The built up emotion and hope of fans for bringing Jon Gruden has grown to a fever pitch, unlike anything that has ever occurred at UT and in the state of Tennessee.
If this deal were truly dead, as the media makes it out to be, and if Dave Hart truly wanted to dampen the enthusiasm and lower the expectations of fans, he would come out and tell fans himself, that the deal is dead and that he is moving in a different direction.
With this in mind, I cannot see Dave Hart bringing in any other coach and that other new coach, having much fan support. In fact, fans would be calling for Hart's head at that point, if it ever reached that point and you would have to question Hart's ability to survive long term as the A.D. with such a move.
Thus, I believe that the hire is going to be Jon Gruden.