The Sanders approach

Sanders was more than a bit surprised when his dad handed him a pocketknife and calmly said, "Cut it out."

Randy, barely a teenager, did what his father asked, trying to hide his anxiety during one of the many moments that reflected how much confidence a father had in his youngest son.

R.L. Sanders, 75, has been on the sidelines supporting his son for 29 seasons. Randy can still remember teammates saying, "Your dad's here. Can't you smell the cigar smoke?"

The sideline visits didn't stop when Randy's playing career at Tennessee ended in 1988. R.L. is still a frequent sideline guest as his 39-year-old son begins his seventh season as UT's offensive coordinator.

"I've been fortunate that he had the interest to do that and he could get away and do that," Randy said of the sideline visits. "It's always been nice having him around."

In 2004, Randy had arguably his best season as a coordinator. The former Morristown East High School star prepared three inexperienced quarterbacks to lead an offense that ranked fourth in the SEC, helping UT to a 10-3 record.

"I had a sense that he had a good knowledge of it (football) when he was very small," R.L. said with a grin. "That's something he always loved ... The durn joker knows football."

R.L. said it was obvious that his son viewed football differently than his youth league counterparts of the late 1970's. Randy preferred a cerebral approach over aggression.

"I was always intrigued by the nuances of the game," he said. "It's more my personality than anything else."

R.L. and his wife, Eva, had four children. R.L. said they all share the same pensive approach to their lives. Randy, 12 years younger than his youngest sibling, just happened to choose a life that was more high profile, a role for which the baby boy of a big family was well-suited.

"I think I probably got spoiled in a lot of ways," Randy said of his older siblings. "In some ways, I grew up fast. It helped me develop motor skills because I was always playing kids that were older."

Playing against older competition helped Randy become one of the top athletes in Morristown during the 1980s. R.L. was determined to take athletics in stride.

"I supported him but I didn't try to get him to play (football)," R.L. said. "I kept him from playing until the fifth grade."

When R.L. finally relented and allowed his baby boy to play football, Randy wanted to play wide receiver as he walked onto a practice field for the first time. After a quick look, the head coach told Randy that he would be playing quarterback.

His football career was underway.

Decision time

Randy didn't grow up a UT fan. Randy, like the rest of his family, grew up a Georgia fan. The family moved to Tennessee from Georgia in 1959, six years before Randy was born.

R.L. and Randy had two passions typical of East Tennessee, football and fishing. In 1983, football took center stage when Randy received All-Southern accolades and became one of the most-sought prospects in Tennessee.

The Sanders family fielded scholarship offers from more than 25 schools including UT, Georgia and Notre Dame. Alabama was one of the strongest to pursue him.

"We liked Tennessee but it wasn't one of our favorite schools," R.L. said with a chuckle.

R.L. still remembers when Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant called the Sanders household. It was a surprise at the time. Randy, a freshman, had only played two high school games.

"He was the first coach to call the house, and I answered the phone," R.L. said as he went in to his best Bryant impersonation. "He said, 'Mr. Sanders, this is Bear Bryant, the head coach at Alabama. Have you heard of Alabama football?'

"I said 'Coach, I can't imagine anybody that likes football that hasn't heard of Alabama football.'

"We talked for a few minutes and he told me, 'We watched two tapes of your son and I'll tell you right now that we want him.' Now, we're running the wishbone but we won't be running the wishbone when he comes out of high school. I'd like for you to watch us some this year and see us breaking the bone. As soon as we get the athletes, we're going to get away from it.

"He invited us down to a ballgame and said, 'If the game is starting at 2 o'clock and you get here at 2 o'clock, then go to the stadium gate and tell them to call Bear Bryant and that you all are coming in.' "

R.L. remembers when Randy made his college decision. Randy disappeared for 90 minutes, came back home, and announced that he was headed to Knoxville. R.L. was a bit surprised and asked his son why -- to make sure he hadn't made a hasty decision.

Randy laid it out. He was worried that Georgia was too dependent on running the football. Bryant recruited Sanders but he decided to retire and Ray Perkins was the new coach at Alabama.

UT and its passing offense was the logical selection for a pensive young quarterback looking for the coaching stability that Johnny Majors seemed to offer.

"Proximity didn't have a whole lot to do with it," Randy said. "Most people make decisions based off emotions. I made the decision off what I thought was best."

The why that R.L. offered wasn't meant to change Randy's mind. It was meant to test his convictions. Neither Randy nor R.L. knew it, but he had just taken the first step on his career path.

Decision time, Part II

Randy thought football was behind him in 1987. He decided to forgo his final year of eligibility because of a shoulder injury suffered during his sophomore year at UT. Randy said he tried to rush himself back after surgery and never regained the strength in his throwing arm.

