Jon Gruden ‘not a factor’ in historic college football program’s coaching search

Jon Gruden at Lions training camp | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As major college football programs and now an NFL team, the New York Giants, have opened jobs across the country, there's one very popular and perhaps polarizing name who would like to get back in the coaching mix: Jon Gruden. However, this week, reports surfaced that Gruden is definitely not a candidate for one SEC team.

Let's remember that Jon Gruden was the coach for the 2002 Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad, and also coached the Raiders before his time in Tampa, and then of course, he returned to coach the Raiders again for a second stint starting in 2018. However, after posting a 22-31 overall record, Gruden was ultimately forced out, per ESPN, "following reports that emails he wrote over a 10-year period included racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language."

Not a great look on the way out of the NFL for Gruden. But before he returned to coaching, Gruden had become a likeable ESPN personality and has done some work with Barstool Sports since leaving coaching. Recently, though, he expressed an interest in coaching particularly in the SEC.

Well, the SEC may not have as much interest in him. As the Arkansas coaching search bustles forward, news broke Thursday that Jon Gruden is not among the list of names the school is considering, despite some inklings that Gruden could be a name to watch. On3's Pete Nakos reported the following:

"One name that sources have told On3 is not a factor in this search, at this point, is former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, who has publicly expressed a desire to get back into coaching," Nakos wrote in his report.

Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Rohan Jones (88) celebrates with tight end Maddox Lassiter (47) after scoring a touchdown | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Jon Gruden is dying to coach in the SEC

Gruden has not been shy about his desire to return to the sidelines, and has an eye out especially for the college game. "I love it, and it’s pretty much all I have,” Gruden said on an episode of Pardon My Take a few months back. “Who knows what will happen, but I’m preparing myself as always to coach.”

He also attended a Georgia football practice and said he'd "die to coach in the SEC.” If that's the case, there's no better time to be a coaching bachelor than 2025. Arkansas may not be totally interested, but Auburn, LSU and Florida remain open right now, and there's no telling whether other jobs could open up.

You look at a school like Kentucky with Mark Stoops struggling the last couple seasons, but turning it on late in the year. Perhaps Eli Drinkwitz takes a bigger job. You know, maybe Lane Kiffin does cash in on those lofty NFL or other SEC offers. Once the waves subside, half of the SEC very well may change their head coaches — voluntarily or not — after zero teams made a change last offseason.

As Ben Affleck once blustered to a desk full of suits in Good Will Hunting — Have a good day, Jon, and until that day comes, keep your ear to the grindstone.