Univ. of Tennessee AD John Currie has been "fired after only eight months on the job," according to sources cited by Knoxville-based WVLT-CBS. The exhausting search for a new football coach "caused tension and uncertainty between fans and staff." After nearly a week of misfires, Currie met with UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport on Friday morning (LOCAL8NOW.com, 12/1). Knoxville-based WBIR-NBC reports the meeting Friday was "short -- around 10 minutes long." When Currie left the meeting he told a reporter he "can't say anything ... just now" (WBIR.com, 12/1). Currie began his duties at UT on April 1, and in Knoxville, Mike Wilson notes Currie's contract "stipulates a buyout that pays $100,000 times the number of months remaining on the term of his deal for firing without cause." His buyout would total $5.5M with his contract through June 30, 2022, if "fired without cause" (KNOXNEWS.com, 12/1).
WHAT A WEEK: SI.com's Andy Staples reports Washington State coach Mike Leach and Currie met in California on Thursday and "agreed to terms" on a deal that would make Leach the next coach at UT. But before anything could be signed Currie was "called back to Knoxville to reassess a coaching search that has gone from bizarre to surreal." Last Sunday, UT reportedly agreed to terms with Ohio State coordinator Greg Schiano, but an "unprecedented fan revolt" caused school officials to "back out of the deal." In the succeeding days, Currie "discussed the job" with Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, Purdue’s Jeff Brohm and N.C. State’s Dave Doeren. When word leaked Thursday night that Currie had met with Leach, it was "met with almost overwhelming approval by fans on social media." But someone at UT was "displeased with Currie’s courtship of Leach." Shortly after a draft of a Memorandum of Understanding was sent to UT’s general counsel on Thursday, Currie was "ordered to return to Knoxville" (SI.com, 12/1). ESPN.com's Chris Low cited sources as saying that UT officials "instructed Currie not to broker a deal with Leach or anybody else prior to returning to campus" (ESPN.com, 12/1).
WHO'S CALLING THE SHOTS? ESPN's Low said he would look to see former UT football coach Phillip Fulmer "be more involved in this coaching search." Low: "I'm not saying he's going to be the athletic director, but I think you will see him now as Tennessee tries to put an end to a disastrous search, to have him more involved and maybe run point on this process going forward." Davenport is "still on top of the chain, but she’s going to rely" on people like Fulmer, people "under her to get this done." Low: "I don’t think you’re going to see Tennessee rush to do anything now." He later added that it is "false" that Fulmer was trying to hinder Currie's search ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/1). However, SI.com's Bruce Feldman notes Fulmer is said to have been "battling with Currie" (SI.com, 12/1).
