Coach Kelly/Tennessee Rumors

[bearcatn8]

I have no idea what is going on in the AD department at Tennessee. Kelly was on Rivals radio this morning on Sirius Satellite Radio and he flat out denied that he has been contacted by any other school.

He was very up front -- or at least seemed to be -- throughout the interview. He said that as a college coach, you are either "getting hired or getting fired," and it's always better to be mentioned for open positions because that means you are doing a good job. Said he is focused on Pitt, but he would always answer his phone AFTER the season if someone called.

[icehole3]

Here is a clip of Kelly commenting yesterday on the UT job, take what you will from his comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txLrDVxGlTM

[ralph1950]

Has any one checked the internet website the last two weeks that details all of the private jet flight logs between Lunken Airport and Knoxville TN. I remember seeing posts of this flight log two years ago of flights between Lunken at Lansing, Michigan.

[jkwuc89]

Has any one checked the internet website the last two weeks that details all of the private jet flight logs between Lunken Airport and Knoxville TN. I remember seeing posts of this flight log two years ago of flights between Lunken at Lansing, Michigan.

You seem quite convinced that Coach Kelly is leaving for UT so why don't you check it yourself. In the meantime, I'll choose to believe real reports and not random blogs that sometimes have little basis in actual facts.

[bobestes]

For goodness sake, he may very well leave to go coach at Timbuktu State someday, but I'd be pretty surprised if he were interviewing for jobs the week before his team played for a spot in a BCS Bowl.

[Bearcat-in-Italy]

If you are from around here the Coombs thing is a bit intriguing. Here's the only acceptable scenario for me:

1. If it happens that our current coach moves on, the next head coach would have to take Coombs on as his D-coordinator

2. Coombs hits a home run as D-coord over the next 3+ years. This presumes that the next guy kicks tail as well, keeps the program at a high level (perhaps after a slight down year next year as we re-load).

3. Coach #2 moves on...and Coombs becomes the guy. At this point he has been in college coaching for 5 years. 2 as a Dback coach, and 3 as a defensive coordinator with big success.

4. Coombs stays here for many years, as a perennial top 25 program. He brings stability and growth to the program.

Nice story.

[bearcat428]

Nice fairy tale story.

..............................

[grubs]

You seem quite convinced that Coach Kelly is leaving for UT so why don't you check it yourself. In the meantime, I'll choose to believe real reports and not random blogs that sometimes have little basis in actual facts.

Since I needed to kill some more time before leaving for Clifton, I looked it up for him. UT'S plane has only traveled to Virginia and Alabama in the last few weeks. Every other flight has been in state.

[Irishbearcat]

When they want it under the radar, it would be better to use a private plane.

[jeffto]

Wow, now we're going to investigate private plane flights? People, get a life!

I'd hate to lose Kelly, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. UC is not a destination coaching job. It's more so than before Kelly, and it's more so than before Dantonio. We're moving in the right direction.

I think whether he stays or not this year will have a lot to do with fan support the rest of the way. If we beat Pitt and Syracuse doesn't sell out, he's gone.

[jkwuc89]

To all of you who thought Coach Kelly was leaving for UT, go to Bill Koch's blog now to see a from Coach Kelly himself. Hopefully, this puts this UT nonsense to bed for awhile if not forever.

[Josh Rexhausen]

And if that doesn't convince you

"No, wearing the colors of Ohio State, Notre Dame, or Boston College - that's not really for me," Kelly said. "It's really about raising your family in an environment they enjoy and having challenges. If I can keep having those in front of me then I'm at the right place in Cincinnati."

[richard k.]

"No, wearing the colors of Ohio State, Notre Dame, or Boston College - that's not really for me," Kelly said. "It's really about raising your family in an environment they enjoy and having challenges. If I can keep having those in front of me then I'm at the right place in Cincinnati."

Great article, but of course, what else would you really expect him to say at this moment in time.

More important to me is how do you find the "Hear it From Hoard" column at gobearcats? I've had to put the column name in the search box, and then hope that I can find the latest column in the search results. This can't be the "right" way to do it - there has to be an easy way - and I just can't find it. (Some of the old timers here will recall my plaints about not being particularly gifted when it comes to computers. )

[Bearcat_DF]

Time to make two outlandish predictions:

1) Brian Kelley will be our Joe Pa. He has a clear path to the NC game. He could possibly be lured away for more money, but there is still a question about which is the better financial situation - go to a UT where you make $3 mil for 4-5 seasons - $12 - 15 mil total or stay at a UC for 20 years with increasing salary levels.

I think there is one scenario where BK leaves. If the BCS division goes to a play-off system and a BE champion gets left out (a likely scenario this year if there were an 8 team play-off - Alabama, Florida, Texas, OK, Penn State, USC, . . .).

At that point, BK can't win a NC at UC and he has to jump to a place where he can. Still, by the time the BCS division goes to a play-off, I expect UC to be able to play with anyone.

2) ND will be in the BE by the end of the decade. Their "unique" status is quickly dying off. Younger fans haven't seen ND win a bowl came since when? They haven't been a serious NC contender since?? Once they have a loss, they have nothing to play for - no conference championship. In a few years, as their TV viewship fades, they will need the BE to make them relevant again.

[jkwuc89]

A direct link to Dan's latest column is on the main BN site.