Tommy Tuberville still hasn't lived down a comment he made in 1998 that if he were to leave Ole Miss, "they’ll have to carry me out of here in a pine box."

Two days later, he was Auburn's new coach. His latest incident might be equally difficult to live down, especially on the recruiting trail.

According to 247Sports, Tuberville left a dinner on Friday night with recruits and never returned. Eventually, his staff found out he had taken the Cincinnati job.

Junior college offensive line recruit Devonte Danzey went to dinner on Friday night with "eight to 10 coaches" and recruits at the 50-Yard Line Restaurant in Lubbock.

From the story:

In the midst of the conversation at the table, he asked the coaches how long they expected to be at Tech (if they were not fired), he said.

“I asked Coach (Charlie) Weis at KU and Coach (Dana) Holgorsen at West Virginia (the same question), just so I know my relationship with them,” Danzey said. “(Tuberville) was just telling me he coached at Miami and Auburn, he coached 10 years and recruited Ray Lewis and kind of blew the question off I didn’t even realize.”

He added: “The waitress brought our food out, and we thought (Tuberville) went to the bathroom, but he never came back to dinner. Then next thing I know, the next day, he made an announcement that he’s going to Cincinnati.”

Yikes. Texas Tech spokesman Blayne Beal confirmed that Tech coaches did go to dinner, but said he was unaware of any incidents.

Tuberville failed to show up for a tour of campus the next morning, and new interim coach Chris Thomsen had to inform recruits of the news of Tuberville's exit.

Ultimately, it's the word of one recruit (which can be unreliable at times), but there doesn't seem to be much reason for him to make it up, and it does fit the level of surprise that spread within Tuberville's staff and the athletic department on Saturday when news broke.

Another job left. Another bad look for Tuberville.