Fulmer reveals tips on UT's recruiting

They were so interesting, in fact, that the News Sentinel found it worthwhile to ask UT football coach Phillip Fulmer these same questions and put his answers in print.

Here's five quick questions - and answers - that provide insight into the Vols' recruiting ways:

1. How does UT assign coaches to recruits ... by region or by position?

Fulmer: "It's by both. Regional to begin with, and as you go along you want the relationship with the position coach established as much as possible.''

2. Which coaches cover what areas?

Dan Brooks: Carolinas, Knoxville, Tampa, Fla., area.

Steve Caldwell: Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Chattanooga.

Larry Slade: Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Houston, Murfreesboro, Smyrna.

John Chavis: South Carolina, North Alabama, Southwest Tennessee (excluding Memphis).

Jimmy Ray Stephens: Jacksonville, Pennsylvania, South Central Tennessee, Southeast Georgia.

Trooper Taylor: South Florida, Atlanta, Memphis, Dallas.

Randy Sanders: Orlando, Ohio, Kentucky, East Tennessee (Tri-Cities).

Pat Washington: Northwest Tennessee, Southwest Georgia, South Alabama, Louisiana.

Greg Adkins: Nashville, Los Angeles, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pacific Northwest.

3. How does UT decide which players to go after? Is it based on performance in games, or combine-type numbers like size, strength, speed, etc?

Fulmer: "We watch videotape as much as we can. Obviously, live personal evaluations are important. We have a network of coaches and people around the country we trust.

4. Does it matter to UT if a student-athlete played a bigger classification of football?

Fulmer: "You like to see them against the best competition, but that's not the most important thing. A football player is a football player whether he plays 1A or 5A.''

5. Does UT recruit "the best player available" or do they recruit by position (need a corner, get a corner)?

Fulmer: "We do both.''