FanHouse MikeDebord

Volunteers of the world, exhale. The gentleman at right, former Michigan offensive coordinator Mike Debord, is not going to be Tennessee's offensive coordinator. He's in the midst of leading Central Michigan through the worst four-year stretch in its history. The gun you did not know was pointed directly at your temple has been holstered.

No, instead you get this guy:

An announcement is expected early today from the University of Tennesee that it has hired University of Richmond football coach Dave Clawson to be its offensive coordinator.

Richmond went 11-3 this year, losing in the I-AA semifinals to Appalachian State. Seems kinda risky, but, hey, at least you didn't hire the guy who parlayed Mike Hart and Chad Henne's junior and senior seasons into the 6th and 10th best offenses in the Big Ten. Granted, this year Michigan's stars were often hobbled, but... Jesus, man. Michigan without a couple players has got to be better than Minnesota and Northwestern and... uh... Iowa.

There is still the possibility Tennessee will hire Michigan QB coach Scott Loeffler, who interviewed along with Debord. That would actually be a good move. Michigan's put a parade of QBs into the NFL and the recent crop have all learned under Loeffler. And he might bring Ryan Mallett along for the ride, which is awesome if you love fumbles. And who doesn't love fumbles?

As the University of Michigan begins it's search for Lloyd Carr's replacement by interviewing current coordinators Ron English and Mike DeBord, one possible candidate has taken his name off the list.

Former Michigan quarterback, and current Stanford head coach, Jim Harbaugh wants everybody to know he isn't interested in the job.

"As far as the opening they have, the Michigan people will do a great job in selecting someone to carry on that tradition," Harbaugh said. "It's not going to be me. I am happy where I am."

It's pretty nice of Jim to let us all know he doesn't want the job, especially when you consider he was probably never going to get it anyway. He's only in his first year at Stanford, and even though the Cardinal upset USC this season, Harbaugh hasn't really done anything in Palo Alto to catapult himself up the list of possible replacements.

There is also the fact that Carr and the school aren't exactly thrilled with Harbaugh right now anyway. After the comments he made earlier this season about the school's academic standards (even though they're true for the most part), Bo Schembechler probably has a better chance of rising from the dead to take the program over, than Harbaugh does of getting the position.

Besides, every interview the school makes is just to kill time until Les Miles finally leaves LSU.