By Jimmy Hyams
With Duke coach David Cutcliffe and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell out of the picture, Tennessee has turned its coaching search focus to Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy.
Three sources told me UT has interviewed Gundy, perhaps in Dallas. UT offered Gundy in 2012 but he declined.
Many felt Gundy used the 2012 offer to leverage Oklahoma State – where he played quarterback – and to gain more power in a struggle with key booster T. Boone Pickens.
Is Gundy doing that again this time? Or is he seriously interested in coming to Knoxville?
Other potential candidates: SMU coach Chad Morris, Auburn DC Kevin Steele, Alabama DC Jeremy Pruitt, Clemson DC Brent Venables, Memphis coach Mike Norvell, Purdue coach Jeff Brohm. Pruitt and Venables have interviewed at Mississippi State.
If Gundy says no, I think the top three candidates are Morris, Steele and Pruitt.
I like Norvell, but for whatever reason, he has fallen down the UT list by the decision makers, I’m told
Another name that has cropped up: Kevin Sumlin, who was fired by Texas A&M.
Former Texas and North Carolina coach Mack Brown had his name floated by CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel, but it doesn’t appear as though Brown is in the picture.
Meanwhile, sources have told me former UT coach Phillip Fulmer wasn’t very involved in the coaching search initially that reached an agreement with Greg Schiano before it was nixed.
I’m told Fulmer will be more involved in the second search.
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