Tennessee has made an offer to keep Barnes in Knoxville and a decision is expected today.
Per WBIR’s report, UCLA officials met with Barnes in Knoxville over the weekend and offered him a five-year contract, after which Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer met with Barnes as well. In September, Tennessee and Barnes agreed on a contract extension that raised his salary to $3.25 million per year, making him the second highest paid coach in the SEC behind John Calipari. If he were to leave Tennessee, he would owe the Vols a $5 million buyout.
WBIR anchor Russell Biven is also reporting that Barnes was offered the Arkansas job, but told the Razorbacks he wouldn’t consider leaving Tennessee for another SEC school.