Jon Gruden recently expressed his desire to coach in the SEC, calling it a dream opportunity. The former Super Bowl-winning coach has made his college football ambitions clear, but the path to realizing those goals appears fraught with obstacles. College football insider Pete Thamel believes Gruden faces significant hurdles in landing the prestigious position he’s seeking.
Why Does Pete Thamel Doubt SEC’s Interest in Jon Gruden?
During “The Pat McAfee Show,” Pete Thamel addressed questions about Gruden’s coaching future after the former Raiders coach expressed interest in SEC opportunities. The ESPN insider delivered a sobering assessment of Gruden’s prospects with major programs.
“My hunch on Gruden, Connor is that, look, there’s 136 of these division one FBS jobs, it’s a Star Wars bar, right? You go from Miami to Seattle, Phoenix to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, right in your neighborhood, Connor, like there’s just, there’s a lot in between, right? Marshall’s in Western Kentucky and Arkansas State. I think Jon Gruden could land somewhere amid that,” Thamel explained.
When pressed specifically about SEC possibilities, Thamel didn’t mince words about Gruden’s chances. “I would not project him to go to the SEC,” he stated firmly during the interview.
Thamel’s skepticism stems from his belief that better college coaching candidates exist in the current market. “I think there’s just better college coaches available than Jon Gruden. Jon Gruden is certainly an excellent football coach, but…. I don’t believe he’s ever coached in college,” Thamel said.
What College Experience Does Gruden Actually Have?
While Thamel likely meant Gruden lacks recent major college experience, the former NFL coach did work at several universities early in his career. This background contradicts the notion that he’s never coached at the college level.
Gruden began coaching college football in the mid-1980s. He served as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1986 and then worked as a quarterbacks coach at Southeast Missouri State in 1988. His college resume also includes coaching tight ends at the University of Pacific in 1989 and wide receivers at Pittsburgh in 1991 before moving to the NFL permanently.
However, McAfee disagreed with Thamel’s overall assessment about Gruden’s prospects. The show host argued that Gruden’s commanding presence would dominate any hiring process he enters, regardless of his resume gaps.
“You get Jon Gruden in a room, any room, he’s taken over the room. So if he gets an interview, I don’t think Jon Gruden leaves the building deciding whether or not he’s taking the job. I think he’s the one deciding whether or not he’s taking the job,” McAfee explained.
How Has the Email Controversy Affected Gruden’s Coaching Prospects?
Despite McAfee’s confidence in Gruden’s interview prowess, industry sentiment tells a different story. While Gruden dreams of coaching in the SEC, major conference programs view him entirely through a different lens.
Reporting from CBS Sports in 2024 revealed that SEC administrators described Gruden as “untouchable” as a coaching candidate due to the email controversy that ended his NFL career. This perception creates a significant barrier to his preferred destination.
The landscape changes dramatically when considering smaller programs. Group of Five schools expressed willingness to consider him in the fall of 2024, with one athletic director stating his school would probably hire Gruden. The reasoning centers on risk management: smaller programs can “take a more calculated risk” than major universities like Florida.
Gruden’s path back to coaching remains uncertain, though his preferred SEC destination seems challenging given the current industry sentiment. The former Super Bowl winner continues to express interest in college football but may face a longer road back than he initially hoped.