How Will Vols AD Currie Move On from Schiano Fiasco?

On the day Tennessee athletic director John Currie fired Butch Jones, he promised to spearhead "an exhaustive search" that would produce a coach who could "propel Tennessee to championships."

That challenge looks more difficult after Sunday's hiring fiasco.

Early in the day, it looked like Currie had found his man, Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano. By the end of the day, the position remained vacant after backlash from fans, politicians, business owners and some donors caused the deal with Schiano to unravel.

Currie, who has never hired a football coach, is left to pitch this program to potential hires who know that blowback and social media reaction derailed a previous deal. That should make for a much harder sell.

Knoxville is left looking like a tinderbox.

"They've spooked them all," one source told Sports Illustrated's Bruce Feldman, adding that "it's a hot mess."

Some pundits have argued that Sunday's backlash was less to do with what Schiano may or may not have known about Jerry Sandusky's crimes at Penn State - Schiano, who was a Penn State assistant from 1990-95, has denied having any knowledge of Sandusky's crimes - and more to do with the fact that he wasn't the splashy hire fans desired.

Currie's statement issued Monday only served to muddy the waters. Currie acknowledged that Schiano was a leading candidate for the job. Currie said he "carefully interviewed and vetted him" and that Schiano "received the highest recommendations." Currie referenced Schiano's years at Penn State.

"We, of course, carefully reviewed the 2012 investigation report by Louis Freeh," Currie said, referring to the report by the former FBI director in which Freeh investigated how Penn State officials handled Sandusky's actions.

"Coach Schiano is not mentioned in the Freeh report and was not one of the more than 400 people interviewed in the investigation. We also confirmed that Coach Schiano was never deposed and never asked to testify in any criminal or civil matter."

Essentially, Currie's statement said that Schiano was his target, he vetted him, he wanted to hire him - but didn't.

It prompts the question: Who's really in charge of the athletic department?

That's a question Currie must now answer as he pivots and tries to woo a new candidate.

That's where the conversation turns now. Who still wants this job?

Coaches with favorable Tennessee ties would make sense. They would be familiar with the climate they're stepping into and could tap into fans' sense of sentimentality.

Such parameters bring to mind Duke coach David Cutcliffe (former UT offensive coordinator under Phillip Fulmer), Southern California offensive coordinator Tee Martin (former UT national title-winning quarterback) and Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele (former UT linebacker and assistant coach).

Or perhaps the Vols can still attract a rising talent, such as Memphis' Mike Norvell or Purdue's Jeff Brohm.

The Vols find themselves on a crowded coaching carousel. Already, UCLA and Florida have made splashy hires of Chip Kelly and Dan Mullen, respectively.

Within the SEC, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Texas A&M also have openings. Jobs at Nebraska, Arizona State and Oregon State are open, too.

"I deeply regret the events of yesterday for everyone involved," UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport said in a statement Monday.

"The university remains steadfast in its commitment to excellence, and I look forward to John Currie continuing the search."

Currie's exhaustive search gets more exhausting with each passing day.

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