Tennessee Targeting Mike Gundy As Coaching Search Continues
The roller-coaster ride of a coaching search at Tennessee has taken a few new twists and turns. Sources tell SI that Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has become a big target of the Vols. A source also says UT has reached out to Purdue’s Jeff Brohm and NC State’s Dave Doeren.
Word is, persuading Gundy to leave Oklahoma State, his alma mater, is no small task. He has arguably a top-three job in the Big 12, loves his home setup and has elevated the program to new heights, having gone 113–53 over his tenure. He has had some friction with his athletic director over the years, and Tennessee could certainly pay him a lot more than the $4 million salary he’s getting now.
Brohm, a Louisville native, had a strong first season at Purdue, getting the Boilermakers into a bowl game for the first time in five years. He’s a brilliant offensive mind and is financially manageable for UT. Would he leave Purdue after one year though?
Doeren, a Kansas native, who is 56–34 in stints at Northern Illinois and NC State, led the Wolfpack to an 8–4 finish after entering the season on the hot seat. A source told SI that he would be very tempted by the Vols job.
Another option for Tennessee is USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin, who we’ve been told is in play for this job and has a legit shot at it. Martin has coached in the SEC as an assistant at Kentucky. He’s a former Tennessee star who quarterbacked the Vols to a national title two decades ago and is regarded as a very good recruiter.