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As has become a ritual anytime Tennessee has -- or might have -- a head football coaching job available, it instantly becomes #GRUMORS season.

Volunteers fans have been smitten with the former coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ever since he was fired by the Bucs in January 2009. With current coach Butch Jones' seat scorching following an 0-5 start in conference play, former Volunteers defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth is fanning the Gruden flames.

This isn't the first time Haynesworth has suggested that Gruden might be the new man on Rocky Top. 

Gruden currently provides color commentary for ESPN's Monday Night Football, and is one of the company's highest-paid employees, according to Forbes. Gruden was a graduate assistant for Tennessee from 1986-87, his wife is a former Volunteer cheerleader according to the Los Angeles Times, he has ties to the area and the Internet freaked out earlier this month when he showed up in Neyland Stadium prior to calling a Monday game between the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts in Nashville.

He's the favorite to be the next head coach of the Vols according to BetOnline at +250, ahead of former Oregon coach Chip Kelly (+400), Purdue's Jeff Brohm (+550), Louisville's Bobby Petrino (+550), Memphis' Mike Norvell (+900) and others.

Tennessee (3-5, 0-5 SEC) hosts Southern Miss on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET