Durham, N.C. - It didn't take long for the Blue Devil Nation to worry about the possibility of losing David Cutcliffe to Tennessee after Lane Kiffin suddenly took the head coaching position at Southern Cal.

My phone rang late last evening with a fan and friend on the other end with a very depressed tone after learning the news.

There was not much I could tell him for just a couple of hours before as the news began to sink in, I pondered what would happen to Duke Football if they lost their fine head coach.

As of noon toda dust clears, the rumors are running at full force as to who the real candidates are for the Vol's job.

While many feel Texas coach in waiting, Will Muschamp is the top contender,  just being mentioned for the position raises his stock with not on Texas.

More often than not the hottest guy for a job that suddenly comes open usually goes another route but rest assured Duke fans will be pulling for the opposite to happen and the sooner the better with concern to Muschamp.

Nobody could blame Cutcliffe if he were to leave Duke for familiar turf, but the program would be in dire straights to name a coach and to do so quickly in order to maintain the upward momentum.

Cutcliffe has big time Tennessee ties and with his character and abilities he could well be the most logical choice for their program and certainly a safe choice.

You can bet that if Cutcliffe interviews and you can rest assured he will, he will lay it all out there just as he did for the Duke search committee.

He knows the Vols program, the expectations, the recruiting turf and there is certainly some love in his heart for the program.

It has been rumored that there is a clause in his contract, but BDN has yet to find out if that is true or not.

As this story develops, BDN will keep you abreast of the latest and make no mistake, Duke fans are worried about losing their coach and starting over, yet again.