It hasn’t been the best offseason so far for Tennessee football as the Volunteers have reportedly settled on Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano.
After firing Butch Jones, rumors were swirling about the possibility of Lane Kiffin or Jon Gruden as the head coach of Tennessee. However, neither of those candidates has panned out as the Volunteers will now be moving forward with Greg Schiano.
It may not seem like the worst hire, but Schiano hasn’t been a head coach at the college ranks since 2011 when he was leading Rutgers to the Pinstripe Bowl. The Scarlet Knights program had been relatively stagnant before he came to town and he changed the culture with his hard-nosed attitude.
However, he thought he was ready for a leap to the NFL and struggled with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, going 11-21 in two season before getting fired.
Ohio State’s Urban Meyer wanted the defensive mind on his staff last offseason, though, and brought him in as the defensive coordinator. Two successful seasons later, including a playoff berth last year, and Schiano has been reportedly brought on at Tennessee as head coach.
I'm told there is extensive talks between #Tennessee & Greg Schiano about making him the Vols new HC, per source. Some details about potential transition are also being discussed (re: Urban Meyer wants Schiano part of the BigTen Title Game)
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 26, 2017
The Volunteers needed a new direction after the Jones failure, but landing Schiano doesn’t exactly make the right and necessary changes. He is considered a settling option after having one of the least successful eras under Jones.
Fans aren’t exactly pleased, either. Many are calling for a boycott of the program if Schiano is officially brought on, tweeting furiously at AD John Currie.
Even former players are voicing out.
I’m just going to say this if we hire Greg Schiano as our next head coach my options will be open to which college program I will Be donating my TIME and MONEY to. (No disrespect to GS) but if UT leaders don’t take football serious then I will find the program that will!!!
— Hydra Headphones (@haynesworthiii) November 26, 2017
That’s not exactly what you want to hear from your former players and that could have a major negative effect on recruiting.
Next: College Football Playoff Ranking Projections: Week 14
It sure seems like the Volunteers settled inexplicably with this hire.