Tennessee has another tough decision to make about Jon Gruden following his most recent comments. The Vols should seriously consider hiring the former NFL coach as its general manager.

Why? It’s complicated.

Let’s begin with this. Gruden has expressed interest in joining Tennessee’s administration staff as a talent evaluator. This isn’t the first time Gruden has teased Tennessee and its fan base. He was reportedly interested in becoming the Vols’ head coach on multiple occasions. Just how interested is the question.

Per multiple sources to Off The Hook Sports, Gruden was never truly considering coaching at Tennessee but allowed the rumors, also called “Grumors,” to circulate. Gruden loves to tease. UT fans love to believe.

Now to this. Gruden was involved in an email scandal that cost him his job as the head coach of the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. The case against him was pretty strong as leaked messages indicated he wrote many misogynistic, racist and homophobic emails. Now, after being the keynote speaker for Tennessee’s coaches’ camp, Gruden is again showing interest in joining the Vols under head coach Josh Heupel.

“I got to visit with Coach Heupel and meet his wife last night,” Gruden said on The Mike Keith Show, “Maybe I can come back here and be a GA (graduate assistant) all over again. That’s the job I want.”

Understandably, Keith asked, “Really?”

Gruden with a quick retort said his farm in Sevierville would make working for the Vols all too easy. If this sounds too good to be true, join the club. Still, Gruden was persistent with Keith.

“Oh hell yeah,” Gruden said. “I’ll just go up to my barn and I’ll come down here and break down tape and live happily ever after.”

If I’m Tennessee, I’m taking Gruden up on his offer. However, he wouldn’t be a graduate assistant at Tennessee; he’d be the Vols’ general manager. If you believe Gruden, which is difficult to do at times, he and the Vols were close to coming together during multiple coaching searches.

“When I was doing Monday Night Football, there were some serious talks,” Gruden said. “I just wasn’t ready to do college football. I was broadcasting Monday Night Football. I really felt if I had become the head coach here at Tennessee, I probably would have got in all kinds of trouble with recruiting because I want to get all the best players. 

“I wasn’t ready for it. But I had talked to (former Tennessee quarterback) Peyton (Manning) and (country singer) Kenny Chesney, some of my favorite Volunteers. Sometimes I look back on my life wondering what would’ve happened. But I stuck with the NFL. I wanted to stick in the NFL. I had a good thing going with broadcasting, and unfortunately, I never pulled the trigger to get in with the Orange, but I’m still their biggest fan.”

That’s a lot to unpack. I don’t believe Gruden was seriously interested in becoming a head coach at Tennessee. However, I do believe he’s a great talent evaluator, which is key for any coach. Frankly, that’s all that kept former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt afloat during his career. 

For all the talk of schemes and managing team culture, talent evaluation is keenly important for a coach at any level. That’s what makes a potential Gruden hire as, perhaps, Tennessee’s general manager all that more intriguing.

Gruden can’t get in trouble nowadays for paying players with the current NIL framework – or lack thereof. Also, Tennessee could use an upgrade in its talent evaluation department. Heupel and the Vols have missed on far too many players to not think that’s an issue. Gruden could help – if he’s serious, which I still question.

I don’t think UT and Gruden will ever come to terms on any position. Gruden, 61, has expressed interest because he likes to be flirted with. That’s fine. However, if I’m Heupel, I’m taking Gruden up on his offer. Why? Because I think Gruden is one of the few coaches that Heupel trusts, as evident by him being around Tennessee’s football program last week.

Heupel has proven via in-house promotions that he’s secretive, if not paranoid, about his football program. Gruden wouldn’t defy Heupel’s trust, would he? Gruden loves the Vols, right? 

Well, I’m not so sure about that. I believe Gruden looks out for Gruden. However, the Vols could use the extra hand – and eye – when it come to evaluating talent. If he’d truly take the job, Gruden should Tennessee’s first general manager.