Some "dirt" to start the week…

• Tennessee-Chattanooga has finally named an Athletic Director – Tennessee Senior Associate Athletics Director David Blackburn was hired on Friday. This means the search for a new basketball coach will now get cranked up. Blackburn has been at UT since he graduated from there in 1990. Could we be looking at a candidate with some UT ties??

• Staff changes are coming at East Tennessee. Head coach Murray Bartow is safe, but I’ve heard that at least one member of the staff will not return. Depending on who you talk to, it may actually be two assistants who are gone. More on this as I hear it.

• I have heard that Providence grad assistant Paul O’Connor will become the DBO at Central Connecticut. He will replace Sean McCurdy who has taken a job in the private sector.

• I have heard that Central Arkansas assistant Anthony Walker is in the mix at Lyon College (AR). It sounds like the search has been narrowed to four candidates – all who have just completed their on-campus interviews. I do know that a local HS coach is also involved and have heard that the job may be offered to one of the candidates this week.