Tee Martin is the coach Tennessee needs, wants and deserves

After the wildest week in Tennessee football history that revolved around a bungled coaching search and a makeover in the athletic department, it’s time for Tennessee to bring back one of their own.

What a week it’s been for Tennessee football fans. A week ago at this time, who could have predicted that Tennessee would be ready to embark on the craziest rollercoaster ride they’ve ever encountered surrounding the coaching search for Butch Jones’ replacement? From Greg Schiano all set to be hired until a fan revolt led to that deal falling apart to Mike Gundy, Jeff Brohm, David Cutcliffe, Dave Doeren and Mike Leach either saying no or bilking interest from the Vols into a new deal with their current school, the Vols are still without a coach.

There may be some clarity coming soon, however, after former Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer took over as the new Athletic Director on Friday after John Currie, the man who was leading the mess of a coaching search was relieved of his duties. There were reports of Fulmer sabotaging Currie’s efforts, which may be viewed as a positive for Vols fans who view this as a hostile takeover from Browns owner and influential Vols booster Jimmy Haslam.

Nevertheless, bringing back Fulmer, the coach of the 1998 national championship team is the first step in the Vols football program, administration and fan base coming together, which is an essential part of this process. Now that Fulmer is back, it’s time to bring another Vol home and hire Tee Martin to be the next head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers.

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Martin was the quarterback of that 1998 national championship team and is currently the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans who won the Pac-12 Championship on Friday night. Prior to the game, Martin was asked about the Tennessee job and said he’s heard from everyone in Tennessee, but Tennessee. Martin is a semi-finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, but has never been a head coach.

If you asked me last week if Martin would be at the top of the Vols wish list, I would have said he’s not ready for that type of job considering his inexperience as a play-caller and having zero head coaching experience. As we’ve seen, a lot can change in a week, and despite Martin’s inexperience, I think it’s time to bring Martin to the Hill and let him grow into the job. That would mean it’s imperative for Martin to have the ability to hire experienced coordinators to round out his staff. It could also mean Martin relies on his old coach in Fulmer to get his bearings in this new role.

On the outside looking in, it could be a situation where Martin is set up to fail, and there is a lot of risk in hiring a coach who has never been a head coach and who’s time as an offensive coordinator hasn’t entirely been a rousing success. Tennessee can absorb that risk and the reward of one of their own being the guy to get the Vols football program back on the right track is worthwhile.

After USC won the Pac-12 on Friday night, Martin had Tennessee on his mind. There were Vols fans in San Francisco for the game and let it be known they’re ready to party like it’s 1998 and want Tee to come home.

Now that Currie is out and Fulmer is in, the only choice he can make is naming Tee Martin as the next head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers and end this nightmare of a coaching search that has made the program the butt of jokes from national media members as well as fans across the country.