Hart must read this

#1
JonWard

JonWard

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#1
From instate recruits

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Like Michael Keaton's classic 1980s movie character "Beetlejuice," there is one name on the list of University of Tennessee football coaching candidates that very few journalists want to say aloud.
The idea of simply saying Jon Gruden's name, and the fear of looking foolish if he isn't the choice, prevents many in the mainstream media from even mentioning him.
But when you consider the other names being mentioned as likely candidates -- Miami's Al Golden, Louisville's Charlie Strong, Florida State's Jimbo Fisher, etc. -- none create the immediate buzz among boosters, general fans, current players or recruits that Gruden does.
Not only can Gruden's name unite and excite the entire fan base, but it can change the Volunteers' recruiting culture. Tennessee has slipped behind many SEC opponents to the point that it now is seen as a second-tier program by the top high school recruits across the Volunteer State and in the nation.
According to many of the state's top prospects who were in Murfreesboro for the BlueCross Bowl news conference, the Mr. Football awards or both Monday, Gruden is the only true coaching rock star who could make them listen to a UT sales pitch.
"I didn't have much of a relationship with Coach [Derek] Dooley or his staff," said Beech junior running back Jalen Hurd, who won the Class AAA Mr. Football award. "Who UT gets as its coach will help me decide how interested I am in them. If they were to get a guy like Jon Gruden, that would definitely be a factor for me. He's somebody you know has coached at the highest level and knows what it takes to win and to get you to that level. If he was their coach, that would be huge for me and I'd say for a lot of other recruits in the state, too."
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Hurd will be the consensus No. 1 prospect in the state next year. Despite missing two games with a shoulder injury, he has rushed for 2,944 yards this season -- just 124 short of the state's single-season record going into the Class 5A state-title game. He visited Ohio State last weekend and already has offers from every SEC program.
"Tennessee can't sell their past to guys my age," Hurd added. "It's been so long since they were really good, like five or six years ago, that guys my age were too young to remember that. We only know what they've been in the last few years, and they've struggled. They need somebody to sell the future, make us want to be a part of a quick turnaround to being competitive at the highest level."
A.J. Long is a 6-foot, 175-pound quarterback who transferred to Friendship Christian after an all-state sophomore season in Pennsylvania. He has led the Commanders back to the 2A title game this weekend. He has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and rushed for more than 600 and has offers from UCLA, Arizona and Syracuse. He projects to play defensive back in college.
"I don't have Tennessee on my list right now, but if the rumors are true and they get Jon Gruden to coach, that would be a very, very big factor in where I would want to go play," Long said with a smile. "I wouldn't care what position he told me he wanted me to play. With his experience in the NFL I would just trust whatever he said and work to get on the field."
UT has commitments from five in-state prospects who are listed on this year's Rivals.com Top 25 list, while 14 have committed to other programs.
Ensworth's Corn Elder is one of the most accomplished athletes in state history. A three-time Mr. Football finalist, who won his second straight award Monday, Elder also has been a Mr. Basketball finalist twice and state basketball tournament MVP. With him leading the way, the Tigers have won football and basketball state titles each of the last two years and are back in the Division II-AA football final this week.
Elder admitted Monday he likely would play football in college, saying his list of finalists includes UCLA, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss and Miami. Tennessee under Dooley never has been a consideration for him. Similarly, Brentwood Academy defensive back and receiver Jalen Ramsey, the state's No. 1 prospect this season and a Southern Cal commitment, said he never felt a desire to play for Dooley but would listen if it were Gruden making the pitch.
And Memphis Whitehaven, which will play perennial power Maryville in Saturday's Class 6A final, has six players ranked in Rivals' top 25 in-state prospects. Three have committed to SEC programs and while the other three are uncommitted, they agreed that UT was never even in their top five choices while Dooley was coach.
"I thought Coach Dooley came across as kind of stuck-up, like arrogant, when we talked to him," said Whitehaven running back Mark Dodson, a Mr. Football finalist who has more than 2,900 rushing yards this season and committed to Ole Miss.
Added teammate Darrius Sims, a defensive back and Vanderbilt commitment: "I went to UT when they asked me to come for a visit, but by then I had already committed to Vandy and it was kind of just awkward. They started contacting me real late in the process and didn't seem to know much about me, so we never really connected. Whoever their new coach is has a lot of ground to make up with a lot of guys."
And with the dead period rapidly approaching -- college coaches cannot contact high school prospects from Dec. 17 to Jan. 4 -- the clock is running short on the time needed to begin cultivating relationships with the type recruits who can help bring the Vols out of the mire they've trudged through the last five seasons.
"Whoever comes in will have their work cut out for them repairing and building a lot of bridges in the state with high school coaches and recruits," said Evangelical Christian School coach Geoff Walters, whose team plays for the Division II-A state title this week.
Walters' team also had two Mr. Football finalists, including linebacker Walker Jones, an Alabama commitment and younger brother of Crimson Tide All-America lineman Barrett Jones. "UT is still the predominant program in the state, but it's not by as wide a margin as it used to be.
"They need somebody to sell a vision of the future and to quickly repair a lot of damage that's happened under the last two staffs they've had. They need a name that's going to immediately grab a lot of attention."
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#2
#2
What a shame. I expected to learn over the coming weeks, following the firing of Dooley, of the damage he caused our program. But the continued comments from recruits and high school coaches is sobering. Tennessee is not even on the minds of many of the top recruits. Unreal. Thanks Derrick. Nice job.
 
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#3
#3
Can't emphasize enough the importance of what those recruits are saying as it relates to UT being irrelevant since they started paying attention to football. We think our tradition sells, but to recruits like these, our tradition is one of mediocrity and irrelevancy. Hurd was spot on and bright for a high school kid - the next coach has got to sell the future for UT football to have a punchers chance with top recruits.
 
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#6
#6
I could imagine that for most of these it would go something like this:

Phone rings. Kid picks it up.
"Good Morning xxxx, it's Coach Gruden from UT. How are you?"

"Good Morning Coach, when can I come play for you?"
 
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#7
#7
Jimmy Hyams reports this morning the talks with Gruden have broken off. They could not reach agreement. The A list includes, Mike Gundy, Bob Stoops, Al Golden, Jim Mora Jr, and Charlie Strong.
 
#9
#9
JonWard said:
I don't know how true any of the rumors are, but if Gruden WANTS to come to UT and Hart doesn't make it happen, he is a failure, IMHO.
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I would agree with this, also, thanks for posting that original text...some scary stuff right there.
 
#10
#10
Those with all the hype about Jon Gruden as coach of the Volunteers need to pause and consider some things:
(1) Does Jon Gruden want to be here? If he doesn't have his heart in it, then we don't need him.
(2) It has been indicated that he might consider if he becomes the highest paid coach. If it's all about money, with the financial condition of the athletic program, his motivation is wrong.
(3) Is he looking at this job as a career position or a stepping stone back to the pro ranks? We need someone who wants to bring UT football back to title contender for the sake of the school and fan base and donors. Loyalty is lacking in many programs, it's more about "What can you do for me".
I don't know his thinking but the point is, he isn't our only hope. There are other candidates that can recruit and coach just as good as Jon Gruden that have proven it at the college level.
 
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#13
#13
obxvol said:
What a shame. I expected to learn over the coming weeks, following the firing of Dooley, of the damage he caused our program. But the continued comments from recruits and high school coaches is sobering. Tennessee is not even on the minds of many of the top recruits. Unreal. Thanks Derrick. Nice job.
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Same things were said about Fulmer

When you have to win in the SEC, you have to look over some of the "talent" in Tennessee. Its sub-par compared to other states

It is what it is

Sorry some get their feelings hurt over it
 
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#14
#14
CountVolcula said:
Same things were said about Fulmer

When you have to win in the SEC, you have to look over some of the "talent" in Tennessee. Its sub-par compared to other states

It is what it is

Sorry some get their feelings hurt over it
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Quotes in article are by recruits committed to other sec schools including bama.
 
