Muschamp top choice at Tennessee

Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp has been targeted as the top choice to replace Lane Kiffin at Tennessee.

Muschamp’s name surfaced almost immediately in Knoxville after Kiffin’s shocking announcement Tuesday night. The 38-year-old with roots in the SEC was elevated to Texas’ “coach designate” in November 2008 after being hired away from Auburn in January 2008. His pay jumped from $425,000 to $900,000 in less than a year in Texas.

Under his watch, Texas’ defense became a top five unit in 2009 featuring All-Americans Sergio Kindle and Earl Thomas. It has long been thought when a school seriously came after Muschamp there wasn’t much Texas could do about it. Brown’s retirement is not imminent.

Since coming to Texas, Muschamp name has been linked to openings at Auburn, Clemson, Washington and Tennessee (after Phil Fulmer departed).

Other names that have surfaced for the opening include Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Houston Nutt (Ole Miss), Kyle Whittingham (Utah), Bronco Mendenhall (BYU), Kevin Sumlin (Houston) and Phil Fulmer.

• And so the fallout begins …

The Knoxville News Sentinel is reporting that Ed Orgeron is telling Tennessee mid-term recruits not to enroll. That, the paper says, would allow the recruits to sign at USC ...

Before you go to bed tonight, you have to look at this gallery of photos from Knoxville last night. Vol Nation is an uproar ...

Did I just see that Mike Leach has been contacted by South Florida? A guy that is suing his administration could replace a guy (Jim Leavitt) who is about to sue his administration.

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UTLonghorn Reputation: 99 Level: Superstar Since: Sep 3, 2007	Posted on: January 14, 2010 10:53 am Score: 118 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee I love how everyone assumes that noone knows when Mack will step down. Youre right noone outside of the program knows, but I can almost gaurantee you that some sort of timeline was placed on Mack's departure, or else there would be no point in anointing Muschamp the HCIW. Would Joe Pa anoint someone to this positiion, nope, bc he really has no idea when he will step down. Muschamp likes his situation, and it makes no sense to think that he is just sitting for possibly 15 years in hopes that Mack doesnt pull a Joe Pa. The succession is in tact, and its in a small enough timeframe that Will is turning down job offers. [ Reply to Comment ]
Sasa Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Jan 13, 2010	Posted on: January 14, 2010 12:27 am Score: 55 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee Hmmmmmmmm, My friends just recommended an age-gap relationship site. Just mingle "Agegap" and "love" ... in the address bar....together, then you will get it. It's a nice and free place for Younger Women and Older Men, or Older Women and Younger Men to interact with each other. Age gap is not a problem there. Maybe you wanna check out or tell your friends. [ Reply to Comment ]
Hook'em_17 Reputation: 22 Level: Amateur Since: Jan 14, 2010	Posted on: January 14, 2010 12:19 am Score: 68 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee Like what has been said the entire time especially by Longhorn fans who know the situation here: From www.orangebloods.com: http://texas.rivals.com/showmsg.asp ?fid=500&tid=138330196&mid=1 38330196&sid=902&style=2 Muschamp speaks .... Reply <hr style="color: #cccccc;" size="2" noshade="noshade" /> Just hung up with Texas football spokesman John Bianco, who said some erroneous reports about Muschamp interviewing with Tennessee finally prompted Muschamp to say that he has not interviewed for any other jobs. "I'll repeat it again, I'm happy at Texas and plan to be here for a long time," Muschamp said. Muschamp told the folks at UT he was never contacted about another job and that's why he never felt compelled to talk before now. But when reports started getting out that he may have interviewed with another school, Muschamp stepped in because he said that isn't true. Hook'em. [ Reply to Comment ]
David B Reputation: 86 Level: All-Star Since: Jan 27, 2008	Posted on: January 13, 2010 11:50 pm Score: 63 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee? While I like Mischamp there's another coach in Texas that has brought two programs back to life. Hawaii and SMU. Yea, June Jones, he has pro contacts which kids love and he knows how to coach. Okay, there , I said it. Let the beat down begin. [ Reply to Comment ]
spartacus007 Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Jun 21, 2009	Posted on: January 13, 2010 11:20 pm Score: 121 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee I believe the half a million dollar pay raise he received last year is part of the deal. Since guns are omnipresent in Texas, we can't knowingly say that no one held a gun to his head to commit to being UT's head coach in waiting, but half a millon ain't chump change and if Mack Brown were to retire sooner rather than later Muschamp would then have the job he really wants. In the meantime the extra money can buy a lot of nice things, and there are worse places to live than Austin. Something else to consider is that UT has the resources to up his salary even more if he were to continue to prove worthy of it- can Kansas Cincinnati or South Florida pay a million a year for an assistant coach? Would they if they could? [ Reply to Comment ]
ATLBravesN2007 Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Sep 24, 2006	Posted on: January 13, 2010 10:32 pm Score: 85 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee Don't think its happening folks. Sources and SportingNews radio has been reporting all evening that Muschamp and Gruden both have turned down Tennessee. http://fwix.com/austin/share/a7687e 4f24/insidetexas_says_muschamp_met_ with_tennessee_this_morning http://twitter.com/RossLucksinger/s tatus/7728838604 Also Texas recruits are now saying they have been told that Muschamp will be in Austin and not Knoxville. [ Reply to Comment ]
MoonshineRunner Reputation: 96 Level: Superstar Since: Nov 2, 2006	Posted on: January 13, 2010 10:22 pm Score: 136 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee I just dont see Muschamp coming to Tennessee. Why would Mike Hamilton put Tennessee in jeopardy of possibly being in the same situation Tennessee is currently in. I think David Cutcliffe or Skip Holtz are more of a realistic choice. Some reason Mike Leach keeps coming to mind. I know he is eccentric and borderline crazy. If he could light up the UT VOLS' scoreboard like he did at TTU I wouldnt care if he ran naked down Cumberland Ave. He has a name that resonates with WRs and atheletes. I wont ever forget TX Tech vs Texas game in 2008. [ Reply to Comment ]
FBisnotmygod Reputation: 96 Level: Superstar Since: Dec 7, 2009	Posted on: January 13, 2010 9:58 pm Score: 39 Leach, Really? Mike Leach Really? I'll say it: The reason Mike Leach is not "in the conversation for head coach of a great college job" is that he is viewed by most as "major league a h*", Furthermore, he would never be accepted in the SEC even if it was assumed by some poor AD that he was a good enough coach to compete there. [ Reply to Comment ]
FBisnotmygod Reputation: 96 Level: Superstar Since: Dec 7, 2009	Posted on: January 13, 2010 9:41 pm Score: 95 Isn't Tennessee as "Elite" as Texas Well Sportsguy, correct me if I'm wrong, and I well may be, but doesn't Tennessee have as many BCS titles as Texas. I'm not saying they are as storied as Texas cause certainly Texas has more history, but Tennessee didn't just fall off the turnip truck either. Using Texas as a bar, in the BCS (current era) I would have to say that if Texas is elite so is Tennessee. I'm sure you have some rebuttal and also I'm sure those that give a damn about the Big Orange could defend them much better than I. Just saying. [ Reply to Comment ]
osbymartin Reputation: 71 Level: Pro Since: Jan 18, 2008	Posted on: January 13, 2010 9:03 pm Score: 69 Muschamp top choice at Tennessee No offense BababooeyToYall, but Tennessee is trying to put a positive vibe back into the football program and even though he is an offensive guru they don't need a guy with the negative things that are going on with him and TTU...Leach and Levitt in another time and place would be great candidates but too much negative now and after Kiffin, UT needs a coach with character and and class! [ Reply to Comment ]

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