Former Vols head coaching target comments on almost taking the Tennessee job
If you've kept up with any of the various Tennessee Vols coaching searches over the last 10-14 years, you're likely familiar with Mike Gundy's name. Gundy, who has been the head coach at Oklahoma State since 2005, has interviewed with the Vols so many times that he's lost count. The former Oklahoma State quarterback told […]
If you've kept up with any of the various Tennessee Vols coaching searches over the last 10-14 years, you're likely familiar with Mike Gundy's name.
Gundy, who has been the head coach at Oklahoma State since 2005, has interviewed with the Vols so many times that he's lost count.
The former Oklahoma State quarterback told ESPN's Chris Low this week that he couldn't even remember which years he interviewed with Tennessee while also taking a subtle shot at how many head coaches the Vols have had over the years.
Despite the subtle shot, Gundy still called the UT job a "gold mine".
Gundy said he interviewed multiple times with Tennessee "because I always felt like that job was a gold mine." He joked that the Vols have had "so many different coaches" that he couldn't remember the specific years he talked to Tennessee.
"That's why I'm so appreciative of what we have at this place, the continuity and stability that we've had," Gundy said. "People don't leave. They stay here, and with our new administration, there's a lot left out there for us."
This is the second time that Gundy has spoken to ESPN about his flirtations with Tennessee.
In 2019, Gundy said he had been offered the Vols job three different times.
“I’ve had that job offered three different times,” said Gundy in 2019. “It’s ironic that it’s always been Tennessee. I guess it gets to a point where you say, ‘Is it time for me to make a change? I’m 50-something years old. Is it time for me to go do things differently?’ Sometimes in your life, you think that way. Tennessee put together an unbelievable package, and it’s hard to tell somebody no when that happens. But I made the right decision.”
Gundy was a key figure in the Vols' coaching searches in 2012 and 2017. Both times it felt like he was close to taking the job.
In 2017, a Vols fan even caught Gundy in Dallas as he was either pre or post-interview with Tennessee.
Tennessee is better off without Gundy. Nothing against him as a coach, but his interest in the Vols was driven entirely by the finances (he got some nice raises at Oklahoma State because of UT). He didn't want to be in Knoxville for the right reasons, which would've ultimately led to failure.
The Vols had to wander through the wilderness for a bit before they got to Josh Heupel, but they finally landed on the right coach for the program.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
