If Chucky does bolt for the University of Tennessee gig, which opened Monday when Phil Fulmer decided to step aside, he could set both himself and the University of Tennessee up for a lawsuit from the Glazer Boys.

Though those with inside sources claim Chucky is not headed to the University of Tennessee, the job is still open so Joe has learned from past experience unless a door is shut there’s always a chance someone — anyone — could walk through that same doorway.

Mike Florio, the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com actually has a real day job as a lawyer. He had a post on his blog about the legal ramifications for Chucky, who is under contract with the Bucs through 2001, should he bolt for Knoxville.

“Though Gruden could never leave the Bucs for another NFL team absent permission, the Bucs can’t physically keep him from coaching at the college level. But the Bucs could sue Gruden for damages if he were to leave the Bucs in a manner that violates the terms of his contract. (Likewise, UT could be subject to liability for tortious inteference if it lures Gruden to break his deal.)”

This is interesting to Joe. Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune suggested the Glazer Boys would have to release Chucky from his contract.

The element of this that really gets Joe’s attention is that the university could also be held liable, not just Chucky.

“… the specific contents of the contract will go a long way toward determining whether Gruden could leave for the Tennessee job without an ugly fight. It’s possible, for example, that his contract specifically identifies the Tennessee job as one that he could pursue, if/when it ever becomes available.

“If the language of the deal presents an impediment to Gruden’s departure, the Glazers could decide to let him go, just as the Falcons did last year with Bobby Petrino.”

Unless there is specific language in Chucky’s contract that he could leave for a college gig, or that he could leave for specific college jobs, Joe wonders if the Univeristy of Tennessee would even risk getting sued for multiple seven figures? That’s a helluva price to pay for a coach who has never led a college team, not even in Division III. As Chuck Weis is finding out, dealing with 18-year old kids is a whole lot different than dealing with 32-year old men.

Then again, Chucky may have a buyout clause. Still, as Florio points out, this should make for an interesting next few weeks until Tennessee does fill the position.

“The biggest factor in all of this is whether Gruden wants to make the jump. Even if he says that he doesn’t, the Nick Saban experience of two years ago requires Gruden to be over-the-top unequivocal before anyone will begin to believe him.”