The CheckerBoard

How about Dave Doeren from Northern Illinois ? Former DC at Wisconsin. 21-4 in two years at NIU. Could probably get him for "cheap" ($1.5m-ish). Just thinking outside the box. Personally, I would love to see either Chris Petersen from Boise St or Gary Patterson from TCU. Both consistent winners who have proven they can win in Bcs level competition. I am not ready to drink the Gruden-aide just yet..

Hart is not going to hire an assistant unless UT is dead broke and misses on 10+ HCs.

Hart laid out his criteria and its a proven HC with SEC/South ties if at all possible and maybe someone that has built up a program. He is not going to even approach Petrino. IMO his criteria eliminated Smart, Roman and Malzahn too. I think the list starts with....

Gruden....(I list him first as he has/would bring instant energy/ cred/ UT history) then in no order:

Patterson
Fisher
Golden
Mora
Stoops

Strong
Fedora
Cutcliffe

I am sure a few more will pop up and is on his list but I would listen to what Hart said today as what he is looking for. JMO

agree about tressel. How is he not a consideration? Not a lot of national championship winning coaches out there. He had a ton of success at OSU and is a great recruiter. Sure he screwed up in the whole tattoo gate, but that transgression was forgivable imho as compared to someone like petrino. Tressel deserves a 2nd chance. I believe he could be instantly successful at UT.

Just did some quick review. Tressel was 94-22 in 10 years at OSU. His teams finished in the top 5 SEVEN times.. Yeah. Seven. He never finished out of the top 20. There isn't another resume out there of those being discussed that comes close to Tressel...again I ask, how is he not even being considered...?

IMO the Tennessee athletic department can't hire a coach with a show cause penalty after having its probation extended and while closely removed from a basketball coach who also got a show-cause on his way out the door.