University of Tennessee's Vice Chancellor and Athletic Director John Currie and Chancellor Beverly Davenport have issued statements after reports that a deal to make Greg Schiano UT's next head coach was called off Sunday afternoon.
Chancellor Davenport issued the following statement Monday afternoon:
“I deeply regret the events of yesterday for everyone involved. The university remains steadfast in its commitment to excellence, and I look forward to John Currie continuing the search to bring the next head football coach to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.”
Athletic Director Currie issued the following response earlier Monday:
"As we began our search for our next head football coach earlier this month, I promised that I would pour all my energy and effort into this process.
I have followed Coach Schiano’s accomplishments throughout his career and have been fortunate to get to know him and his family over the last several years. As reported by the media, he was a leading candidate for our position. Among the most respected professional and college football coaches, he is widely regarded as an outstanding leader who develops tough, competitive teams and cares deeply about his student-athletes.
We carefully interviewed and vetted him, as we do candidates for all positions. He received the highest recommendations for character, family values and commitment to academic achievement and student-athlete welfare from his current and former athletics directors, players, coaching colleagues and experienced media figures.
Coach Schiano worked at Penn State from 1990-1995. Consequently, we, of course, carefully reviewed the 2012 investigation report by Louis Freeh. Coach Schiano is not mentioned in the Freeh report and was not one of the more than 400 people interviewed in the investigation. We also confirmed that Coach Schiano was never deposed and never asked to testify in any criminal or civil matter. And, we conferred with our colleagues at The Ohio State University, who had conducted a similar inquiry after the 2016 release of testimony. I know that Coach Schiano will continue to have great success in his coaching career and wish him and his family well.
I am grateful for your patience as our search for the next leader for the Tennessee football program continues, and I look forward to making that introduction soon."
Tennessee and Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano were close to a deal to make Schiano UT's next head football coach but the deal is now off.
Sources told our partners at govols247.com they believed the two sides were walking away from the deal on Sunday afternoon.
When reports surfaced that The University of Tennessee was nearing a deal with Schiano as its new head football coach, Vol Nation took to social media to voice concerns.
Greg Schiano served as an assistant and defensive backs coach at Penn. State University in the early 1990s. He worked under the then defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Sandusky was convicted in 2011 of multiple counts of sexual abuse of young boys.
According to court papers, a former assistant testified that Schiano knew about Sandusky's behavior. Schiano has denied seeing or suspecting any abuse.