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Tennessee football: Enough with the Jon Gruden to Vols talk!

By Caleb Calhoun

ATLANTA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers watches the action during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on November 18, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. Tampa Bay defeated Atlanta 31-7. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers watches the action during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on November 18, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. Tampa Bay defeated Atlanta 31-7. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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With Tennessee football head coach Butch Jones on the hot seat, rumors are starting back up of Jon Gruden coming to the Volunteers. They need to stop.

Related Story: 5 people who should NOT replace Butch Jones

And like clockwork, this has started back up again. Tennessee football is potentially interested in Jon Gruden to be its next head coach, if you pay attention to the rumors. Those rumors got a huge level of validation on Thursday.

SEC analyst Paul Finebaum said on his show that somebody he is connected to with the Vols told him their first choice would be Jon Gruden if something happens with Butch Jones. This was in response to a caller who said that word on the street is the Vols are prepared to ‘break the bank’ for their next hire.

If they do that, great. That’s what they should have done in 2012. And honestly, maybe that’s why Gruden didn’t come to Knoxville in the first place when Dave Hart reached out.

However, it’s time to stop these rumors.

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You can see in our link at the top of this story why he’s on our list of coaches the Vols should not go after if they fire Jones.

Every time Tennessee football is looking for a new head coach, Gruden’s name comes up.

And it always falls through. Even if the Vols want to open their checkbooks for the next coach, there’s no reason to think Gruden would take the job.

You can tell from this summer interview with Pewter Report that Gruden, despite a desire to get back into coaching, has no desire to go to college.

He clearly hates all the rules of the NCAA and all the administrative stuff that comes with coaching. So even if the Vols opened up their pockets for him, there’s no guarantee that his heart would be in it.

Meanwhile, he has no proven experience as a successful college coach. This would not be the same as a Nick Saban or Jim Harbaugh hire. Both of those guys proved they were elite before they got to Alabama and Michigan respectively.

Next: Top 5 candidates who could replace Butch Jones

We have absolutely no way of knowing if Gruden can translate his success to college. So no. Stop with the rumors for right now. Tennessee football should definitely open up its pockets for the next head coach. But that guy is not going to be Gruden.

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