Report: Jon Gruden At Top of Tennessee's Head Coaching Wishlist After Firing Derek Dooley, Arkansas Interested Too

Report: Jon Gruden At Top of Tennessee’s Head Coaching Wishlist After Firing Derek Dooley, Arkansas Interested Too

by Doug Kyed on Sun, Nov 18, 2012 at 8:31PM

There could be a bidding war for the services of “that guy,” Jon Gruden.

The Monday Night Football color man is the top pick for the head coaching vacancy at Tennessee according to Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports. Tennessee fired their head coach, Derek Dooley, on Sunday. Arkansas is also interested in the former Raiders and Buccaneers coach. Current Razorbacks’ head coach, John L. Smith, is only signed to a one-year contract. Arkansas is “prepared to make their next coach the highest-paid in the SEC,” according to LaCanfora.

Gruden started his coaching career at Tennessee, where he was a graduate assistant in 1986. He hasn’t coached at the college level since serving as wide receivers coach at Pitt in 1991. Gruden had a career 95-81 record in his 11 years as an NFL head coach. His last season came in Tampa Bay in 2008, when he was fired after the Bucs finished 9-7.