Oh, my...dear 8 lb. baby Jesus, PLEASE let this happen...

[------------------]

...and no, you're eyes ain't playing tricks on you...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4825513

Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sources: Vols' search turns to Cutcliffe
By Chris Low
ESPN.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Will Muschamp, Texas' defensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting, has turned down a lucrative offer to be Tennessee's new coach, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com.

SEC blog

Low ESPN.com's Chris Low writes about all things SEC in his conference blog.

• Blog network:
College Football Nation

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton continued to work toward having a coach in place by this weekend, and one of the candidates the Vols are zeroing in on now is Duke coach David Cutcliffe, who is a former Tennessee offensive coordinator.

Sources told ESPN.com that Cutcliffe has talked with Tennessee officials, although he's not the only candidate the Vols are considering.

Air Force's Troy Calhoun and Louisiana Tech's Derek Dooley are two other coaches on Tennessee's list, and the Vols also might be interested in talking to Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.

Tennessee made a hard push for Muschamp and made it clear that money wasn't an issue. But in the end, Muschamp believed it was best for him to stay at Texas, where he's already contractually in line to replace Mack Brown when Brown retires.

"I'm happy at Texas and plan to be here for a long time," Muschamp said in a statement issued through a school spokesperson Wednesday night.

At the time, Muschamp did not rule out the possibility of leaving Austin for Knoxville, but sources told ESPN.com on Thursday that the Vols had indeed turned their attention away from Muschamp and were focusing on other candidates. Lane Kiffin left Tennessee to take the USC job Tuesday evening after only one season in Knoxville.

With the recruiting period going live again on Sunday, the Vols are working feverishly to have a new coach in place by then.

Kippy Brown, in his third stint at Tennessee, has been named the Vols' interim coach. Brown on Wednesday said he's been told that he also would be considered for the permanent head coaching job.

Chris Low covers the SEC for ESPN.com

[badmotorfinger]

I'm kind of shocked Muschamp won't take this job.

[done]

I'm kind of shocked Muschamp won't take this job.

I'm not. Where is it easier to get to BCS from...Austin or Knoxville? I think that Mack has probably given him a firm date and the recent increase in Mack's salary to $5 mil is in effect a farewell contract. Just my gut feeling.

[badmotorfinger]

I'm kind of shocked Muschamp won't take this job.

I'm not. Where is it easier to get to BCS from...Austin or Knoxville? I think that Mack has probably given him a firm date and the recent increase in Mack's salary to $5 mil is in effect a farewell contract. Just my gut feeling.

Your right. Texas is also a goldmine for recruiting

[------------------]

Looks like it's a done deal. 8O



http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... 46&catid=2

Report says Cutcliffe is next Vols football coach
Kris Budden 41 mins ago

WBIR sister station WFMY is reporting that former Vols offensive coordinator and current Duke University head football coach David Cutcliffe is returning to the University of Tennessee to be the new head coach.

A source close to Cutcliffe told WFMY that Cutcliffe would be making the move back to Vol country.

Conversations between 10News and our counterparts at WFMY indicate that the source is close to Cutcliffe and reliable.

No official announcement has yet been made.

There are some conflicting reports--some 10News sources are indicating they don't think it's a done deal.

The list of 'No, thanks'

A statement from Air Force Academy Coach Troy Calhoun indicates he's staying at Air Force and will not be the Vols' new head coach.

"We are more than grateful and proud to be closely involved with the character building of our cadets and the mission of the United States Air Force Academy. We are diligently recruiting and working with our team to prepare for the upcoming season. We look forward to coaching and being a part of the Air Force Academy team both on and off the field in 2010," Calhoun said in a statement released by the Air Force Academy.

Calhoun has put together a 25-14 record in his 3 seasons as head coach at Air Force, going 9-4 his first year. The academy had a 4-8 record the season before he arrived.

Last night, Will Muschamp released a statement saying that he was happy at the University of Texas and plans to be there for a long time. Muschamp was considered by many to be the Vols' top candidate for the head coaching position.

WBIR contributor Chris Low of ESPN.com reports Muschamp turned down a "lucrative" offer to be Tennessee's new head coach.

After Muschamp, it appears Mike Hamilton's next choice was Troy Calhoun of the Air Force Academy.

Along those lines, The Gazette, a newspaper out of Colorado Springs, reported that the Air Force football team scheduled a meeting for 3:50 p.m. MST. The subject of the meeting was not given. WBIR contributor Brent Hubbs of Volquest.com is reporting that, while Calhoun is considered a candidate, Thursday afternoon's team meeting was previously scheduled.

ESPN.com and WBIR contributor Chris Low reported today that Hamilton is looking at Duke head coach David Cutcliffe.

Cutcliffe has strong ties to Tennessee. He served two stints with the Vols as the offensive coordinator. He was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator during the Peyton Manning era.

[ThunderReb]

We shoulda asked 8lb baby Jesus for Petrino to go to UT......the arky boys would've exploded....but, at least they would've left us alone finally.

[bleuwolfe]

odd his name wasnt even mentioned, isnt it? 8O

[Heath]

I'm kind of shocked Muschamp won't take this job.

I'm not. I have been to Knoxville many times. I live in Austin (by choice). If TN offered me 4 mil/yr. and Texas offered me 3 mil/yr know Muschamp will probably get a lot more), I'm taking the Texas gig. And, like others have said, if Texas gets by OU every year, they are pretty much home free to the Big 12 Champ. game.

And trust me, until you come experience Austin and Univ. of Texas, words cannot express the money this university has and how nice Austin and surrounding areas are.

So, I would have been saying Muschamp is a freakin' idiot if he would have taken the Tenn. job.

[ReservoirReb]

I'm kind of shocked Muschamp won't take this job.

I'm not. I have been to Knoxville many times. I live in Austin (by choice). If TN offered me 4 mil/yr. and Texas offered me 3 mil/yr know Muschamp will probably get a lot more), I'm taking the Texas gig. And, like others have said, if Texas gets by OU every year, they are pretty much home free to the Big 12 Champ. game.

And trust me, until you come experience Austin and Univ. of Texas, words cannot express the money this university has and how nice Austin and surrounding areas are.

So, I would have been saying Muschamp is a freakin' idiot if he would have taken the Tenn. job.

I agree completely. I, too, have been to both Austin and Knoxville. There is no comparison. Austin is amazing and Texas is (currently) the class of the Big 12. Keep doing what they are doing and they get the pick of the recruits and a BCS shot every year.