It may be time to pump the brakes on the talk of Jon Gruden to Tennessee.
According to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, the Volunteers have serious reservations about bringing Gruden in as coach, centering around his record in the NFL and his recruiting ability.
Despite Gruden’s reputation — and Super Bowl ring — his 57-55 overall record as Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach is said to be giving Tennessee pause, with some writing off the Super Bowl win as coming with a roster built by his predecessor, Tony Dungy. In five of his 11 seasons, Gruden’s teams were at or below .500, and there are worries about his distance from the game as well — it’s been nine years since he coached at all, and 26 since coaching at the collegiate level.
In addition, there are worries about how Gruden would adapt to SEC recruiting, where Tennessee can scarcely afford to fall behind.
Dodd clarifies that this does not mean Gruden is not a candidate, but rather the Volunteers have concerns that need addressing before they really go after him.
Gruden, at the very least, seems interested in the position, if reports are true. The question may be if Tennessee is as interested in him.
