Joe was working the phones this morning and, as happens from time to time, ran into deadends trying to find out what was happening with former Bucs linebackers coach Joe Barry and the University of Tennessee.

Naturally, after news broke that Barry was, instead, going to USC, one of Joe’s sources got back to Joe.

Figures.

But the delayed return text may be an interesting piece to the puzzle of whether Barry had any real desire to coach at Tennessee or if he was already signed, sealed and not quite delivered to Southern Cal.

Last week word broke that new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley contacted Barry about becoming the Volunteers defensive coordinator. Joe can confirm Barry had two discussions with Dooley and may have had more after Dooley arrived in Florida on a recruiting trail.

Joe’s source who covers the Vols texted Joe this afternoon with mild surprise that Barry went to USC. So Joe’s source did some digging himself in Knoxville and learned Dooley never offered Barry the job, despite Dooley publicly saying Barry’s name came up most in discussions with other coaches about who should continue the Tampa-2 defense at Tennessee.

Based on this information, Joe is inclined to believe that Lane Kiffin and his father Monte, who left to USC recently, got to Barry first and may have given Barry a better deal financially.

It doesn’t hurt that USC is Barry’s alma mater where he played linebacker for the Trojans.

Joe thought Barry would have been smart to take the Tennessee gig. The USC gig? Well, given job security, not a dumb move.