Tennessee Fans in Uproar Over Reports School Is Hiring Greg Schiano

The potential Greg Schiano hiring at Tennessee isn't going over too well.

Tennessee was finalizing a deal with Greg Schiano Sunday to become the team's new head coach and it did not go over too well with fans in Knoxville. The backlash eventually led to the Vols backing out of the deal, sources told SI.com's Bruce Feldman.

Schiano is currently serving as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State. He previously coached at Rutgers for 11 seasons and helped make the Scarlet Knights into a relevant football program in the Big East. He coached in the NFL for two seasons. 

Schiano's time as an assistant under Joe Paterno at Penn State has been the subject of controversy and a source of Tennessee fans' unrest. Documents released in July 2016 contain testimony that alleges Schiano had knowledge of the sexual abuse that was perpetrated by defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who is serving a minimum 30-year sentence after his 2012 conviction on 45 charges of sexually abusing 10 boys. Schiano denies ever seeing any abuse or having any reason to suspect any abuse in his time at Penn State.

Here's what some notable figures and fans said about the potential deal:

A small group is starting to get together at Neyland Stadium to protest a potential hiring of Greg Schiano. More cars are pulling up as I tweet. pic.twitter.com/urTpCvmvll

— Louis Fernandez Jr (@LouFernandezJr) November 26, 2017

The Rock on UT's campus. pic.twitter.com/aG3BXrkKOW

— Louis Fernandez Jr (@LouFernandezJr) November 26, 2017

I’m just going to say this if we hire Greg Schiano as our next head coach my options will be open to which college program I will Be donating my TIME and MONEY to. (No disrespect to GS) but if UT leaders don’t take football serious then I will find the program that will!!!

— Hydra Headphones (@haynesworthiii) November 26, 2017

All of my twitter right now is saying no to this Schiano hiring lol. All of it. Even other teams and conferences are even saying no. Lol. @John_Currie lemme know if u need more info.

— Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) November 26, 2017

I have reached out to @John_Currie and others in administration at UT expressing that WE as a TN Community do not approve of Schiano. #higherstandards

— Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) November 26, 2017

I asked Logan Ryan about Greg Schiano and what he would think of him at Tennessee when his name originally popped up. His response: “There will be discipline. He will recruit well.”

— Chad Withrow (@TheChadWithrow) November 26, 2017

Greg Schiano is not allowed in our establishment.

— Remedy Coffee (@remedy_coffee) November 26, 2017

He won’t be allowed in ours either! #NeighborsStickTogether Should add @John_Currie to that list as well!

— Hops and Hollers (@HopsandHollers) November 26, 2017

Tennessee fired Butch Jones on Nov. 12 after they dropped to 0–6 in SEC play. He went 34–27 in his five seasons with the Vols.