It was reported Sunday night that Tennessee athletic director John Currie and Ohio State defensive coordinator signed a Memorandum of Understanding before the deal ultimately fell through for Schiano to become the next head coach of the Vols.
But according to a report from the Times Free Press, University of Tennessee Chancellor Beverly Davenport didn’t sign the Memorandum of Understanding. That means that the MOU may not have the legal credibility needed for Schiano to sue Tennessee or to seek compensation.
According to David Cobb of the Times Free Press, Chancellor’s office spokesman Ryan Robinson confirmed to them that Davenport didn’t sign the MOU. It hasn’t been confirmed whether or not athletic director John Currie signed the MOU or not, only that Davenport didn’t.
Typically, for a MOU to be legally binding, it needs four signatures. At least based on past dealings with Tennessee according to the Times Free Press. When Tennessee hired Rick Barnes in basketball and Butch Jones in football, they needed four signatures on the MOU for it to be official: the UT athletic director, the UT chancellor, the UT treasurer, and the head coach in question.
Without Davenport’s signature, the MOU isn’t official and lacks legal credibility.
Davenport released a statement on Monday about the situation with Greg Schiano on Sunday, stating that she “deeply regrets” the events on Sunday and how it affected all the parties involved.
We will have more on this story as it develops.
