Hamilton not worried about Fulmer

I'm referring to the time he doesn't have to spend looking for a head football coach - or checking out rumors about his head coach.

Did you hear that Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer is interested in the LSU job? Did you hear that he might go pro?

Of course you didn't. Fulmer isn't in the running for another job. He's not even in the running for a good rumor.

He's a rock of stability on the SEC's rocky road of coaching. South Carolina, Florida and Ole Miss have all hired new coaches since the season ended; LSU is about to hire a new coach.

That's just this season. Last year, Mississippi State fired Jackie Sherrill and replaced him with Sylvester Croom; Arkansas almost lost Houston Nutt to Nebraska; Auburn almost fired Tommy Tuberville and hired Bobby Petrino.

There was no "almost" with the Vols. Fulmer has been their head coach for 13 years, and they haven't even changed an offensive or defensive coordinator since the end of the 1998 season.

That's just fine with Hamilton, who isn't envious of the coaching carousel whirling around him.

"Everybody has a tendency to say the grass is always greener on the other side," Hamilton said. "But who do you get next?"

Hamilton has a list of whom he might get next. It's a just-in-case list, one he would prefer to keep to himself. After two years as UT's athletic director, he seems more sold than ever on Fulmer.

And he's on the verge of putting UT's money where his mouth is.

As the Vols prepare for Saturday's Cotton Bowl with Texas A&M, Hamilton is getting ready to make his coach a richer man. So don't be surprised if Fulmer joins college football's elite $2 million club. He's already knocking on the door with a salary of almost $1.8 million, plus $85,000 in endorsements, according to Hamilton.

Is he overpaid? Sure. So is every other college football head coach.

But contract negotiations and renegotiations are all about comparative worth. No one understands that better than Jimmy Sexton, who became Fulmer's agent this year. Sexton already represents Tuberville, Nutt and LSU coach Nick Saban, who was named coach of the Miami Dolphins over the weekend.

Sexton won't have to do much research to make a $2 million case for Fulmer. All he has to do is cite the tenure, the record, and the competition.

Hamilton said he has talked once with both Sexton and Fulmer about Fulmer's contract but doesn't expect anything to be resolved before the Cotton Bowl. Don't expect the athletic director to take a hard line.

Hamilton said he thought Fulmer became "reenergized" this season. With a reenergized coach and 17 returning starters, he envisions even better days ahead.

"We're well positioned to go forward," Hamilton said. "The recruiting looks great. The future bodes well."

Sexton couldn't have said it better.

Never mind that Fulmer doesn't have another job opportunity for leverage. His athletic director wants him to feel appreciated.

"I don't feel like you need another job (offer) to bring to the table," Hamilton said. "Quality people shouldn't be penalized for loyalty."

So let the rest of the SEC athletic directors pursue other football coaches or agonize over keeping the one they have. Hamilton can use his spare time to worry about basketball.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.