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Tennessee football: Five things Danny White must avoid in coaching search

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 12: General view of a Tennessee Volunteers flag during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 12: General view of a Tennessee Volunteers flag during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the checkered endzone at Neyland Stadium during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the checkered endzone at Neyland Stadium during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

1. Ignoring older guys

Every athletic director wants to find the coach in his early 40s who will be with their program for 20 years. That’s an overrated idea, and Tennessee football should be the first program to avoid such a tendency.

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Remember, the Vols hired Rick Barnes in 2015 after he had crossed age 60. Well, Barnes is going as strong as ever. What about football, though? The only two SEC coaches to win national championships the past decade were Nick Saban and Ed Orgeron. Both were hired by their respective programs in their mid-50s.

Lasting 20 years is overrated anyway. If you can get a good 10 years out of a coach, you can make a great run. The Florida Gators only had Urban Meyer for six years and got two national championships out of it. Heck, Saban was only with the LSU Tigers for five years and delivered two SEC Championships and a national championship.

Look at other dynasties. No head coach of the Miami Hurricanes lasted more than six years with the program. Gene Stallings only lasted seven years with the Alabama Crimson Tide but delivered a national championship. Steve Spurrier’s epic run with the Florida Gators only lasted 12 years. Pete Carroll was only with the USC Trojans for nine years.

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Having a coach lasts for decades is the most overdone thing in college sports, and plenty of older coaches can deliver for their programs in a big way. Simply put, Tennessee football shouldn’t ignore people just because they are over 50 years old.

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