re: Tennessee hires Arkansas assistant Tony Vitello as HC

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This isn't football. Hiring an assistant worked out fine for MSU, UK and Auburn.

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And Florida, and Texas A&M, and Vandy (kind of, Corbin had some HC experience but not much), and Louisville

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Chad Holbrook was the hot assistant coach hire in the country when SC hired him ... he's gone now.

Holbrook had been named the top recruiter in the country at UNC and had gone, with that team to the CWS three times - asst on a team that played in the finals twice.

He signed great classes at SC as well, and went to the CWS three more times, was on a team that played for in the finals three times and won two national championships.

But the guy could not coach. Most of us used to say he looked like a deer in the headlights in a close game. Also, you could tell, as a skipper he was not someone, as it turned out, that the players believed in.

So regardless the pedigree assistants do not always work-out.

I'm up near Knoxville since yesterday and everyone up here seems to like the hire though. Could be perfect for UT. They got him cheap and they've promised him some new things, over time, and he's young and hungry. It just all depends upon how fast he can turn things around and start showing serious improvement.