I dont think Gruden turned the job down. I think the boosters wanted Gruden and Currie was playing along with them while at the same time he was already in Haslams pocket. There was never a plan B or any other coach. Haslam knew with Gruden that he would have zero control and he wasnt about to let that happen.
The real VFL boosters that was trying to get a real coach in here was being played by Currie the whole time. Then Sunday Currie sneaks off to Ohio to hire this clown and Haslam was so use to the Vol fans just taking what ever coach his dishes out without any push back and him and Currie was going to trot out this Schiano Clown but he never figured on VN to rise up and they did. Currie screwed over the fans and lied to them on national TV when he fired Butch and he lied to the boosters like he was swinging for the fence with this hire and the whole time he had Schiano. Haslam needs to go ,Currie and Davenport needs to go. People who are mad at Gruden should not be mad at him. He did not turn nothing down because Currie never planned on hiring him. Now go hire Kiffin and lets roll