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?

Lane Kiffin: Alright guys, we need something that is really, I mean really going to set our upcoming photo shoot off, really going to give the people what they want. Any ideas?

Team: (Blank stares)

Lane Kififn: Come on, guys!

Team: (Eyes roll)

Lane Kiffin: Hold on, a vision has just come to me. You guys ready? OK, here it is. SHIRTS OFF ORANGE LAMBORGHINI CHAINS A TIRE I’M TOO SEXY OH MY GOD THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD.

Team: (runs away crying)

Via.

Lane Kiffin has already done the unimaginable. No, not the individually stupid stuff he’s managed to be embarrassed for since arriving in Knoxville, Tennessee; he’s actually somehow given Al Davis a modicum of credibility for getting rid of him. And that notion was only furthered during a recent “Outside the Lines” segment, where Bob Ley may have busted Kiffin for a(nother) secondary recruiting violation … on television.

Dave Link of GoVolsXtra has the street-word:

“Now, Kiffin’s arrival has brought several secondary NCAA violations,” Ley said. “It is entirely possible that you just saw another one. Remember the scene where Lane Kiffin is speaking with a recruit?

“Well, in the infamously thick NCAA rulebook, Rule 13.0.1, (it states) media members cannot observe recruiting contact by coaches. Tennessee tells Outside the Lines it is reviewing this matter. The NCAA is reserving comment until the story airs, so we look forward to hearing from them today (Sunday).”

So, to be more clear … ESPN approached Lane Kiffin about appearing in a segment on television. Kiffin, who obviously passed his recruiting test with flying colors, somehow manages, in the course of this segment being filmed, to speak with a recruit.

Keep reading →

Bruce Pearl is a pretty good basketball coach. His record speaks for itself, and frankly, it doesn’t matter how he gets his players to attend whatever school he’s coaching. BUT. Coaching ability alone does not excuse his “sometimes off-the-court shenanigans.” What do I mean? How about coaching in a t-shirt? Or going shirtless with body paint in order to support Pat Summitt’s Lady Vols? Or, how about producing some sort of rap video?

I admit, in all honesty, that if I was a huge redneck from Tennessee and loved “Rocky Top” and bright orange stuff, I’d probably be pretty pumped about Pearl. But I’m not (although I did attend high school across the way in Chattanooga, and can attest to the fact that these people are freaking insane when it comes to UTK) so I find this all a little annoying and overplayed. Just like the rest of America.

Chest-bump to Losers w/ Socks via The Sporting Blog

If I was Rick Reilly, I would make an Ozzy Osbourne comparison here that would do nothing but elicit chuckles for years to come. Alas, I’m just a snarky blogger, so all I can really do is recount some facts and then make light of the situation. Sigh.

Lane Kiffin, as you may recall, has been batty since he landed in Tennessee, replacing Philip Fulmer … to the even more insane point that we’re almost collectively willing to blame him instead of Al Davis for the Raider breakup. And awesome news comes in the form of further recruiting stories. In this case, a South Carolina recruit, Alshon Jeffrey, spurned Kiffin and he explained what Jeffrey would be doing for the rest of his life.

According to Jeffrey and Wilson, Kiffin told Jeffrey that if he chose the Gamecocks, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina.

[..]“He said it, but it’s not worth talking about,” Jeffrey said.

Um, the hell it isn’t! Kiffin has violated every major recruiting norm (and some actual rulez too!) since he started his new gig in Knoxville, and incredibly, even after each public lambasting, he continues to seem to step up his game. Fortunately for all of us, Steve Spurrier still coaches the Gamecocks and they travel to Tennessee to square off against the Vols on Halloween this year.

I don’t think it will happen, but I’d probably pay ~$150 to see the ‘ole ball coach hang a sign around his neck that says “Kiffin’s Daddy.” Or something funnier than that would suffice as well.

Not only did Anthony Brock nail this game-winner, but he drove all night from his grandma’s funeral to the game in Knoxville.

This is one of those buzzer beaters that involves a fair amount of luck; I doubt Brock was going for a bank shot here.

I’m sure no Crimson Tide fans are complaining, though.