"When you grow up with ability and the accolades you get, you think you're going to play forever," Randy said. "I think it is a big transition for anybody when that realization hits that you're not going to make a living playing football. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world."

R.L. and Randy were together, fishing and contemplating his future amid the July heat. Wildlife management seemed like a logical choice given Randy's love of the outdoors. Then, the phone call came that changed Randy's life.

"We were out fishing when he got the phone call that they wanted him to come down and be a backup," R.L. Sanders said.

The call was from Majors. UT needed a quarterback after Sterling Henton broke his foot in preseason practice. Senior Jeff Francis was the starter, and UT coaches weren't sure that redshirt freshman Andy Kelly was ready to contribute.

"My advice was to make up his mind," R.L. said. "I thought it was an honor that they called him. He knew what he wanted to do and he needed to do it. That opened the door for him."

Randy had come to a crossroads and R.L. felt his son's dedication to his career should mirror his own. R.L. only worked for two companies in his life, one for 42 years.

"I was glad that I came back," Randy said. "When I made the decision to come back was when I made the decision to get into coaching."

Homegrown

Tennessee football is the only college football that Randy Sanders has known. Randy will begin his 21st season at UT this fall. He played five years (1984-88) and began coaching at UT immediately thereafter.

"A lot of 'em figured that it came too easy for him," R.L. said of the critics. "They didn't know the work that he put in. But, overall, I think he's well respected."

Randy has seen the downside to coaching at one place for an entire career. He has only enjoyed one honeymoon phase unlike other coaches that seem to be always looking for the next job.

Sanders took the reigns of UT's offense for the first time in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. Randy helped UT secure a national championship after former offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe departed to be the head coach at Ole Miss. R.L. said that night in Tempe, Ariz., was the proudest he has ever been of his son professionally. UT fans agreed.

Father and son have seen the pros and cons of coaching at one's alma mater, which just happens to be 45 miles from their hometown. Fans can be less patient during the lean years if they're staring at the same face.

"Sometimes you fight some perceptions," Randy said. "When you coach where you played, maybe people worry about what type of player you were or what your position did 12 years ago. That has nothing to do with what's going on right now.

"My career is important to me but there are a lot of things in life that are more important to me. Knoxville is a great place to live and a great place to raise a family. ... It would take a really good situation for me to jump on it right now.

"Coaching at your alma mater is special. I've got some pretty strong roots here and that means a lot to me."

R.L. remembers the tough years, when his son was considered too young, too inexperienced, and unworthy of being UT's offensive coordinator because he came up through UT's system.

Randy learned to shield himself from the criticism as the Vols' offense sputtered. By national standards, UT's offense was average from 2000-03. The Vols ranked 57th, 42nd, 50th, and 42nd in the NCAA during those years.

Randy decided to tune out talk radio if he was forced to wear a big orange target and bear the brunt of two sub-par, eight-win seasons in 2000 and 2002.

R.L. didn't have that luxury when he sat in the stands cheering during football games.

"I hear them get on (coach) Phil Fulmer, (defensive coordinator) John Chavis, and Randy. I think they could be more considerate, particularly of the families," R.L said of critics that he believes are mostly uninformed. "That's a very minority bunch. I think the majority of the people are Randy supporters.

"I think that Randy is one of the top offensive coordinators around. I would like to see somebody come after him (to enhance his stature among fans). ... The criticism, most of it is unfair. ... If they get to mouthing off too much, I turn around and ask them if they know what is going on."

NFL future?

Interest in Randy could quell some of the criticism from UT fans. Randy said that publicizing such interest is not his style.

Reluctantly, Randy admitted he has received interest from other teams, including the NFL, over the years. So far, there hasn't been a job offer that has caused him to seriously consider leaving UT.

"I've thought about it and talked about it a few times," Randy said. "There have been a few things come up. But I'm not one that, when things come up, I make sure that everybody knows. If something serious ever comes up that interests me, I'll certainly talk to them about it."

When Fulmer's tenure ends at UT, Randy's name will likely be mentioned as a possible replacement. UT has made a history of elevating coaches from within. Randy would seem like a good fit if UT's administration wanted to carry on that tradition.

"I would like to be a head coach someday," Randy said. "I would like to run my own program. If you went to a place like Tennessee, you don't see many other jobs out there better."

Being a head coach would mean even fewer days off, fewer days to fish, and fewer of those already fleeting moments with his family. The Sanders family has already seen the effects of coaching at a big-time program.

The number of fishing trips with R.L. has dwindled now that Randy has climbed the coaching ladder, gotten married, and began raising his two daughters. Still the groundwork of the father-son relationship remains firm.

Randy knows that R.L. is just a phone call away, always there for his son, either listening or encouraging.

What more could a young son, a young athlete, or a young coach ask for?

"There's nothing," R.L. said confidently, "that Randy has done that surprised me."