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Tennessee football: Top five coaches to consider if Vols fire Jeremy Pruitt

By Dean Zulkofske

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Hugh Freeze of the Liberty Flames celebrates with his team after defeating the Georgia Southern Eagles in the 2019 Cure Bowl at Exploria Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Hugh Freeze of the Liberty Flames celebrates with his team after defeating the Georgia Southern Eagles in the 2019 Cure Bowl at Exploria Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /
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AUBURN, ALABAMA – NOVEMBER 30: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers calls a timeout in the final minutes of their 48-45 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AUBURN, ALABAMA – NOVEMBER 30: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers calls a timeout in the final minutes of their 48-45 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

2. Gus Malzahn

Gus Malzahn checks a lot of the boxes Tennessee football’s front office would long for if they were searching for another head coach. A proven winning record in the SEC? Check. Can he compete with other SEC schools on the recruiting trail? Check. Okay, but can he win against the top schools, say, Alabama? Yes, Malzahn has done that too.

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Malzahn went 68-35 overall and 39-27 in the SEC over the eight seasons he spent with the Auburn Tigers. In his first season as HC in 2013, his squad finished No. 2 in the AP and Coaches’ Polls, ultimately losing the National Championship to Heisman winner Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles.

According to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings, Malzahn cracked the top 10 in team recruiting rankings all but two of his seasons in Auburn. He never finished a recruiting class in a position worse than No. 12.

The firing of Auburn’s fifth all-time winningest head coach came as a surprise to some, especially considering his impressive 3-5 record against Nick Saban. After all, his worst season was 7-6 with a bowl victory.

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Losing untimely games to seemingly inferior opponents, something UT coaches have also struggled with with in recent years, is what ended Malzahn’s position as the Tiger King. But in the SEC, if you’re not floating, you’re sinking. Given Malzahn’s proven ability to win in college football’s most arduous conference, there’s reason to believe he’d push UT back on top of the SEC East.

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