Following the Greg Schiano fiasco, many Tennessee fans are hoping the school hires someone with deep ties to the school. There aren’t many as synonymous with excellence on Rocky Top than former UT quarterback Tee Martin.

Martin, now coaching at USC as an offensive coordinator, has apparently shot up Tennessee’s coaching hot board in the wake of the protests over the school’s pursuit of Schiano. Aside from leading one of the nation’s best offenses in Los Angeles, Martin is also known for being one of the nation’s best recruiters.

According to Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated, Martin could be the next coach at Tennessee:

For what it’s worth, Dan Wolken also suggests this is a reality. Wolken was the first to report that Tennessee was in negotiations with Schiano Sunday afternoon:

Before landing at USC, Martin worked on Kentucky’s staff as a receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He has served as the Trojans’ offensive coordinator for two seasons. He has annually been regarded among the nation’s best recruiters, winning national honors from Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, and Rivals as well as winning multiple Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year honors.

After all the uproar in Knoxville over the last 24 hours, will Vol Nation get on board with the hiring of a coach that has no head coaching experience? Martins pedigree suggests the answer is yes.