I'll take Sunseri. I figure Dooley is gone. So, the only advantage of the DC hire is recruiting. I think that Steele is damaged goods at this point. Sunseri is the better option in this regard. If we're going this route, they're all gone soon anyway.
Given the choice between Steele and "foregoing the fielding of a defense" - I choose the latter. I know that he is an "ace" recruiter, and that he has Tennessee ties, but the on-field product is just a mountainous shit-pile of mediocrity, at best. If we'd settle for Steele, then you might as well bring Fulmer back, because they appear to be one in the same. At least Fulmer would be a lot cheaper, and we know that the man already has some experience in cleaning out his desk - a trait which should not go unnoticed in the course of this search.
If we are down to these at options, I would prefer just to promote Thompson. If nothing else, he's "earned" a shot at it.
Sunseri, without question. Alabama's LBs are the best in the country and ruthless. I'll take a guy with no experience who coaches smash mouth football over a guy that is just a good recruiter.
Probably not, but I'd have to think there's been enough turnover in the AD that he's no longer blackballed.
Given the direction it seems to be going, he is no more a risk than some of the other names I have seen lately. With a top tier guy he would be.
He's got a lot of experience with some well-respected defensive minds. At this point, I don't see how the osmosis theory is any worse than anything else. Plus, given the state of the program, I think a younger person as a position coach would be easier to bring in to this situation than an established DC. I hate it, but we're a bottom tier conference program currently.