigan went out and bought Jim Harbaugh (even though that didn't work out worth a crap). Bama went out and bought Nick Saban. A&M went out and bought Kevin Sumlin _and_ Jimbo Fisher. USC went out and bought Pete Carroll.

Tennessee has always been known for growing our own.* We grew General Neyland from a young captain into a multi-championship demi-god. We grew John Barnhill into a winner, too. And Doug Dickey. And Phillip Fulmer. In fact, every one of the coaches who won our 4 to 6 national championships, we grew ourselves. Johnny Majors is the only championship-winning coach we went out and bought after he was already proven. But he was a VFL anyway, so it's only a half-exception.

But now, if he doesn't have a national title already, don't want him.

It's time for us to go out and buy a known winner. It's time.




* defined as this being their first head coaching job...not yet a proven commodity.

 

[utkjoe]

I agree with Freeze as my favorite, but with everything that happened at Ole Miss (and the further rumors beyond that) he isn't coaching in the SEC this next year. He needs at least another year or two before the SEC will allow him back. I would move on from this dream if I were you.

Still, I want someone with head-coaching experience on a bigger stage. Matt Campbell sounds like a great option. Billy Napier does intrigue me though.

 

[TheFlash1971]

Campbell, Sitake, or Freeze.
Any one of those guys are proven winners.
Of course with Freeze it's a huge gamble.

I'll take Kiffin also.

Just fire Pruitt. We need a head coach that is going to bring stability to this program and be able to win at the same time.

Right now we have had a string of losing stability.

 

[VOL_Lyfe]

UT needs to be

 

[Nationdom]

Not a single one on that board worth going through this pain again for.

Ohio State went out and bought Urban Meyer. Michigan went out and bought Jim Harbaugh (even though that didn't work out worth a crap). Bama went out and bought Nick Saban. A&M went out and bought Kevin Sumlin _and_ Jimbo Fisher. USC went out and bought Pete Carroll.

Tennessee has always been known for growing our own.* We grew General Neyland from a young captain into a multi-championship demi-god. We grew John Barnhill into a winner, too. And Doug Dickey. And Phillip Fulmer. In fact, every one of the coaches who won our 4 to 6 national championships, we grew ourselves. Johnny Majors is the only championship-winning coach we went out and bought after he was already proven. But he was a VFL anyway, so it's only a half-exception.

But now, if he doesn't have a national title already, don't want him.

It's time for us to go out and buy a known winner. It's time.




* defined as this being their first head coaching job...not yet a proven commodity.

Freeze is a known winner. he's elite. he has repented.

 

[lilesrt]

Campbell, Sitake, or Freeze.
Any one of those guys are proven winners.
Of course with Freeze it's a huge gamble.

I'll take Kiffin also.

Just fire Pruitt. We need a head coach that is going to bring stability to this program and be able to win at the same time.

Right now we have had a string of losing stability.

Why is Hugh Freeze a huge gamble? He’s the safest hire of all the coaches listed.

 

[DownNDirty]

I think you absolutely start with urban meyer. If his people tell you outright no then you go straight to freeze and lick him down. Nobody else on that list is with talking to until after you’re told no by those two (as they have both done it at the highest level and in the sec). Also, you wouldn’t have to go any lower on that list because freeze would absolutely take the job
But this is so complicated because fulmer has to go first. There’s no way in hell you can keep him around or allow him to have any involvement with this whatsoever. I think you let him go within the next week and try to bring on David Blackburn (or someone else if he declines) within the next few weeks. Then you allow the new ad to lead the charge.

Just figure there's no way of landing Meyer. I was trying to be realistic. I think Campbell and Fickell would both be at the top of what we'd be willing to pay. And if Meyer goes anywhere I think he heads to Texas or Michigan.

 

[Rickyvol77]

Feel free to debate or ask questions. I like statistics and don't think they lie most of the time. All these guys except Brady have HEAD coaching experience at the D1 level and have shown to turn bad teams around and do good things. That's my criteria for next coach. The exception I made was Joe Brady because he's the safest assistant out there you could hire IMO. Guy will be a very good head coach I think.

