They (and Arkansas) will both regret not hiring Mike Leach after 2017 (and 2019 for Arkansas) for the next decade, maybe more. That doesn't have as much to do with what he does at MSU, but more to do with the fact that Leach is a PERFECT fit for what both of those programs have produced in the past, especially Tennessee. It was really that easy. Malzahn would have been a great one at Arkansas as well, just due to the ties, probably not so great at Tennessee. I don't know that he'd have been as good at MSU because you have some fire to do it here.
Leach at Tennessee would have opened up national recruiting for them again, and they've routinely gotten elite QBs and WRs. Good luck Vols.