Each coach who has passed on the Tennessee job

— -- John Currie did not want to fire Butch Jones. The first-year Tennessee athletic director gave Jones every chance to keep his job, even as fans wrote off Jones in late September. By mid-November, Jones had left his boss no choice, and Currie fired him on Nov. 12.

Electing not to use a search firm, Currie cast a wide net for candidates. Even amid the backdrop of nonstop Jon Gruden talk (aka Grumors), Mississippi State's Dan Mullen was believed to be a top target, but he opted to wait for Florida's call and landed the job. Currie then settled on Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, and a memorandum of understanding was signed Sunday. But fans revolted, and Tennessee voided the agreement.

The school pursued Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy and Duke's David Cutcliffe?but was told no. Discussions with Purdue's Jeff Brohm didn't go far, and after Tennessee talked with NC State's Dave Doeren on Wednesday, Doeren opted to stay put. The Vols' coaching search, already a national laughingstock, marches forward. There are still good candidates, former Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin among them. But Currie needs to close the deal as anxiety builds on Rocky Top.

Here's a rundown of the unsuccessful pursuits so far: