SEC Notebook: Coaching change is the hot topic

A quick look at what's making headlines around the SEC with an emphasis on the reports that are floating around about coaching change in the SEC:

• Jon Gruden fever hit a new high in Tennessee on Tuesday night with a report from WREG-TV in Memphis, Tenn., saying that the former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst had an offer from Tennessee that included partial ownership of the Cleveland Browns, a team owned by Tennessee booster Jimmy Haslam. Gruden denied the offer on Wednesday morning, as did the Browns, who released a statement about it.
  
  
• There are no more rumors about Kentucky's coaching search because the Wildcats made the hiring of Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops official Tuesday afternoon. The defensive-minded Stoops helped transform a Florida State defense from one of the worst in the nation in 2008 to the second overall ranked unit this season. “New beginnings always provide a sense of excitement,” AD Mitch Barnhart said via the Courier-Journal. “That's why I'm excited for Mark Stoops and his family as they provide a new beginning for our football program, fans and players.”
  
  
• Auburn's potential candidate list includes Bobby Petrino (former Arkansas coach), Gary Patterson (TCU), Chris Petersen (Boise State), Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State), Jimbo Fisher (Florida State) and Charlie Strong (Louisville), according to AL.com. Columnist Kevin Scarbinsky writes that Petrino is the elephant in the room in Auburn's coaching search. He says Auburn will have to answer why or why it didn't hire Petrino, one of the most proven, though controversial, candidates available.
  
  
• Arkansas has reportedly made an enormous offer to LSU head coach Les Miles, sources told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The offer from Arkansas is reportedly a five-year contract worth $27.5 million. Miles and current Arkansas AD Jeff Long both worked at Michigan from 1987-1994, further fueling speculation that Long would be willing to make a run at hiring Miles.

For more up-to-the minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Larry Hartstein and Daniel Lewis, follow @CBSSportsSEC.