Report: Tennessee is one of three college jobs Gruden would consider accepting

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Gruden previously told school administrators that Tennessee is one of only three college jobs he'd ever take, according to a source. He's indicated real interest when Tennessee has reached out in the past but couldn't walk away from the lucrative deal he has with ESPN. Gruden is reportedly making at least $6.5 million annually for a job that requires considerably less work than what it'd take to get Tennessee back on top.

It's a good bet that Tennessee will again at least gauge Gruden's interest in the job. However, even if Gruden says he's interested, expect Tennessee to do real due diligence on how he plans to be successful at the college level given he's never recruited before. While fans may view Gruden as a program savior, the 54-year old ESPN analyst is not seen that way internally or around college football circles. Gruden's name alone doesn't guarantee success; he'd need a strong staff to help him navigate unfamiliar waters in the highly competitive world of SEC recruiting.

Beyond the recruiting questions, he hasn't coached a game since 2008 and last worked at the college level in 1989. It's why Gruden to Tennessee really isn't analogous to Alabama hiring Nick Saban away from the Miami Dolphins despite the comparisons. Saban had already won a national championship at LSU before returning to the college level at Alabama.

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