Remember when Greg Schiano was almost Tennessee’s head football coach? Well that didn’t actually happen, and now it appears as though the Vols won’t actually owe him any money like initially feared.
According to long-time Knoxville reporter Jimmy Hyams, the Memorandum of Understanding between Greg Schiano and Tennessee is invalid due to Tennessee’s bylaws.
The MOU was signed by Schiano and then-Tennessee athletics director John Currie, but they were the only two to sign the MOU. In order for it to be valid, UT President Joe DiPietro would’ve had to sign it. And according to Ryan Robinson, a university spokesman, UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport didn’t sign the MOU either.
Section 23 of the university’s bylaws state that all contracts must be signed by a university officer. But it also adds that the MOU can be valid if “authority to sign the specific type of contract is delegated to specific campus/institute officials.’’
And according to Hyams, Currie was not on the list of officials authorized to sign contracts on behalf of UT in order to make it approved. Hyams’ article also states that this does not preclude Schiano from pursuing legal action if he chooses. But it’s likely that Tennessee is on much stronger legal ground thanks to their bylaws.
Schiano’s agreement was reportedly a six-year deal for around $4.5 million to become the Vols’ next head football coach.
