NFL Nation

          Lions coordinator Jim Bob Cooter doesn't want to discuss open Vols job

          ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter did not deny interest in the vacant head coaching job at his alma mater, Tennessee, but did not want to discuss any sort of interest publicly.

          A report from NFL Network on Wednesday said Cooter won't interview for the vacant job so he can focus on the Lions. When asked directly about the report Thursday, he didn't say he was interested -- or wasn't interested.

          "I have no interest in discussing that here," Cooter said Thursday. "I'm focused on the Baltimore Ravens and that is my focus."

          Cooter was a walk-on quarterback at Tennessee and then a graduate assistant at the school in 2007 and 2008 before heading to Jim Caldwell and the Indianapolis Colts. His name has been mentioned as a possible candidate at Tennessee since the school fired Butch Jones this month.

          The Volunteers appeared to focus on Greg Schiano, but pulled back after backlash from fans. Mike Gundy is remaining at Oklahoma State. Matt Campbell is staying at Iowa State and David Cutcliffe, who coached Cooter at Tennessee, is staying at Duke.

          When Cooter was asked about what he makes of the happenings in Knoxville, he paused for a second.

          "Uh, sounds like an interesting time down there," he said.

          When he was asked about the Vols on Thursday, though, he turned the conversation to the Lions' opponent Sunday -- Baltimore. The Lions are still in the NFC playoff picture, but need to have a strong finish to contend for a playoff spot.

          Cooter is often credited with helping make Matthew Stafford a better quarterback, but his offense has had inconsistencies through the 2017 season -- particularly in the run game.

          When he was asked if he had a solution for Tennessee's problems, his answer was simple.

          "My solution is focusing on the Baltimore Ravens," Cooter said. "Locked in. Answering questions about Terrell Suggs and worrying about him and [C.J.] Mosley and [Jimmy] Smith and [Eric] Weddle and all these really good players they got."

          Cooter, though, did acknowledge the effort to ask about Tennessee later on. As he walked off the podium, he joked that it was "three good shots" at asking him about it.