#15
#15
I would love to hear Hart has hired Jon Gruden. I would also point out that "Buzz", does not win football games in the SEC. Most felt Dooleys recruiting classes were decent to good and it would lead to wins. I am sure Hart is looking for the best football coach, not just one to create some "buzz". As I said, if it is Gruden, GREAT!!
 
#16
#16
A.J. Long is a 6-foot, 175-pound quarterback who transferred to Friendship Christian after an all-state sophomore season in Pennsylvania. He has led the Commanders back to the 2A title game this weekend. He has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and rushed for more than 600 and has offers from UCLA, Arizona and Syracuse. He projects to play defensive back in college.
"I don't have Tennessee on my list right now, but if the rumors are true and they get Jon Gruden to coach, that would be a very, very big factor in where I would want to go play," Long said with a smile. "I wouldn't care what position he told me he wanted me to play. With his experience in the NFL I would just trust whatever he said and work to get on the field."
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Man when I lived in Long Beach, California this is exactly what recruits would say about Pete Carroll....this is why U.S.C. had players drafted in the N.F.L. that never even saw the field while being a Trojan. I am 110% certain that Gruden would indeed turn Tennessee into the next Pre-N.F.L. Development Farm....but hey with great names like Al Golden coming up all the time who would want that to happen here.
 
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#17
#17
Good morning VN! If Scout.com is fairly accurate, cross Stoops off the list--no intention of leaving. Tressel, regardless of how good he might be..... way too risky.... too much NCAA violation baggage.

And how about this little tidbit I just read in my local newspaper, The Jackson Sun as reported by Evan Woodbery, Knoxville News Sentinel--- "The field of potential suitors — UT, Auburn, Arkansas and Kentucky in the SEC alone — seems to dwarf the number of high-profile candidates, which has increased the anxiety of fans. But if the general timeline Hart laid out last week still stands, the search hasn't even entered its decisive month. "December is the critical month," he said.

The annual National Football Foundation awards ceremony and Hall of Fame induction on Dec. 4 is a de-facto convention of college coaches and administrators. Hart and several UT representatives are expected to be at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York for the induction of former UT coach Phillip Fulmer. From there, they can schedule interviews with candidates without having to worry about clandestine plane trips being tracked on message boards.

Although ESPN Monday Night Football commentator Jon Gruden remains a fan favorite, nothing in the last week has offered any suggestion that his hiring is imminent — or even anything more than the longest of long shots. Gruden, who has weathered the coaching-search "silly season" almost annually since joining ESPN, hasn't made any comments that would dampen speculation about coming to UT. But most believe he is focused on a return to the NFL, where he won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rather than taking a job in the unfamiliar college game. Gruden is one of ESPN's biggest stars, and the network would prefer that he stick around. Gruden's agent, Bob LaMonte, has not returned calls left by the News Sentinel.

Other coaches on any school's "dream list" would include Oklahoma's Bob Stoops or Florida State's Jimbo Fisher. Rumors about Stoops and Tennessee reached Norman, Okla., where Stoops is an incredible 148-36 in 14 seasons and makes $4.5 million annually plus incentives. "Me? Really?," he said according to NewsOK.com. "I like my job. No. I love my job. I'll try to keep it another year." Fisher, who is 29-10 in three seasons at FSU, was even more adamant. "I won't even discuss other job opportunities with my agent," he said according to quotes posted on FSU's official Twitter feed. "I am focused on these players and this team. We are happy here."

Are any of these big names even on Hart's radar or is he setting his sights on more realistic candidates? It's hard to say. Hart's search has been largely solitary and free of leaks. He offered a broad overview of the search to key UT supporters last week but few specifics. As for average fans, he doesn't object to the avalanche of interest in the search. "People should have an opinion," he said. "I know I have a job to do. I have a level of expertise and level of information that no one else has."......

