The Proven Winner Level Three – Major Conference Contender Archives

Tennessee Vols coaching candidate Justin Fuente

As Tennessee embarks on its fourth coaching search in ten years, here’s a quick look at Vols coaching candidate Justin Fuente.

Justin Fuente’s coaching experience (41 years old)

Wildly successful head coaching tenure at Memphis was parlayed into a gig at Virginia Tech, where he turned around a proud program with an ACC Championship Game appearance last year, and he’s followed it up with a solid 7-3 season so far for the Hokies (as of November 13). Prior to head coaching, he was an assistant (including offensive coordinator) at Illinois State and TCU.

GRT taxonomy of college football coaches: The Proven Winner, Level Three – Major Conference Contender (relatively new at Level Three, but proven at Level Four)

Why the Tennessee Vols might want Justin Fuente

There are few better offensive-minded coaches out there, and he is known for being a program builder. His system straight-up works, and though he’s quiet, he obviously knows how to motivate players, develop players and get the most out of them. UT fans would love the way the offense plays under him, and if he could make a strong defensive hire, he’d be a guaranteed hit in Knoxville. The only question mark is recruiting.

Why the Tennessee Vols might not want Justin Fuente

Other than some minor recruiting concerns, there’s the thought that he’s already at a destination job in Virginia Tech, which is a place that adores him. He doesn’t yearn for the burning spotlight of the SEC, and as a quiet guy, you could totally see him settling in to Blacksburg for a long, long time. He has a high buyout, but the number goes down in December. Can the Vols wait until then? If so, you’re essentially sacrificing a year of recruiting.

Tennessee Vols coaching candidate Bobby Petrino

As Tennessee embarks on its fourth coaching search in ten years, here’s a quick look at Vols coaching candidate Bobby Petrino.

Bobby Petrino coaching experience (56 years old)

Petrino is 73-26 (as of November 13) as the head coach at Louisville in his second stint. He’s also been a head coach at Western Kentucky and Arkansas, where he was building the Hogs into an annual contender until a scandal derailed him. He was the coach of the Atlanta Falcons for a year, and he was an NFL assistant for several years. Petrino was also a college assistant at Carroll, Weber State, Idaho, Arizona State, Utah State, Louisville, and Auburn including numerous collegiate stints as offensive coordinator.

GRT taxonomy of college football coaching: The Proven Winner, Level Three – Major Conference Contender; Guru (offense and quarterbacks); Pro

Why the Tennessee Vols might want Bobby Petrino

This hasn’t been a particularly good year for Petrino, but he is one of the foremost offensive minds in all of college football. He’s a veteran who has proven he can coach and recruit in the SEC, develop quarterbacks — pro-style and dual-threat — and is a master at tailoring his offense to match the talent on his team. He has experienced success recruiting in Florida and has won in the SEC.

Why the Tennessee Vols might not want Bobby Petrino

The Vols could probably get Petrino, but how much would he cost and how loyal would he be? He’s a job-jumper who has been at a lot of places. Also, how much of that Louisville investigation stink does he have on him? Any? When it comes to baggage, few coaches bring as much as Petrino, who lied to the Falcons before taking the job at Arkansas, was involved in the secretive Auburn Tuberville-for-Petrino swap way back when and the infamous motorcycle wreck with a woman who wasn’t his wife that ultimately led to his ouster in Fayetteville.

Tennessee Vols coaching candidate Charlie Strong

As Tennessee embarks on its fourth coaching search in ten years, here’s a quick look at Vols coaching candidate Charlie Strong.

Charlie Strong coaching experience (57 years old)

He enjoyed a strong tenure as Louisville’s coach from 2010-13 before being hired at Texas, which was a nightmare experience. He was never a fit there, and after replacing Willie Taggart at South Florida, he has the Bulls with just one loss. He was an assistant at Florida, Texas A&M, Southern Illinois, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and South Carolina. He made a name for himself as the Gators defensive coordinator, and that’s how he got his head coaching gig.

GRT taxonomy of college football coaches: The Proven Winner, Level Three – Major Conference Contender (although there has been some mixed success at Level Three)

Why the Tennessee Vols might want Charlie Strong

At one point, he was going to be the fit in Knoxville, but it fell through. There are varying reports on how and why it fell through, but all reports are that he was very close to being Tennessee’s head coach the last time around. Would you go after him again if you’re John Currie? It’s almost a certainty he could coach up a defensive-minded team and use his south Florida ties to recruit well. He knows the SEC as well as anybody.

Why the Tennessee Vols might not want Charlie Strong

That checkered history with the Vols will not help his cause. And when he got his opportunity to coach a big program, he blew it in Austin. Strong has struggled in building consistent offensive programs who can produce enough points to be successful. Which coach would show up? The one at Louisville or the one at Texas? I think it would be tough to go in this direction.

Tennessee Vols coaching candidate Dan Mullen

As Tennessee embarks on its fourth coaching search in ten years, here’s a quick look at Vols coaching candidate Dan Mullen.

Dan Mullen’s coaching experience (45 years old)

Assistant/GA at Wagner, Columbia, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Bowling Green and Utah from 1994-2004. Rode Urban Meyer’s coattails from Utah to Florida, where he found huge success as offensive coordinator with Tim Tebow, 2005-08. He’s been Mississippi State’s head coach since then.

GRT college football coach taxonomy: The Proven Winner, Level Three – Major Conference Contender; Guru (QBs; offense)

Why the Tennessee Vols might want Dan Mullen

There’s a familiarity there, and you also like the fact that he’s proven he can develop players and generate some big offensive numbers in the conference. Mullen is sharp-tongued, quick-witted and knows how to handle media and the fan base. He also has recruited and enjoyed success in Tennessee. The man knows the SEC, and he also knows how to play the recruiting game. He’s proven his ability to develop quarterbacks and build great offenses at a dead-end spot like Starkville. Tennessee is a huge step up, even though it’s in the same conference. Still, he makes a lot of money at MSU, and is this the kind of hire you want to make without knowing if his ceiling has championship potential?

Why the Tennessee Vols might not want Dan Mullen

Will the money be there? He’s already making over $5 million in Starkville. Also, he’s already in the SEC. Would he see Knoxville as an opportunity? He’s also never won big in Starkville, though he did have MSU to No. 1 briefly when Dak Prescott was the quarterback.