I’m quite certain that most people chuckled and/or guffawed when a report surfaced earlier today that Tennessee had turned to Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy in its search for a new head coach. While it may not ultimately go down, it has certainly grown some legs in the last hour or so.
According to a report from 247Sports.com, Gundy and UT athletic director John Currie were meeting in Dallas early Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Vols’ opening. Subsequent to that, multiple reports surfaced confirming what appears to be a mutual interest from both sides.
Gundy has spent 28 of the past 32 seasons in Stillwater. He was a Cowboys quarterback from 1986-89 before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater as wide receivers coach (1990), quarterbacks coach (1991-93) and offensive coordinator (1994-95). After leaving for stints at Baylor (1996) and Maryland (1997-2000), he returned to OSU in 2001 as offensive coordinator. In 2005, he was named head coach, a position he’s held ever since.
There have been rumblings in the past that, because of a strained relationship with mega-booster Boone Pickens, Gundy may ultimately look to move on. While he hasn’t yet, it appears the Vols are putting on a significant push to, finally, get him to pull the trigger on a move — a move the university couldn’t pull off during its last search for a head coach.
Honestly, who didn’t see this one coming?
In his second season at his alma mater, Mark Richt has thus far led Miami to a 10-1 record and one of the two spots in an ACC championship game that essentially serves s a play-in game for the College Football Playoffs. That conference title-game appearance, incidentally, is the first-ever for the football program. The 10 wins, meanwhile, are the Hurricanes’ most since 2003.
As a result, Richt was the overwhelming choice in voting for the ACC Coach of the Year. Richt received 41 of the 59 first-place votes, with Clemson’s Dabo Swinney (10) the only other in double digits. Others receiving votes included Boston College Steve Addazio (five), Virginia’s Bronco Mendenhall (two) and Wake Forest’s Dave Clawson (one).
Additionally, the ACC also announced that Boston College running back AJ Dillon has been named as the conference’s Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year, while Virginia defensive back Brenton Nelson took home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Dillon is the first player in school history to earn Rookie of the Year honors after rushing for 1,432 yards. That number is the second-highest total for a freshman in ACC history.
Nelson, meanwhile, leads all ACC freshmen in interception with four.
Here we go. Again.
The last time the Tennesse job was open in 2012, after Derek Dooley was summarily dismissed, Mike Gundy was rumored to be a candidate. Gundy, of course, opted to remain in Stillwater as the head coach at Oklahoma State.
Nearly five years later, and the Vols job is again open. And Gundy is again connected to it — in fact, he’s reportedly interviewed for the position.
In June of this year, Gundy and OSU reached an agreement on a new five-year deal that replaced the old one set to expire in December of 2019
The news on Gundy comes amidst a rough 48-hour stretch in the Vols’ search for a new head coach.
First, there was the Greg Schianodebacle that began Sunday and could continue on for days or even weeks. Monda, Matt Campbell, who was reportedly a UT target, signed a new contract to remain at Iowa State. Then, last night, it was reported that David Cutcliffe had (again) declined the Vols’ advances.
Nick Saban could soon find himself with another protegé in the SEC, this one in the same division.
The Jackson Clarion Ledger has reported that Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is a candidate for the head-coaching vacancy at Mississippi State. The Tuscaloosa News takes it a step further, reporting that Pruitt has already interviewed for the job.
The Clarion Ledger notes that the 43-year-old coordinator has not been offered the position.
Pruitt is in his second stint with Saban in Tuscaloosa, spending 2010-12 as the Crimson Tide’s secondary coach and the past two seasons as coordinator. In between, he held the same job at Florida State (2013) and Georgia (2014-15).
In addition to Pruitt, Bruce Feldman of SI.com tweeted late Monday night that Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead “is a strong candidate” for the Starkville vacancy. The USA Today‘s Dan Wolken also tweeted on MSU’s interest in the coordinator.
The 44-year-old Moorhead spent the 2012-15 seasons as the head coach at FCS Fordham before taking over the Nittany Lions’ offense in 2016. In his last three seasons at Fordham, he led the Rams into the FCS playoffs each year and a record of 32-8 in that span.
Yep, yet another transfer that will be one of myriad such moves in the coming weeks.
On his personal Twitter account, Tré Watson announced Monday that he has decided to transfer out of the Illinois football program. The redshirt sophomore, in explaining his decision, wrote that “[i]n looking at the direction of the program and what changes are occurring this is the best decision for my [long-term] future.”
Watson did not detail what changes are occurring that helped trigger the move.
As a graduate transfer, Watson could play immediately at another FBS program for his final season of eligibility.
In nine games this season — he missed three because of an injury — Watson totaled 65 tackles, good for tied for third on the team. The linebacker’s 4.5 tackles for loss were tied for second on the Fighting Illini.
Last season, Watson earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after starting eight of 12 games and finishing second on the team in tackles with 102.
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