If you're going to make a new hire at Head Coach........
(Not that I am for a new hire at this time), please quit throwing names around that make no sense what so ever. IF Tennessee looks for a new coach, Bob Stoops, Steve Spurrier, nor Jon Gruden will even come close to being candidates. Here is my top three, and reasons why......
Number One is 48 year old Bud Foster, the DC at Virginia Tech. He is a 2006 Frank Broyles Award Winner for Asst. Coach of the Year. Coach Foster's defense has ranked overall #1 defense in 2005 and 2006! Coach Foster's 2005 Hokie Defense was ranked #1 in the country for overall Defense, #2 in scoring Defense, #2 against the pass, and #8 in rushing Defense. In 129 games, Coach Foster's Defense has held opponents to 102.7 yards rushing and 15.6 points per game. Went to school and played at Murray St, born in KY. He is in his 20th season at Va Tech which means he is loyal, but also ready to move up hopefully. Following the 1998 season, Foster was pursued by the University of Florida for its defensive coordinator position, but he opted to continue his long-standing football association with Beamer. He has Special Teams coaching experience under Frank Beamer coaching them in 93-94.
Quotes from Coach Foster: "Deserve Victory." "Success is a choice." I believe in an attacking, aggressive style of defense. We want to put speed and athleticism on the field and use that to attack and pressure opposing offenses.
Number Two Choice is 47 year old Vic Koenning the DC at Clemson. Vic has his masters degree from Memphis. He was Secondary coach at Memphis from 91-96, his final year there, the year they beat us in Memphis. He was then DC at Wyoming before becoming the Head Coach at Wyoming from 00-02. He then went to Troy to become the DC and in 05 he joined the staff at Clemson. He led Troy's defense to a top-10 national finish in scoring defense, rushing defense; yards per play, and pass efficiency defense in 2004. Troy's defense was first in the nation in interceptions (25), tied for second in turnovers forced (32), ninth in fewest yards per play allowed, and 16th in total defense (311.0). Only Southern California had more takeaways than Troy. Troy's 32 forced turnovers in 2004 were tied for second in the nation behind Southern California. It marked the third time in five years as a defensive coordinator that his defense was in the top six in the nation in that category. The 25 interceptions that led the nation in 2004 marked the second time in his career he coached a secondary that led the nation in that category. His 1997 Wyoming defense had school-record 24 thefts that also led the nation. Played linebacker at Kansas State (1979-82)...three-year starter and team captain in 1982, which interestingly enough leads me to my third candidate with whom he played LB with at K-State.
Number Three is TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson whom is 47. The big plus to Patterson is that he is a defensive minded coach and with his connection to Koenning, he could bring him in as DC, or bring his current DC and former Vols linebackers and special teams coach Dick Bumpas along. Bumpas is also a Broyles award winner as an assistant. Patterson began his coaching career in 1982 at Kansas State, as an assistant to head coach Jim Dickey. After subsequently serving a number of years as an assistant coach at a number of different schools, Patterson was hired as Defensive Coordinator at the University of New Mexico in 1996. He served in that job for two years before leaving to take the same position at TCU in 1998. He was named head coach at TCU prior to the Mobile Alabama Bowl in December 2000, replacing Dennis Franchione who left to become the head coach at Alabama. In six years at TCU, he is the only coach in school history to record four 10-win seasons. His teams have only failed to reach a bowl game once, the Frogs have earned a spot in the Final Top 25 four times. In 2005, Patterson led the Frogs to the Mountain West Conference championship in their first season of league play. Over the course of the 2005 & 2006 seasons, the Frogs have won 4 consecutive games against Big 12 opponents, with only one of the four coming at home. Patterson's name constantly comes up for head coaching vacancies around the country, including his alma mater Kansas State, Iowa State, and the University of Miami. Most recently, he turned down a job offer from Minnesota worth over $2 million per year to stay at TCU. And most importantly Vol fans, what do you think of this quote? Ive always based my philosophy on having an offense and defense that can compete, even when you dont have the talent to match up with your opposition. The better the players you have, the more diverse you can become. We talk about multiplicity, but also about simplicity. We want our kids to understand what theyre doing, where theyre going and everything thats going on, but not in so complicated a system that they are not able to make plays. I believe in getting a lot of people on the field, giving them an opportunity to play if they deserve to do that, and giving the team a chance to win.- Gary Patterson
For those that want previous head coaching experience, Patterson is probably the ultimate choice if we are going to be realistic. If he were able to bring Bumpas or Koenning along as DC, it would be a HUGE step toward immediate success. If you want someone with a lot of passion and with some of the "lunch pail" mentality, then obviously Bud Foster is your choice. Koenning gives you a little of both. Patterson wouldn't leave to be Koenning's assistant just because of their ties, but Vic does have head coaching experience and would make a solid Defense.