Dan Williams

KNOXVILLE — University of Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton denied a Wednesday afternoon Knoxville radio report that Lane Kiffin was offered the school’s head football coaching position.

Hamilton offered no specifics on the situation, citing a desire to keep attention on longtime UT coach Phillip Fulmer’s final game Saturday night.

WNML reported on the air that Hamilton offered the job to Kiffin, the 33-year old former head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

Hamilton dismissed any such report as “incorrect information.”

A UT athletic department spokesperson said the search to replace Phillip Fulmer was “still ongoing,” but several close to the program have indicated that Kiffin is a candidate — the top target at this point, according to several.

Kiffin, who at 31 was hired as the youngest head coach in NFL history in January 2007, spent six seasons as an assistant at the University of Southern California. The son of longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin held various roles for the Trojans, including tight ends coach, wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator and ultimately offensive coordinator.

Other names to consistently surface in connection with the position include University of Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly, Air Force Academy head coach Troy Calhoun and University of Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster, though no one has publicly expressed interest.

Williams waiting

UT junior defenders Dan Williams and Rico McCoy said Wednesday that they hadn’t decided whether to come back for a final college season of enter spring’s NFL draft.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t even really thought about it,” said Williams, a defensive tackle. “I’m just really trying to focus on this season, and just trying to turn it around. But, you know, we’re not going to a bowl game, so there’s a lot of time on my hands in December.

“I guess I’ll do whatever the other juniors do — try to see what (draft evaluation) grade I get back at the end of the season, and just make a decision from there.”

Williams said UT’s head coaching situation “could factor” into his decision, but that he would give Fulmer’s replacement a “fair shake.”

“As a player, you want to know who your head man is, and who you’re going to play for,” Williams said. “Also, it gives you a chance to know whether you’ll have a new position coach or not.

“You wish it would be done as soon as possible. But at the same, I know Mike Hamilton needs to take his time to make sure he makes the right choice. I can understand it from both sides.”

McCoy, a preseason All-SEC weakside linebacker, said the two biggest factors would be his evaluation grade and UT’s coaching situation.

“It’s close to that time,” McCoy said. “I’m going to deal with that when the season’s over with.

“It’s a lot to think about it. Playing for new coaches, probably having a different style of defense, and having to learn a new scheme will have something to do with it. My projected round, too.”

No ‘Flying Bambino’

Fulmer said he wouldn’t go through this morning’s annual “last tackle” drill with UT’s seniors. He once displayed a “Flying Bambino” body block during the annual Thanksgiving rite.

“There won’t be any ‘Flying Bambinos,’” he said. “That would about 10 years ago. None of that. I want to be sure I get to the game Saturday.”

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