The hiring of Debord is a bad sign of the true state of Vol football. On the surface, after two straight top 5 classes, Vol fans should be upbeat about the near term and long term prospects of the program. However, I believe the Bajakian departure and Debord hiring should raise alarm bells for Vol fans that the coaching staff situation in Knoxville is not what it appears. Of course, I have no inside information and this is only my opinion, but let's compare coaching changes and non-changes at three premier programs to those at UT.
Regardless of the man's personality or standing, Lane Kiffin is a highly regarded offensive mind and the OC at one of the premier college football programs. He possibly could have gone to San Fran to become their OC. This can only be viewed as a lateral move and one he would have made only if it would enhance his chances of getting another head coaching job in college. That he did not take it shows that staying at Bama is, most likely in his estimation, better at getting him that head coach position. This makes total sense given Saban's coaching tree and the number of Saban assistants that are now head coaches in college. Every assistant coach in college, if they are any good and even those that aren't, dream about being head coaches and their moves have to be viewed with that end in mind. For Kiffin, staying at Bama is better for his near term goals.
Urban Meyer has been a head coach for 13 years. He has an incredible number of 12 assistants to have become head coaches in college. OSU, like Alabama, is a premier college program. Tony Alford just left Notre Dame, another premier program, to become the rb coach at OSU, the same position he held at ND. Why make a lateral move from one premier program to another. Simple, and according to Alford, OSU and Meyer afford him a better opportunity to move up than Kelly and ND.
Now to UT. First warning signal- Bajakian leaves essentially for a demotion (OC to QB coach). Something's amiss. Problems with Butch? Don't know why taking a demotion was viewed by Bajakian as improving his head coaching chances, but we do know that staying UT was no longer viewed as in his best interests. Second warning signal - Plenty of teams running a spread offense in college, but Jones hires a crony who when he last coached he coached (and has always coached) an old school I. The good assistants go to schools because the head coach is going to boost their career. Bajakian's move was noticed and wasn't lost on other assistants wanting to become OC's. I guarantee you, Azzani is not happy. I bet he feels overlooked and isn't happy about some old out of coaching coach being brought in over him to "groom" him. Like other assistants, to him that's what Butch is for. I think this also shows other good assistants didn't want to come to Knoxville and probably thought that if Azzani wasn't getting the job, that's a huge red flag. Butch had no choice but to hire Debord.
Vols fans you've got problems and its your favorite head coach.
Regardless of the man's personality or standing, Lane Kiffin is a highly regarded offensive mind and the OC at one of the premier college football programs. He possibly could have gone to San Fran to become their OC. This can only be viewed as a lateral move and one he would have made only if it would enhance his chances of getting another head coaching job in college. That he did not take it shows that staying at Bama is, most likely in his estimation, better at getting him that head coach position. This makes total sense given Saban's coaching tree and the number of Saban assistants that are now head coaches in college. Every assistant coach in college, if they are any good and even those that aren't, dream about being head coaches and their moves have to be viewed with that end in mind. For Kiffin, staying at Bama is better for his near term goals.
Urban Meyer has been a head coach for 13 years. He has an incredible number of 12 assistants to have become head coaches in college. OSU, like Alabama, is a premier college program. Tony Alford just left Notre Dame, another premier program, to become the rb coach at OSU, the same position he held at ND. Why make a lateral move from one premier program to another. Simple, and according to Alford, OSU and Meyer afford him a better opportunity to move up than Kelly and ND.
Now to UT. First warning signal- Bajakian leaves essentially for a demotion (OC to QB coach). Something's amiss. Problems with Butch? Don't know why taking a demotion was viewed by Bajakian as improving his head coaching chances, but we do know that staying UT was no longer viewed as in his best interests. Second warning signal - Plenty of teams running a spread offense in college, but Jones hires a crony who when he last coached he coached (and has always coached) an old school I. The good assistants go to schools because the head coach is going to boost their career. Bajakian's move was noticed and wasn't lost on other assistants wanting to become OC's. I guarantee you, Azzani is not happy. I bet he feels overlooked and isn't happy about some old out of coaching coach being brought in over him to "groom" him. Like other assistants, to him that's what Butch is for. I think this also shows other good assistants didn't want to come to Knoxville and probably thought that if Azzani wasn't getting the job, that's a huge red flag. Butch had no choice but to hire Debord.
Vols fans you've got problems and its your favorite head coach.
op: 
