Robbie Caldwell tells jokes... then hires Tulsa's offensive coordinator

OK, now I really like Robbie Caldwell.

The Tulsa World is reporting that Caldwell has hired Herb Hand, the co-offensive coordinator at Tulsa, to fill the position vacated when he became interim head coach after Bobby Johnson retired.

I love it. While Caldwell's in Hoover, Ala., talking about turkey inseminators and the magical properties of barbecue ribs, he's also adding an offensive line coach who was co-offensive coordinator at Tulsa with Gus Malzahn. Really. And he kind of even looks like Malzahn.

The World reports that Tulsa players were informed at a team meeting early Thursday evening, just as America was starting to talk about Vandy's hilarious new interim coach.

A World reader was curious that Hand would leave to work for an interim coach. Hopefully many more readers in many other parts of America will soon be curious that blue-chip high school recruits are committing to play for an interim coach.

Bobby Johnson would never add an offensive mind to his staff because he was loyal to his other offensive coaches. When the offense took a nosedive last season, he just shuffled guys around, moving Ted Cain to tight end coach. Nobody outside of the coaches' family members felt like that would be good enough.

But Bobby Johnson did figure out a way to bring fresh offensive coaching talent to his staff. He still had to send somebody packing, and that person was himself.

Now in a single day, Caldwell has built serious momentum for Vandy by being really funny and by making a move to fill his own position and improve the offense. I bet our coaches are trying to wrap up some verbal commitments right now but we've got to strike while the iron is hot. I'm sure Coach Caldwell could find a more homespun colloquialism but that's the best I've got for now.