David Cutcliffe was the Best Possible Move for Tennessee

After an inexplicable flirtation with Will Muschamp who is the media approved flavor of the moment and Troy Calhoun deciding that he still likes it in Colorado Springs, Tennessee sets its sights on the guy who should have been number one on the list all along. David Cutcliffe doesn't give you the "national splash" factor but he has something not possessed by Muschamp or Calhoun: proven success as an SEC head coach and deep running ties to the Volunteer State. He also gave Duke two whole years, almost double the commitment of the guy who blazed a burned mattress trail out of Knoxville.

A 9-15 record in two seasons (including a current 4 game losing streak) at Duke doesn't look so good on the surface, but consider that the program went 2-33 in the 3 years prior to his arrival in Durham and Cutcliffe looks like a relative miracle worker of Spurrier proportions.

UPDATE: Cutcliffe likes Duke better. The Vols are in trouble. More specifically, Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton is in trouble.

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