After overseeing the single most disastrous coaching search in recent history, Tennessee athletic director John Currie is reportedly out of a job, only nine months into his tenure.
https://twitter.com/ChynnaGreene/status/936607611545444355
Just filed to ESPN: Tennessee has parted ways with AD John Currie on the heels of what has been a disastrous Tennessee coaching search. He met with university officials on Friday morning, and the decision was made then.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) December 1, 2017
After firing Butch Jones in mid-November, Currie unsuccessfully courted Jon Gruden, then settled for Greg Schiano, who was driven out of town by an angry mob. Though we can debate all day whether anger over Schiano was a product of skepticism over his resume or the allegation that he helped cover up child sexual assault at Penn State, the situation was a PR fiasco of the highest order.
Since the Schiano mess, Currie has reportedly pursued, and been rejected by, Mike Gundy, Jeff Brohm, David Cutliffe, Dave Doeren, Jim Bob Cooter and others. Lane Kiffin literally laughed at the suggestion he might want the job. The whole search has become a punchline.
The last straw for Currie seems to have been a difference of opinion with university officials and booster Jimmy Haslam over whether to hire Washington State coach Mike Leach.
Sources: John Currie was prepared to hire Mike Leach but university officials wouldn’t allow him to do so. Phillip Fulmer has been sabotaging search process in hopes to become Tennessee’s AD
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 1, 2017
BIG Booster tells me John Currie went rogue and tried to hire Mike Leach and didn't even have Haslam's approval! Wow!!! #Vols
— VC's SPORTS PICKS (The Colonel) (@TheVOLColonel) December 1, 2017
Is this all Currie’s fault? Maybe it’s not all Currie’s fault, but someone deserves blame for this massive mess, and it might as well be the guy who has orchestrated the search.
And to think it was less than a year ago that Currie’s hiring was lauded as a “great call,” “great hire,” “the smart thing” and “a very good get.”
RIP John Currie’s Tennessee tenure #Vols pic.twitter.com/1xXkve46Y0
— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) December 1, 2017
Yep, life comes at you fast.
