Tennessee Reportedly Offers OK State's Mike Gundy Its Head Coaching Job

The Tennessee Volunteers football team has reportedly offered Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy the same position with their program, according to Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports: 

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Tennessee has offered the Vols head coaching job to Mike Gundy, a source told CBS this morning.

— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) December 5, 2012"

UPDATE: Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 1:10 p.m. ET by Adam Wells

Tennessee can't give its head coaching job away, as Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy will remain at the university, according to radio host Robert Allen (via Brett McMurphy of ESPN). 

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Mike Gundy remaining at Oklahoma State, sources told @espn. This was earlier reported by OSU sideline reporter @rallengopokes

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) December 5, 2012"

Gundy's loyalties, if college coaches are even capable of having them, lie with Oklahoma State right now. He has been the head coach there for eight years, leading the program to a Fiesta Bowl win last season and going to seven consecutive bowl games. 

Tennessee will have to keep its search going, likely looking for lower-profile candidates to take over the football program and built it back up. 

---END OF UPDATE---

UPDATE: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 11:25 a.m. ET by Donald Wood

Volunteers insider Jimmy Hyams is reporting that Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy is no longer in the running for the Tennessee coaching position:

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Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is no longer in the UT coaching search, source said. Louisville's Charlie Strong remains a candidate.

— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) December 5, 2012"

While Gundy likely will not be the next leader of the Volunteers, the already strained relationship between the veteran coach and AD Mike Holder has his future with the OSU Cowboys very unclear.

---End of Update---

In eight seasons as the head coach of the Cowboys, Gundy has amassed an impressive 66–35 record, four bowl wins and a conference title.

After talk recently surfaced that there was a tenuous relationship between Gundy and OSU’s athletic director Mike Holder (h/t Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman), the likelihood that the veteran coach could jump ship to the SEC has increased exponentially.

What It Means

Tennessee fired Derek Dooley from the head coaching position in November (h/t USA Today) after yet another disappointing season for the Volunteers.

With a rich football tradition and the financial backing to be a major player in the SEC, Tennessee needs the high-profile coach that can turn the entire program around and restore a winning tradition.

That’s where Gundy would fit right in.

What’s Next?

This is a tough position for the Oklahoma State officials that must now choose between retaining the head coach and likely moving on from the school’s current AD, or sticking with Holder and allowing Gundy to leave for the SEC.

The Cowboys must do whatever they can to keep Gundy as the leader of their program, but if they are unwilling to part with Holder, there is little doubt that the veteran coach could find himself in the SEC in 2013. 

Check back for more on the NCAA Football as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s College Football page to get your fill of college football.

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