KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jon Gruden says he hasn’treceived an offer to coach the
Tennessee Volunteers in a deal that wouldinclude becoming part owner of the
Cleveland Browns.Memphistelevision station WREG reported Gruden was weighing a
Tennessee offerthat would give him a piece of the Browns, who are owned by Jimmy
Haslam— brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. Their father, Jim Haslam,played
on Tennessee’s 1951 national championship team and has donatedmillions of
dollars to the university.Gruden, a former NFL coachand current ESPN analyst,
said Wednesday on ESPN’s "Mike & Mike InThe Morning" show that
there is "no truth" to the report."I likewhat I’m doing,"
said Gruden, who was a graduate assistant with theVolunteers and whose wife
Cindy is a former Tennessee cheerleader. "I’mjust trying to hang on to the
job I have, to be honest with you."Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis said the
report was inaccurate."JimmyHaslam has no involvement in the University of
Tennessee head coachingsearch, and the report that Jon Gruden would potentially
have anownership stake in the Browns is completely erroneous," Gulkis
said.Tennessee is seeking to replace Derek Dooley, who was fired Nov. 18 after
going 15-21 in three seasons.Volunteers athletic department spokesman Jimmy
Stanton said the university would not discuss details of its coaching
search."We won’t talk about any of the dynamics of the search until it is
finalized," Stanton said.Gruden,49, helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the
Super Bowl in the 2002season. He posted a combined 100-85 record and won five
division titlesin 11 years as an NFL head coach with the Oakland Raiders
(1998-2001)and Tampa Bay (2002-08).Gruden began his coaching career as agraduate
assistant on Johnny Majors’ Tennessee staff in 1986-87, but hehasn’t worked in
the college ranks since a one-year stint asPittsburgh’s wide receivers coach in
1991. His other college experienceincludes one year as Southeast Missouri
State’s passing game coordinator(1988) and one season as the University of
Pacific’s wide receiverscoach (1989).___AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker
contributed to this report.Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.