Could Jon Gruden be on the verge of returning to coaching? (Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE)
Tennessee and Arkansas are looking for new head coaches, and both schools want former Raiders and Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden, CBSSports.com reported Sunday, based on sources.
Arkansas is ready to make its next coach the highest-paid coach in the Southeastern Conference, according to the report, and the SEC has some highly paid coaches.
The Razorbacks would not shy away from a bidding war to get Gruden, 49, after they slipped to 4-7 this season under John L. Smith, who took over for this season following the dismissal of Bobby Petrino.
The Vols are 0-7 in the SEC and fired Derek Dooley on Sunday.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, a wealthy Volunteers booster whose brother is the governor of Tennessee, has told several people he believes Gruden would be a good fit for Tennessee. Gruden’s wife Cindy went to Tennessee.
Sources told CBSSports.com that Gruden is more interested in coaching in the college game than in the NFL and is more serious about a return to coaching now than he has been since being fired by the Bucs in 2008.
Gruden is currently employed by ESPN as an NFL analyst.