1. Matt Campbell - inside track to outright win the Big 12 at Iowa State. His stats as a head coach are very impressive and he would be at the very tip top of my list. This guy can be on the Dabo level IMO at a better school.

2. Luke Fickell (but I think it would be a very outside shot at getting him as he's likely heading to the Big 10 or maybe even Texas). Fickell can definitely get the job done and has enough experience now where he would not be a risk at all.

3. Jamey Chadwell - has taken this Coastal Carolina team and elevated them to the next level. Their team is very fun to watch and just won a huge game against Appy State. He'll be a head coach next year in one of the Power 5 schools.

4. Kalani Sitake - BYU is the real deal and this guy is a tremendous up and coming coach. Beat UT last year in Neyland and is undefeated this year absolutely crushing teams in his path.

5. Hugh Freeze - he would be higher on my list if not for some of his baggage. He'd probably win big here though. And we'd be fun to watch.

6. Billy Napier - doing very good things at Louisiana. Beat Matt Campbell's Iowa State team who may win the Big 12 this year. He'll be elevated next year to a Power 5 school.

7. Joe Brady - the only assistant I put on this list. Was one of the masterminds behind LSU's success and now in the NFL getting that experience. He will be a bigtime head coach sooner than later.

8. Doc Holliday - the fallback option to put this thing back on track. Solid coach, great recruiter. Could come in and do this for 5 years and hand the keys over to a great coach with the team in much better shape.

All risky hires of unproven coaches. Except for cheater Freeze which they aren’t gonna hire ever

 

[VFL1993]

My big board would be:

1b - Hugh Freeze (has had success in the SEC and has said that UT is a dream job for him. Definitely brings some baggage though even if you don’t include off the field issues)

1c - Matt Campbell (very unlikely IMO because he has never expressed a desire to coach at UT. He has proven the ability to develop players and beat teams with superior talent. I think he’s waiting for a NFL gig though)

2 - Joe Brady (high risk, high reward but you can’t argue his ability to develop quarterbacks and I think he will bring a lot of intrigue. However, I’m not sure he considers UT a “dream job” so if we hire him he will probably leave once a NFL HC job is offered to him. I would gladly take a couple years of success though)

...1a of course is Gruden

 

[Nationdom]

Just figure there's no way of landing Meyer. I was trying to be realistic. I think Campbell and Fickell would both be at the top of what we'd be willing to pay. And if Meyer goes anywhere I think he heads to Texas or Michigan.

Urban Meyer to Michigan....

 

[VOL_Lyfe]

Why is Hugh Freeze a huge gamble? He’s the safest hire of all the coaches listed.

Only guy there who has won big games in the SEC. This really is a no-brainer.

Which means there is absolutely no chance of UTAD doing it.

 

[lilesrt]

Only guy there who has won big games in the SEC. This really is a no-brainer.

Which means there is absolutely no chance of UTAD doing it.

Much truth to your statement.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

That guy in the middle is the one you want!

Currently, our coach is right below the spot in the middle...

 

[TheFlash1971]

Why is Hugh Freeze a huge gamble? He’s the safest hire of all the coaches listed.

He is always going to be a gamble, he is the kind that could possibly put you on probation.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Freeze is a known winner. he's elite. he has repented.

List his FBS-level national titles and conference championships.

Unless he has any of those, he's not the right hire (and that's not even bringing up his weak character and value system).

Let's don't go through this pain again of spending 3-5 years finding out the guy we _thought_ could take the next step, actually couldn't. We've done that four times in a row.

It's time to go out and buy a championship winner.

 

[Flipdaddy]

All of these guys are probably good coaches but it’s all about name and hype. Freeze is our guy to get things moving quickly. Anybody that thinks Pruitt will get us back is delusional. His defense even sux.