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10 times Tennessee Vols athletics raised fans hopes too high

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 12: Lane Kiffin, head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers talks in the press conference after a game against the UCLA Bruins on September 12, 2009 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. UCLA beat Tennessee 19-15. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 12: Lane Kiffin, head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers talks in the press conference after a game against the UCLA Bruins on September 12, 2009 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. UCLA beat Tennessee 19-15. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) /
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Photo by B51/Mark Brown/Getty Images
Photo by B51/Mark Brown/Getty Images /

10. Jon Gruden rumors during 2017 football collapse

These rankings are based on two things. One is what UT fans should have expected. The less likely something was, the less of a tease it was. Level of disappointment is the other. On both counts, this one is near the bottom. Everybody knew that Jon Gruden was somewhat of a pipe dream, and nobody ever should have ever gotten their hopes up about him.

However, it was still a tease nonetheless given all the rumors. Following a 41-0 home loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, the Tennessee Vols football program was 3-2 and unraevling under Butch Jones. Starting in the bye week, Paul Finebaum legitimized rumors of UT boosters and new athletic director John Currie being willing to break the bank for Jon Gruden.

Such rumors existed in 2012, but Finebaum and other credible sources playing into them this time set off a firestorm that lasted through as Rocky Top’s collapse to a 4-8 record and its worst season in history in SEC play. We even got in on the action, writing an article here about Gruden’s potential dream staff.

But it was was all a ruse. Gruden was allowing himself to be courted, and Currie waited far too long to fire Jones, so his top choices after Gruden weren’t even there for him. That brought about the disastrous Greg Schiano coaching search. Currie was ousted the following Friday and replaced by Phillip Fulmer, who then hired Pruitt. It all stemmed from the Gruden rumors in October.

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