UPDATE: Looks like Derek Dooley will be their next coach.

Did you know that back in 2008 Tennessee reached out to Lovie Smith to gauge his interest in their head-coach opening? (Smith coached there in 1993 and 1994.)

Well, it was quickly rebuked.

But here the Volunteers stand looking for a coach again in early 2010, so might they reach out to Smith again?

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk makes a compelling case on why it should be revisited:

Frankly, it might be in everyone’s best interests for Smith to pursue the opportunity, unless he has no interest in leading a college program. The Bears undoubtedly would have cleaned house at Halas Hall but for the buyout obligations to Smith and G.M. Jerry Angelo. With Smith’s ability to stick around for 2011 riding on the performance of quarterback Jay Cutler and mounting uncertainty regarding a work stoppage after next season, heading to Knoxville makes plenty of sense, especially if his compensation from the Volunteers would be enhanced by a partial buyout from the Bears.

It’s an intriguing prospect, and one that does make some sense for Smith. But I don’t know: Tennessee would be much wiser to go after an up-and-coming college coach at a smaller program such as David Cutcliffe at Duke, who was previously the offensive coordinator at Tennessee, Troy Calhoun of Air Force or Randy Edsall at UConn.

Would the Tennessee fans go for an NFL coach coming off a bad season? Would they go for a guy that hasn’t been in the college ranks in 15 years, who’s never been a head coach at that level?

I’m not saying a jump back and forth can’t be successful; it just seems the Tennessee would probably be wise not to have Smith as its leading candidate right now.

Anyway, yeah: file this under interesting concept, but probably not very plausible or realistic.

What do you do when your coach of only 14 months bolts out of Knoxville to take over at USC?

YOU RAISE HELL, THAT’S WHAT YOU DO.

Yes, Tennessee students, after finding out Lane Kiffin was leaving their special little football program last night, marched to his press conference and yelled obscenities at him.

They burned stuff:

They defaced the UT rock with obscenities. All for a coach that went 7-6 in his first season, and racked up secondary recruiting violations left and right. Oh, and then there is the hostesses investigation.

Pat Forde described Kiffin’s career arc last night:

If a 31-year-old with no head-coaching experience can get the Oakland Raiders job, and a guy who got fired from that job after losing 15 of 20 games can get the Tennessee job, and a guy who went 7-6 in a reckless first season in Knoxville can get the USC job … is there any rung of the sport to which Kiffin cannot climb?

I mean, what if he actually does something impressive as a coach? Win a conference title and they might just fast-track him into the Hall of Fame.

Paris Hilton has paid more dues than Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin comes across as a guy who was born on third base and acts as if he hit a triple.

Maybe students were rioting because they were happy he’s gone?

Almost more interesting than the BCS Championship game itself last evening — OK, fine: more interesting — was the roads each quarterback strolled down last evening.

In one corner, you have Colt McCoy, a guy that came back to Texas for his senior year for last night and last night alone: the chance to win a National Championship. And on the first drive — the first drive! — he’s get knocked out for the night on a sack. This is something you can’t plan for, something that barely even crosses your mind. You are not thinking about getting hurt; you’re thinking about going out there, kicking ass and having a dream you’ve worked so hard for come true.

So you can understand why McCoy was in absolute shock after the game last night:

Poor fellow.

So then our nation’s eyes turned to freshman Garrett Gilbert, who, considering the circumstances — hey dude that hasn’t played much at all this season, want to come in and play the most important position in the most important game of many of your teammates’ lives? OK, cool! — performed admirably enough. (And if only he didn’t get sacked and fumble for a turnover late in the fourth, but led the team on a game-winning drive. He’d be a legend for years to come.)

But Gilbert’s situation last night reminded me of something Chuck Klosterman said on the BS Report last time he was on when comparing college football to the NFL, and it is this:
Keep reading →

So, as you may have read somewhere on the Internet yesterday, the Big Ten isn’t just floating around the idea of expanding from 11 to 12 teams: it’s apparently moving the issue to the “front burner.”

So why? Teddy Greenstein has the answers:

The biggest reason, as always, is the stuff that doesn’t grow on trees: money. If the league expands to 12 teams and two divisions — like the SEC, Big 12 and ACC — it would create a Big Ten title game that could be worth $5 million or more to the league. The Big Ten Network would love to televise it, and the conference has a 51 percent ownership stake in the network.

Ah yes: money. It’s always about money. I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a Big Ten traditionalist so I’m not 100 percent on board here, but all things told, this makes sense: it evens out the conference so it can be split into two divisions, and then the two champs of each division can play in a Big Ten title game, and the league can get a little more buzz and exposure and money at the end of the season. Then each team can go get crushed in a bowl game like always.

So what teams are we looking at here? Greenstein throws out that “Paterno has mentioned Rutgers, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Rutgers would give the league an ‘in’ to the New York TV market. Missouri has been rumored forever. Cincinnati and Louisville might be considered.”

Again, the traditionalist in me here would prefer a team that’s located in the middle of this fine country, so Missouri — which would be the best choice, I think — Cincinnati and Louisville could be fun.

So, now that Charlie Weis has been peaced out of South Bend, there are of course going to be a million names flying around to fill the head coaching vacancy. Bob Stoops says he’s staying put. TCU coach Gary Patterson just re-upped on a long-term deal with the school. Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly may be the favorite right now.

Oh, and then there’s some NFL types: Jon Gruden and Tony Dungy, for instance.

But I wouldn’t expect Dungy to be taking over as the Notre Dame head football coach anytime soon. His response to speculation he may be on their list?

“Is there anything less than a zero percent chance of that happening?

“My goodness, from what I hear, colleges coaches work twice as hard as pro coaches on a year-round basis so there’s no way I would even consider that,” said Dungy. “The further I get away from coaching, the more I know I made the right decision. You almost forget how wonderful family life is.”

Less than a zero percent chance? Not even Lloyd Christmas had that bad of odds.

HT: Sportress of Blogtiude

What, you think our quarterback is just going to throw it facing the line of scrimmage every time? THINK AGAIN:

Rumor has it that later in this game, Bethel’s running back took a handoff and ran backwards through the line of scrimmage. It didn’t work out as well as this play.

I don’t think I could ever be a mascot, because it requires a naturally caffeinated individual: someone who oozes enthusiasm and high spirits for hours on end. I feel asleep at a Bulls game last year. Sober. (To my defense, I was way up in the 300 level, and without glasses. Also, I’m very skilled at falling asleep in odd places.)

Anyway, another key trait of the mascot is to playfully mock the opposition. But one thing you don’t want to do is offend the other team. Especially when it comes to religion. This is America, after all. We sue someone when they look at us funny. Religion, though? That’s just a whole other level.

But Goldy Gopher seems to live by his own code. He went ahead and took it there against Penn State this past weekend:

OH SNAP, did you see how Jerome Hayes, the praying Penn State player, didn’t even acknowledge him after that? He wasn’t too happy about it. As such, Minnesota spokesman Dan Wolter issued the following statement:

“On behalf of Goldy and the University of Minnesota, I want to apologize to the Penn State player involved and anyone else who may have taken offense from this incident. We have reiterated to Goldy the importance of exercising appropriate religious sensitivity in the future.”

I’m glad this story has a happy ending, aren’t you?