UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton is running a sprint to find Kiffin's replacement.  It all comes down to timing.  The Vols are losing commitments left and right.  Lane Kiffin could not have bailed ship at a worse time.  National signing day is just around the corner and the coaches are awaiting the end of the dead period.

Interim UT football coach, Kippy Brown, indicated that he expected someone to be hired by Friday ... tomorrow.  Brown would be a solid candidate for the job, but puts Hamilton in an awkward situation.  Hamilton has made moves to shift the donor base from the 'old guard' ... Kippy Brown is a fan favorite among the old guard.  Personally, Brown has solid experience (26 years total) and would be an effective head coach ... but would Brown be viewed as a Fulmer favorite as well?  A very sore subject in Knoxville to say the least.

With that said, did Mike Hamilton even contact David Cutcliffe for the open position?  Several sources have told me this morning that Cutcliffe has no interest in the position.

Troy Calhoun was Mike Hamilton's second choice behind Lane Kiffin.  Calhoun, head coach of the Air Force Academy, had this to say to the Denver Post yesterday regarding a potential move to Knoxville:

Loves it there ... just like Nick Saban liking Miami?  Calhoun interviewed in the last process, it is highly unlikely that he is no longer interested in the UT position. 

Calhoun is a solid coach, from all indications a very good man.  Many people in Vol Nation are stating that they believe that Calhoun can not coach.  The man can coach, but the question is:  can he recruit?

While at Air Force recruiting is an entirely different animal than it would be for an SEC school.  Let's face the facts.  In order to get into any of the Service Academies, you can not be a partial qualifier.  At the same time, there is very little name recognition when it comes to Calhoun.  You can not hold your own among the elite if none of the recruits know who you are.  Imagine that phone call.

Troy Calhoun has called a team meeting with his players at approximately 5:00pm EST today.  Will he be announcing a move to Knoxville or will he be telling his team that he is committed to them and staying? 

We are hedging on the former.

Another question involves Calhoun's staff.  The football staff at Air Force is not exactly a who's-who of collegiate athletics.  While I have heard of several of the assistants, there are no earth shattering names on the list.  Would Calhoun tap his NFL resources to assemble his staff?

Keep in mind that Mike Hamilton was in the Denver area for a meeting with a corporate sponsor on Tuesday and returned to Knoxville on a red-eye flight.  While Kiffin's timing was horrible, Hamilton's geographical placement may well have been a God send for his team.

Is Calhoun Hamilton's man?  That is the indication.  If Calhoun turns the job down, who does the University of Tennessee go after?  If UT is unable to get a coach into place before the recruiting deadline ends, this year's recruiting class will have to essentially be scrapped.  Personally, I do not see Mike Hamilton allowing that to happen ...

Calhoun has issued a statement:  staying at Air Force

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