Following Tennessee's crushing loss to BYU, Twitter questions what could have been had Mike Leach landed on Rocky Top
Following one of the most bizarre coaching searches in college football history, Tennessee appeared to be very close to landing Mike Leach under former AD John Currie.
However, after meeting with the Washington State coach in Los Angeles, Currie was summoned back to Knoxville and fired by Tennessee only to be replaced by former head coach Phillip Fulmer. Fulmer would then conduct his own coaching search for the position before eventually turning over control of the Tennessee football program to Jeremy Pruitt.
We may never know how close Leach came to actually taking the job on Rocky Top but considering Pruitt’s second season as the head coach in Knoxville is off to a terrible start, many are curious to know how things would have looked under the Washington State head coach.
Here are some of the top responses currently floating out on Twitter following Tennessee’s home double-overtime loss to BYU Saturday night:
If UT were to buyout Pruitt and get Mike Leach, I will move my fandom from Notre Dame to Tennessee.
But until then I will welcome any / all individuals into the the Fighting Irish kingdom. #LeachtoUT#Whatdoes98evenfeellike
— Sean Marshall (@zetaphi1057) September 8, 2019
*Tennessee loses again*
Mike Leach: pic.twitter.com/zb8XmWFlrN
— The Dawgzilla (@TheDawgzilla) September 8, 2019
Remember when Tennessee's AD hired Mike Leach but they fired Tennessee's AD for hiring Mike Leach and hired a turnip instead and the turnip doesn't know what turnips are
— Sharks with rabies (@thejasonkirk) September 8, 2019
It’s a good thing Tennessee didn’t hire Mike Leach, right? What a joke.
— Jack (@JJACK44) September 8, 2019
How about the fact that in 2017 Mike Leach wanted to be the Head Coach at Tennessee. AD John Currie was probably going to offer Leach the job, then Currie got canned. Tennessee you dug your own pit, and wallow in self pity you shall in said pit. #Haha
— Mike Mansell (@MMansellSports) September 8, 2019
Tennessee Volunteers should hire Mike Leach and win win win pic.twitter.com/cZb84MRqkh
— Todd Russell (@ToddRus1966) September 1, 2019
Well when Tennessee twitter mob is running the program that's what y'all get. Y'all could have had Mike Leach.
— Jon P (@BamaGrad00) September 8, 2019
I’m so angry that we were robbed of Mike Leach coaching in the SEC that I refuse to learn the Tennessee coach’s name
— Perry Bogard (@Yelix) August 31, 2019
After sleeping through the night I believe I can release this hot take now. Tennessee is going to win 4 total games this year and maybe 5 next year and then we might be able to afford our buyouts for Pruitt. We should have hired Mike Leach
— Taylor Ray (@_taylor_ray) September 8, 2019
Current Tennessee head coach, Coach Jeremy Pruitt, in the postgame press conference after losing to BYU, said “the bottom line is that there were 2 mistakes” in the game… actually the 2 mistakes… hiring Pruitt instead of Mike Leach…
— Bob Lochamy (@Bob_Lochamy) September 8, 2019
In an alternate universe, Tennessee Coach Mike Leach leads the Vols into the top 25 after starting the season 2-0. https://t.co/CeZQ9yooVb
— Michael Millican (@Millican17) September 8, 2019
FIRE JEREMY PRUITT! WHY DIDN'T TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS HIRE MIKE LEACH INSTEAD? #BYUvsTENN
— JBStrip2008 (@JStrip2008) September 8, 2019
Never forget that Tennessee could have had Mike Leach. https://t.co/fukrXYTBXV
— Lowell Aydlette (@LowellCST) September 1, 2019
Mike Leach was the answer, but Tennessee wanted to take someone away from Alabama. That’s about as simple as it gets.
Experienced, veteran, winning head coach, or an inexperienced, assistant coach?
Wrong choice! https://t.co/CnHVidbHMZ
— ThatOutdoorGuy (@ThatOutdoorGuy) September 8, 2019
Tennessee, right now. pic.twitter.com/Wc4iMcS0wD
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) September 8, 2019
