What SEC jobs are going to be open this year?  Tennessee for certain, possibly Auburn, possibly Mississippi State, and possibly Vanderbilt if Bobby Johnson takes a better job.  Quite frankly Mississippi State and Vandy are steps down from Tech.  Auburn is essentially a parallel move with the same type of obstacles that Leach faces at Tech plus a couple of others.  And while Tennessee represents a step up in some respects (money, facilities etc.) it brings with it a new series of problems Leach has never faced at Tech -- first of all Tennessee is not the program that it once was-- changes that are the rsult of changing times and involve competing with schools in their own division with built in advantages (Florida and Georgia); it has a totally unrealistic and unforgiving fan base; surprisingly Tennesse really has a limited recruiting base that is further limited by pressures from surrounding schools; while he faced two 800 pound gorrillas (OU and Texas) in the Big 12, he will face no less than five or six others in the SEC -- it is one thing to have two big games a year, it is entirely another thing to be confronted with five or six.  Beyond that I'm not at all certain how Leach's admittedly quirky personality will play in Knoxville. 

 

Besides the SEC, what other bigtime jobs will be open this year?  Washington?  Not a significant move up, although Washington and the PAC 10 are a school and a league that are probably ideal fits for someone like Leach.  Other than that, Clemson would be less of a fit than Tennessee, and any Big 10, Big East, or ACC jobs that might open up are not worth the move.  No, Tech has made a commitment to upgrading facilities (which already aren't that bad other than seating capacity of the stadium) and if they come up with any kind of raise for Leach and his staff, he would probably be better served staying where he can win 9 or 10 games a year and  go to a respectable bowl game and have a really big year every so often.  Its a place where he is comfortable personally and proffesionally, and where the fan base is largely appreciative of what is taking place -- although give them another few years of winning big, and they will probably evolve into a more unrealistic mode.

 

In the end, he will probably take the Tennessee job if offered -- although it appears that Tennessee's first choice is Butch Davis at North Carolina (but that is another topic for another discussion).  But in the ned I also believe it would be a mistake for Leach.