and to add to my post---
Cut was on his radio show on Sunday and said that he was not in a big hurry to fill the spot leaving you to wonder what direction they are going to go and in how much of a real hurry they are to get there.
First of all it appears that the first direction they want to go is to hire a receivers coach and not move Trooper Taylor to that position, and hire a tailbacks coach as some have speculated. So with that in mind, here are a few names to watch as potential candidates for the vacancy. (Please note that these names are in no particular order).
Kippy Brown - It's the name that won't go away. Two weeks ago we reported that there had been some informal talks regarding Brown's potential return to the college game. It is no secret that Kippy Brown and David Cutcliffe are friends and that is who Cutcliffe seems most comfortable with.
But getting Brown would be no easy task. Brown has 13 years invested in the NFL and he gets a bump in his vested pension if he gets to 15 years service in the NFL. Now, Brown's situation with the Houston Texans is by no means on solid footing. Brown's status for next year in the NFL is certainly an unknown.
Getting Brown would be a challenge because he would cost a lot of money which would create a balancing act with the rest of the staff. I still think Brown is a longshot, but I also don't think that Tennessee is giving up hope on Kippy Brown. Brown was the assistant head coach under Phillip Fulmer in 1993 and 1994.
David Kelly - For recruiting fans, the name David Kelly is a familiar one. Kelly is currently on the staff at Duke as the Blue Devils' wide receiver coach and assistant head coach. Kelly got his coaching start at Dunwoody High School, then went to Georgia in 1994. Following that, Kelly spent four years at LSU then was at Georgia Tech before ending up at Duke.
Kelly has been known as a really good recruiter for years. Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer has taken a look at Kelly previously when he has had openings on his staff.
Stan Hixon - Hixon is another name popular to SEC fans. Hixon spent four seasons as the wide receivers coach at LSU before making the jump to the NFL where he is in his second year with the Washington Redskins. Again, in hiring an NFL coach you have the pension issue. At five years, assistant coaches are vested in the NFL meaning their retirement pension takes a huge jump.
Prior to being at LSU, Hixon coached at Georgia Tech. Hixon's work on the field has been seen in successes with Dez White and Kelly White at Georgia Tech. At LSU, he worked with Josh Reed, Michael Clayton and Skyler Green.
Another interesting tie to Hixon and part of the reason his name seems to come up often is the fact that his daughter attends the University of Tennessee and his son attends Tennessee Tech.
Darryl Jackson - Jackson, who is in his fifth year as the receivers coach at Arizona State, is one of the hot names in the assistant coach world. Jackson has a really good reputation as a recruiter and as a position coach.
Prior to his arrival in Tempe, Jackson spent four seasons at Boise State. Jackson currently is coaching Pac-10 standout Derek Hagan.
The question is how interested would Jackson be in leaving the west coast. He is originally from Los Angeles and outside of a stint at Indiana State for three years, he's has been on the west coast exclusively.
He is single which means moving would be easier. However, I don't know of any tie that Jackson has to David Cutcliffe or Phillip Fulmer.
Certainly, there are other names on the short list that Phillip Fulmer and David Cutcliffe are carrying with them as they make their recruiting trips.
It is interesting that if they wanted to hire David Kelly they could do so now as he is not involved in a bowl game. While the rest would not be available until after the first of the year when the NFL season and the bowl season is over. Also, it is probably worth noting that Kippy Brown will be in the state of Tennessee this weekend. Brown and the Texans are in Nashville to take on the Titans.
