JJ Clark out at Tennessee

the conversation ends when you get demolished, it was over a half hr ago

Well, now you identified yourself to be one of about 7 people lol

Let's reverse this around. When was the last time YOU coached a D1 team? Lol.

And here is another idiot entering the conversation... Please stop jumping on the bandwagon..

How am I an idiot? Who are you and what do you do to give yourself the ability to call me an idiot?

The "what are you doing for me now" mentality that now governs college athletics unfortunately was his downfall. Since his last contract renewal he has done little to deserve a contract extension. Even the biggest of JJ fans can't say he is performing well as an administrator of a combined track and field program.

New blood will hopefully bring life to this dead program.

Your thesis is unsupportable. To say that the only ones that can comment are those at a DI program or a coach...

So, people like Hersch or Seb Coe have no understanding and cannot comment here is a sign of irrationality. Make the comments you want to make but those boundaries are not a sign of discourse.

Mrs. Prince Yielder, JJ had Zero experience coaching men! Your primary point was that he did a great job coaching women. If you think he had anything to do with the success of Jake or Kyle or any other male athletes at UT, you sir are delusional!

How did Okwera and the other male distance runners that JJ "coached" do at the SEC's? Thats right ZERO POINTS. Word out there is that he wont even be allowed to coach his post collegiate women at the UT track anymore. What will the "worlds greatest coach" do now? I guess he will be coaching on Mars!

Don't make me come back there

The LRC loves to disparage JJ and most of the negative comments coming from 2 people who had personal conflicts with him and sort of got the LRC to join in on that sentiment. JJ has not done much the last couple of years and perhaps he should go, but this does not take away from the incredible success he has had. For several years, he was regraded as one of the top coaches in the U.S.

Recruiting has been his biggest problem, he has not gotten any of the top sprint talent lately. Traditionally, he only had had to complete with USC (SC), TX, LSU and FLSt, etc., for the top sprint recruits, but now sprinters are going to PSU, Stanford and Oregon, etc. And, the top distance talent from the Cali and NE are opting for more scholarly schools.

From another thread:

Word is a top SEC assistant that is a bulldog of a recruiter with a lot of overseas contacts is the top "behind the scenes" candidate. Gonna bring back multis domination that led the Vols to the titles back in the early 90's. Think best combined multis coach in the SEC right now.

Kevin Robinson University of Memphis

JJ has a friend in Mississippi with a vacancy. I wouldn't be shocked to see JJ and Boogie both wearing blue and red next year. It would make sense, their women are terrible and you have two proven coaches (both with a friend in Mississippi) out of work.

Tennessee Valley Authority wrote:

Think best combined multis coach in the SEC right now.

I presume that you are talking Georgia. I do not know how they do it at Georgia, but often the Multis coach is coaches (plural) because you have LJ, HJ and PV (might might involve the expertiese of two people), the weight coach (shot/DT/JT) a sprint/hurdles coach...

The multis coach at Georgia coaches all 10 events of the decathlon and all 7 events of the heptathlon. Also coaches the jumps.

As a former Vol it's been disheartening to see the demise of the men's program. The reason why they Vol men were so good before Webb being forced out and JJ becoming the combined director, was that there was a focus on total team and all the coaches seemed to be on board and working together, tirelessly, to keep the ship going in the right direction.

JJ did have a lot of success with the women's program, but by taking over both unfortunately revealed some of his weaknesses with not being organized enough to keep the ship afloat. He has had some pretty good success with individual athletes (mostly on women's side), and only a handful on the men's. Unfortunately the whole sense of team seemed to disappear. I have no hatred from the man, but it was time for a change.

One person who hasn't been mentioned, that I'd love to see take over or at least be part of the equation is a former Vol at a Big Ten School that has made a huge impact on a lowly track program and turned their sprints and Mid-D around. I won't name any names, ya'll can do your own research, but that's who'd have my vote if he was even interested.

As a former competitor and admirer of UT the saddest part for me has been the demise of Sea Ray relays, this meet use to rival any meet out there save Penn. Now its a mid major meet, no olympians, and a chance to glorify the seniors and put UT first, instead of competitive track and field. Even had to add highschool to it this year to recoup lost money. From simply that standpoint, to JJ i say good day.

Second the SeaRay comment. Remember when it took 27:20 to win the 10,000 there?

I'd vote for current distance coach Rodney Stoker, who is a great person, a great organizer, a great recruiter. I'm afraid he may not be well known enough, but he'd head the vols in the right direction.

Dawgsss wrote:

The multis coach at Georgia coaches all 10 events of the decathlon and all 7 events of the heptathlon. Also coaches the jumps.

I am impressed with the success of the program and with this coaching range.