Bobby Petrino
Quick Bio: Bobby Petrino has bounced around a few different programs, but he’s found success everywhere he’s been. Petrino has guided some explosive offenses and has developed some well-known quarterbacks. He’s coached in the SEC as well, and he led Arkansas to some of their best seasons in football in modern times.
Pros: Petrino has SEC experience and is famous for his powerful offenses. His Arkansas and Louisville teams have been some of the more dynamic offenses over the last decade. And thanks to all the issues around Louisville right now, his buyout could be significantly decreased should he leave early.
Cons/Questions: From a character standpoint, Petrino is one of the more questionable coaches on this list. Issues with a mistress and motorcycle accident led to his firing, and he’s always been a somewhat controversial figure on and off the field. Not only that, but his Louisville team this year has severely underperformed despite having the electric Lamar Jackson at quarterback.
Tee Martin
Quick Bio: Although not a head coach, Tee Martin has been a name Vol fans have spoken about in terms of coaching for years. Martin was Tennessee’s quarterback when they won the 1998 National Championship, and he’s found success as an offensive coordinator at USC the last couple seasons.
Pros: There’s the obvious “orange blood” connection here, and that would excited a lot of Tennessee fans. Martin played in the SEC, and he’s coached there too, serving time as an assistant with Kentucky from 2010-11. His USC offense this season knows how to rack up yards and points.
Cons/Questions: Martin has never been a head coach, and Vol fans may not want their next head coach to be someone without that experience.
3 Responses
My opinion is: Be careful who you wish for, you might get them! We all know Jon Gruden knows a lot about football but how much does he know about being a College Football Coach? We need a person who is a dynamic coach that will take these recruits to the next level. We already have the talent in place, we just need to have a coach that knows how to develop them. So, Mr. Currie, please be careful and choose the right coach this time! I love Tennessee Vols football and just want it back to the glory days. Go Big Orange!
I don’t get the reluctance to welcome Jon Gruden back to The Hill. Any leader making anything much more complicated than meat loaf has to delegate much of what gets done to assistants. Does Jon Gruden know how to win football games? I think he does. Will elite players flock to K-town to play for him? I think they will. Can Coach Gruden attract good assistants? He must have to win a Super Bowl.
He is the guy if the university will finally show it cares about winning.
Bobby Petrine, T. Martin, new ideas, more disciplined better connected to the players. Able to instill Tennessee volunteers traditional into the game .and bring us back where we belong. I think recruting will still be good with either one of these as coaches?