ukvols
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Chris Peterson doesnt make logical sense. He was born and raised in California. He has always been in the West Coast. Doesnt make any sense for him to come here. He is the highest paid coach in the PAC because he signed an extension this year. Hard to see why he would come here.
If we went the Petersen route, I agree with many others in this thread that it would be a great hire. If I'm honest, I would start somewhere in the $7.0-7.5 million range around 5-7 years with the typical incentives and bonuses you would offer to a top 5 to top 10 coach in college football. I'm perfectly understanding if that negotiation goes over $8 million. Plus, it would be wise to set aside $5-6 million for the assistant pool.
Much like a Gruden hire, if Petersen did take this job, I would hope he hire competent, effective assistants who can recruit and help his weaker areas. I know Petersen wouldn't likely keep all the current UT assistants and bring some from Washington over, but I would hope he can get coaches with greater knowledge of the Southeast (GA, FL, TN, etc.) to go along with Petersen's extensive western familiarity. (I'm trying to think of other potential weaker areas for Petersen, but this board can probably help point more of those out I may be forgetting.)
Pay him as though you consider him a top 5 football coach and I imagine he could do great things for UT. Though I do hold a candle for Gruden, this scenario would totally be fine for me as well. Please do the right thing, UT administration, and hire someone of this caliber, it would really help UT fans overcome 3 failed hires and stem a growing tide of potential apathy.
Through 11 full seasons he has only 3 which were not at least 11 win's..... He has never had a losing season and this year his 12th his team is 9-2. He has had 6 top 11 finishes and one 18th finish. Out of 12 seasons his teams have been ranked in all but one.
I previously thought Peterson was untouchable. He is the 2nd or 3rd best coach in the country by a longshot. If Currie can hook him it would be the greatest hire since Saban. However, just as likely that Currie met with Taggert or Leach which would be a disastrous hire in my opinion. Who knows??
Petersen is a great coach where he is. He has no ties down here which does not bode well for recruiting and the better SEC defenses with their elite speed and athleticism will not give his offense time to create the misdirection and play development that is the hallmark of his offense. Also, Petersen already makes about $5 million a year so we're going to have to give him Gruden/Kelly dollars to get him over here. That said, he's a person whose hire would not cause me to seriously consider renouncing 40+ years of fanhood.
He was untouchable before his son got healthy in 2013. The only job he interviewed for before that was Stanford, in 2011, after Harbaugh left. He was offered but turned it down. After his son was given a clean bill of health in 2013, he interviewed for the USC job, but they hired Sarkisian. That in turn opened up the Washington job. I still think its a stretch that hell come here, but the AD who hired him is now at A&M, and he clearly has issues with how the P12 is doing some things.
Again, it may be the battered vol syndrome, but does anyone really see UT pulling off a coaching coup like Peterson? Making him one of the highest paid coaches in the country? This simply is not what UT does. I go back to '65 and other than Majors, we don't have any "big name" hires. No, I see a 3 mil guy being hired. Brohm or Schiano.