Does Hart even get a chance?

[KCVolLaw]

I just can't think of any reason why Gruden wouldn't be at the top of his list other than just to show everyone who calls the shots. There's nothing wrong with Gruden telling you no, because honestly a SB winning coach is probably out of UT's (and almost every other college's) league. That's said, as AD you have to make him tell you no before you start talking to significantly inferior candidates.

Truth told I never really thought we would get Gruden, but I had put enough faith in the AD to think they would at least do their due diligence with him. From today's reports it's starting to look like they in fact didn't do that, and only contacted him as an afterthought That's both eye opening and embarrassing IMO.

But once again you're assuming that everyone shares the same high opinion of Gruden as you do. Idk how Hart feels about him, but there are plenty of people that had significant doubts about Gruden.

Knowing that Hart didn't talk to Gruden until today gives me more faith in him. Just a matter of perspective.

 

[perico]

I'd honestly rather find out that he just stared at the wall in his office for a week and a half than find out he spent that time talking to people he wanted more than Gruden. Is he that dead set on making a point to the boosters that he'd intentionally hire an inferior candidate just to show them who's really calling the shots? I sure hope not.

Unless he's resurrected General Neyland, Bear Bryant, etc. and has them in his office, Gruden was the first person he should have talked to. From a strictly Wins and Losses standpoint, everyone other than Petrino is a MASSIVE step down from Gruden. Obviously Petrino comes with a lot of personal baggage that Gruden doesn't though.

I think he has a pretty cool World of Warcraft setup in his office (not that I know anything about that).

 

[bleedorange0037]

If we hire Butch Jones I won't be thrilled either. Not bc he has similarities to Dooley but bc I've never been impressed with him. But I will wait and see what his program turns into before I do anything.

In response to your other post, I sincerely hope the fanbase comes out to games no matter who we hire. A new coach should give hope. And to he honest the AD needs the money badly.

I got to the point this year that I had simply had enough of throwing my money and my Saturday's away to attend events that in truth simply weren't all the enjoyable anymore. The team doesn't have to win all of them to get me interested by any means, but I do at least want to see that the AD is committed to trying to win.

I remember somebody posted back during FB season that a big part of UT's problems was that they shopped for coaches at WalMart but competed in a conference where everyone else bought their coaches on 5th Avenue. That's the sense I'm getting from thie coaching search as well. Once again it feels like while our rivals go out and try to get the best coaches money can buy, UT is just more committed to going the cheap and unproven route, and that's very frustrating to an already beaten down fanbase.

 

[bleedorange0037]

But once again you're assuming that everyone shares the same high opinion of Gruden as you do. Idk how Hart feels about him, but there are plenty of people that had significant doubts about Gruden.

Knowing that Hart didn't talk to Gruden until today gives me more faith in him. Just a matter of perspective.

I don't know or even care that much about Gruden as a coach. I see him on MNF and he seems to know his stuff, but I'm sure most coaches are like that. What Gruden would have brought was the high level of recruiting that's required to win in the SEC. You just have to out-talent everybody to get to the top. (See LSU for a prime example) Tons of HS kids would have been chomping at the bit to play for a guy that they saw weekly on TV. Once UT gets back to pulling in complarable talent to UF, Bama, LSU, etc. they will start winning again, but not a second before that. Gruden would have given UT an immediate recruiting edge that they've been lacking.

 

[KCVolLaw]

Gruden may have been a good recruiter, but I don't see that as a foregone conclusion. He hasn't recruited in 20 years and did little recruiting back then anyway. And recruiting is a totally different game now. Once again he could have been a good recruiter, but just bc he's on tv doesn't mean much. Saban prob gets as much airtime as Gruden does these days. JMO.

 

[bleedorange0037]

Gruden may have been a good recruiter, but I don't see that as a foregone conclusion. He hasn't recruited in 20 years and did little recruiting back then anyway. And recruiting is a totally different game now. Once again he could have been a good recruiter, but just bc he's on tv doesn't mean much. Saban prob gets as much airtime as Gruden does these days. JMO.

The TV thing would have given him a good head start. I agree about Saban being on TV as much if not more than him. However, Gruden get's a lot more airtime than whatever leftovers we are now going to get stuck with hiring.