I am a conspiracy theorist with no ties. What if the deal is done with a MOU signed by Gruden and a few boosters. Leading the horse to water, they insist to Hart that they really want Gruden as the HC, make it happen. This, of course, is a test for Hart and Cheek to see how "much they will do" to make these wishes come about. As the boosters suspected, Cheek meets them about halfway, desperate to keep his job. And Hart closes in on negotiations, but tanks them and goes rogue from the boosters wishes.
Meanwhile, the smokescreens fly to throw everyone off the trail. This is to let the AD and Chancellor dig further holes to try to climb out of. This is why the AD's office and boosters info sometimes seem at odds and ebb and flow.
All the while here incomes a familiar name to the UT family and close POI to the boosters, Fulmer. Everyone assumes this is for HC, but they are positioning him for AD.
This culminates in Hart blowing the negotiations, the boosters cleaning house only leaving J Graham. From here the restructuring starts and with Fulmer as AD and Gruden as HC, with full cooperation from the new AD, Fulmer, and full Big Orange flavored staff, we start a beautiful new reign as champs of the NCAA.
TTFWIW I do not know anything or any insiders, just a conspiracy theorist and VFL. Gruden 2013.