With that said, and after reading the embarrassing array of statements by State Recruiting potentials... here's hoping somebody makes the right hiring decision, and get it right for a change. Just my opinion VN.
 
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#18
#18
The PR branch of the AD must be asleep at their desks. There should have already been a statement squashing the rumors if they;re untrue. I guess part of me is holding onto the hope that they won't screw it up and let down the fanbase. If it comes out that they could've hired Gruden and they chose not to do it, I may lose what little sanity I have left in regards to UT.
 
#19
#19
Tried to give some info in the Gruden thread yesterday that was poorly received. Heard from a family member of someone in the coaching industry that says Gruden has declined and Jimbo Fisher declined a huge offer Saturday evening.
 
#20
#20
Hart's job is to hire Gruden - period. Failure to do that is just failure. There is every reason to believe he is the one coach that can rebuild UT's reputation in every aspect of the program, including being the best to develop (coach up) the players. Listen to what the prospects and players are telling you. Listen to the man himself explain the game to the world on MNF and in his QB shows. If you do you will learn the realities of the game and understand what is going on better.

If UT is to return to glory it takes going big. Don't settle for another "experiment" or "maybe" with a perceived up and comer as a UT fan. Otherwise you can join the 60-70,000 actual fans that come to the game on a regular basis, because there will be a lot of empty seats due to mediocre performance and W/L records. The prospects are telling you that UT is not relevant anymore. They were only 3-4 years old when UT won the NC. There are plenty of quality programs and universities with major facilities and national TV exposure. UT has to compete now. Phil's living room and kitchen recruiting is gone. It stopped working before he got canned. Recruits and parents are much smarter about the process. Through the years UT has lost its own state's players due to ignoring the feeder HS programs and not developing relationships with HS coaches throughout the region. Times have changed and UT has to acknowledge it and get in it with both feet or keep doing what they are doing and getting the same results.

Keep it real. See it as it is. Then you can see the path to better days.
 
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#21
#21
Crookruss said:
Tried to give some info in the Gruden thread yesterday that was poorly received. Heard from a family member of someone in the coaching industry that says Gruden has declined and Jimbo Fisher declined a huge offer Saturday evening.
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That may be the case. However, Jimbo and Stoops and Golden have all said no publicly. Gruden hasn't said a word. Until he does or Hart says something about Gruden, he's in play.
 
#22
#22
I haven't really kept up with the coaches speculation threads so I'm sure this has been discussed...but in the event that the Grumors aren't happening, is Fulmer in play at all? Not advocating for him, just wondering with all the changes in the AD recently if he would be considered.
 
#23
#23
Sounds like talent issues might quickly be addressed with a Gruden hire. Unfortunately, I don't think that is in the cards.

I think the hire will be an up-and-comer (Strong, Jones, McIntyre, Smart, etc). Just gotta hope that they pick the right up-and-comer. Need a Brian Kelly, and not a Dooley.
 
#24
#24
Ron Swanson said:
That may be the case. However, Jimbo and Stoops and Golden have all said no publicly. Gruden hasn't said a word. Until he does or Hart says something about Gruden, he's in play.
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Someone in the UT AD told Jimbo he had declined. This was all before Jimbo publicly declined.
Edit: He meaning Gruden.
 
#25
#25
WebbCobb said:
Sounds like talent issues might quickly be addressed with a Gruden hire. Unfortunately, I don't think that is in the cards.

I think the hire will be an up-and-comer (Strong, Jones, McIntyre, Smart, etc). Just gotta hope that they pick the right up-and-comer. Need a Brian Kelly, and not a Dooley.
Click to expand...
As per the same source. Kirby Smart has had no contact since the beginning of the season. He doesn't seem to be an option any longer. They would have to miss on a lot of targets.
 
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