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Following the absurd Greg Schiano debacle, it was time for a new day of Tennessee coaching mayhem.
After a day of reports and rumors, Brett McMurphy reported on Tuesday evening that Gundy decided to remain with Oklahoma State, despite meeting with Tennessee officials in Dallas:
Gundy met with Tennessee officials Tuesday in Dallas. Gundy had informed OSU officials of his intention to meet with Tennessee, which reportedly offered a 6-year, $42 million deal to join the Vols.
Gundy is making about $4.2 million per year in his new 5-year contract he signed in June at Oklahoma State.
The Volunteers made a strong push at Gundy. Former Vols QB Peyton Manning previously made a pitch to Gundy in a telephone conversation before Tuesday's meeting in Dallas.
Gundy has coached at his alma mater the past 13 years. This season marks Oklahoma State's 12th consecutive bowl appearance under Gundy, the school's winningest coach.
Gundy added this on Twitter, which pretty much confirms it:
Cowboy For Life! #GoPokes #okstate
— Mike Gundy (@CoachGundy) November 29, 2017
Earlier on Tuesday, Mike Gundy reportedly once again led Tennessee’s wish list.
With Duke's David Cutcliffe and Iowa State's Matt Campbell out of the picture, Tennessee has turned its coaching search focus to Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. Three sources told me UT has interviewed Gundy, perhaps in Dallas. UT offered Gundy in 2012 but he said declined.
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) November 28, 2017
ESPN’s Chris Low reports “Gundy had not met face-to-face with Tennessee officials.”
I’m told #Tennessee is pursuing #okstate’s Mike Gundy as GoPokes has reported. Sources also tells me the #Vols have reached out to #Purdue’s Jeff Brohm & #NCState’s Dave Doeren in their coaching search.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 28, 2017
The report from the OSU side, via 247Sports:
Go Pokes knows that Gundy will meet with Tennessee athletic director John Currie at 11 a.m. this morning (Tuesday) in Dallas. Gundy was in Oklahoma City recruiting on Monday and was asked by Tennessee to meet on that day but, Gundy told them he was busy. The two parties agreed to meet Tuesday in Dallas.
There’s also this via the same reporter, which sounds ludicrous, but ... we are talking about Tennessee here, so anything is believable at the moment.
Robert Allen says on @TriplePlayRadio that Tenn is willing to double Gundy's salary ($4.2 mil)
— Kieran Steckley (@Kieran_Steckley) November 28, 2017
Tennessee fans were told to be patient, however.
Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy met with Tennessee officials in Dallas on Tuesday, but no decision is expected from Gundy...
Posted by Brett McMurphy on Tuesday, November 28, 2017
UT pursued Gundy before.
In 2012, he says he turned down the Vols in order to stay in Stillwater.
Would he really leave? Seemed unlikely — he’s a Stillwater institution.
The lifer was a Cowboy QB in the ’80s and is as responsible as anyone for building OSU into a steady power. His OSU contract was most recently extended in the summer before 2017’s 9-3 season.
I’m told Mike Gundy scheduled to meet with Tennessee in Dallas today. One source says Gundy is serious about leaving Oklahoma State. Another isn’t: “You might as well say (Nick) Saban is up for the Rice job.” Stay tuned
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 28, 2017
And what’s a coaching rumor without a flight-tracking thing?
Yep, we had one! As always, take flight-tracking with a grain of salt.
Per the FAA, the following tail number is currently registered to someone in Dammeron Valley, Utah. It has no recorded flights on FlightAware before today.
The University of Tennessee's plane is flying to Stillwater, Oklahoma in just under 2 hours. https://t.co/HtHMjDOW5n pic.twitter.com/Ma27uuSvhk
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 28, 2017
This plane, however, is definitely registered to UT. Tracking is not available for it.
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It was a fun ride, Gundy-to-Tennessee rumors.