Report: Tennessee’s memorandum of understanding with Greg Schiano was invalid
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Of all the twists and turns the Tennessee coaching search took, the most bizarre one was when the Vols tried to hire Ohio State DC Greg Schiano, only to have that deal fall apart due to fan outrage.
However, by that time, Schiano and then-AD John Currie had already signed a memorandum of understanding, which put the Vols in a position where they might owe Schiano money for the botched deal.
Now, though, it appears the Vols may be in the clear, as Tennessee insider Jimmy Hyams reports that the MOU was invalid because the right members of the Tennessee administration didn’t sign it:
UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport, through spokesman Ryan Robinson, did not sign the MOU. But whether she signed it or not is immaterial, according to UT’s policy.
The policy said the Chancellor only has the authority to sign “delegated contracts’’ – contracts for $100,000 or less. Any contract over $100,000 is considered a non-delegated contract.
To make a non-delegated contract official, it must be signed by UT’s Chief Financial Officer, who is David L. Miller.
The Schiano MOU was not signed by UT president Dr. Joe DiPietro, sources said. His signature would have made the contract valid.
Hyams goes on to say that Schiano could still pursue legal action, but now it appears as if he may not have much of a case.
That’s good news for the Vols as they try to put the whole Schiano debacle behind them and move on with Jeremy Pruitt as the head coach.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
