Tennessee AD Currie Defends Coaching Search Despite Backlash

Tennessee AD John Currie is "defending the process of his coaching search and vouching for the character of Greg Schiano one day after negotiations between the two parties broke down amid public backlash." Currie in a statement today acknowledged that the Ohio State defensive coordinator was a "leading candidate for the Volunteers' coaching vacancy without explaining why the two sides parted ways." UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport also "issued a statement offering her support to Currie while acknowledging her regret over the handling of the Schiano situation" (AP, 11/27). Penn State Trustee Anthony Lubrano in a statement said Schiano "had nothing to do with the Sandusky scandal" at PSU (TWITTER.com, 11/27).

Currie today "won't make a scheduled appearance" at the Knoxville Quarterback Club (KNOXNEWS.com, 11/27). ESPN’s Bob Ley said, “Here’s hoping Schiano’s lawyers wring every single last farthing out of a Tennessee administration which clearly is on training wheels” (“OTL,” ESPN, 11/27).