Poll: Who will be Tennessee's next offensive coordinator?

Trooper Taylor or Andy Kelly...I just hope Fulmer doesnt get a wild hair and think he is going to do it.
I bet Fulmer will not sleep for the rest of the year. Doesnt look good for him.

Contrary to popular belief, Fulmer is not a blind idiot hell-bent with rage on plunging UT deeper into the infernal depths of mediocrity.

You don't hold his position for that long and with that much success without knowing one or two things about coaching and football.

scvols, I agree he may not be the best... but he is good and I believe he will make a good call here. If it is not Trooper, he has valid reasons... if Troop doesn't jump ship first... which is another reason to fear if Trooper was to become OC. He will want to be HC, but how long will he be willing to wait?

I reluctantly hope it is Trooper. I am curious but not confident. None of us have any idea what we are talking about when we say yes or no to Trooper.

If Coach Fulmer is willing, I will take a brief trip back to the US to submit my resume... but he better be serious.

It better not be from within. I'm not sure Vol fans want are patient enough to put up with the growing pains of a first time OC. And why is it that everybody thinks that Trooper would make a good OC? Yes, he's a great recruiter and has a great relationship with many players, but since when does that matter when he's up in the booth calling plays? We need to bring in someone innovative with fresh ideas, and then maybe we wouldn't be having so many heart attacks like we did this year, praying that the opponents last second field goal attempt would either be blocked or head wide right.

What do you want it changed to? How long before you pine away for going back to simplifying things? How many times do we get hammered because either the QB can't make the right read, line can't block or backs and receivers don't carry out assignments?

Maybe the biggest problem the offense that Tennessee runs has is the vast majority of the folks that post go on about how predictable it is. If that was indeed the case there would never have been a conference title let alone a national one and teams like UK, USC and VU would be ahead of us year after year.

If it ain't broke don't fix it...we ain't looking to reinvent the wheel around here. Newer philosophies and different formations worked out of the basic Pro style multiple offense will do just fine...don't get hooked into the trap of "all these other teams are going to a spread offense."

BTW...how much shotgun formation did we run prior to Peyton Manning's arrival on campus? Anyone got an idea? Of course you don't because you've been lulled into the idea that we have run the "same" offense for 20 years...actually if you want to get technical it's probably 30 years because most of this in all likelihood goes back to Majors.

UT had good success this year with their version of the spread offense.. kinda.. but seems like, we need an OC that can eventually get us in the spread offense and being able to recruit for it.. it ain't going to happen next year, or the year after at our pace.. Agree with the post above, UT's offense hasn't changed in over 20 years basically, I can just about guess every play coming up before the snap.. not that surprising and very, very predictable and easy to scheme in the SEC.

Do we need someone else jolning the UT coaching ranks at this point? As great a motivator as Troop is, I wonder if he's really ready to sit up in the press box on game day, I mean, who's he going to chest bump, an usher or something?

I just hope we put the right one in the booth to run the offense, but my real concern is the defensive co-ord, the game has passed by the one we have. While we are looking for the right OC, we also need to be looking for the right DC.

I hope Fulmer goes outside the family. Every play Sanders ran and every play Cut ran are 15 year old plays. Get someone with new ideas. There are a lot of them out there working for lesser schools.

With the defense of the SEC, it is hard to score consistantly.

Calling SJT18...need you to copy/paste some of your excellent past posts on why it would not be a good idea for Tennesse to abandon their pro style approach for the fad of the day.

News to James and many others who ignorantly post about old plays...everyone's football plays are 20-30 years old, some like the spread are variations on plays that are 50 years old.

The difference between success and failure is the players, the execution of the plays and the choice of plays determined in game planning and in the game.

The only possible knock on Cut is that he might (I don't know haven't analyzed it and don't plan to) have become a bit predictable in his play calling and the type of plays ran out of specific formations.

A new OC is not going to show up with a brand new spanking playbook with entirely different plays. What he will show up with perhaps is a bit of different offensive philosophy, differences in preparation detail and differences in the type of plays and situational plays called during the game. But most of those plays will come from the same playbook as Tennessee has developed over the years.

I've been watching Tennessee football for about 30 years and I've seen it all:
- I formation
- Pro set
- Single back, 2 TE
- 3 WR
- 4 WR
- H back
- Option (on occasion and not usually very well which is fine with me cause I hate the option...it's a QB killer and the NFL will never draft an option QB so top QB's won't be coming to an option school)
- Spread Option (see above on option)

Our playbook has got them all. Will be interesting to see how a new OC prepares the team, game plans and executes play calling in the game...from the existing TN playbook.

Just checked Kippy's profile on Wikipedia...awewome resume...seems like it would be a great grab and possible position for eventual HC. His NFL carrier seems to have plateaud at the position level coach.

Come on back Kippy...Memphis roots to might help shore up Western TN.

Why not look for a dynamic trio. Somebody who is a strong influence at OC, wide receivers, and a new QB coach. And I mean somebody who was a good QB or played...Not Sanders. We've needed a dynamic change at wide receiver for a while. Trooper may have been it, but I am not sure we can me his career goal speed. Maybe he does need to go smaller first. Surely in three new coaches we could replace the recruiting abilities we will loose with Cutcliff and Taylor.

One word here folks...OPPORTUNITY! Let's make the most of it!

VOLinDAWGland - good post (8:46 a.m.).

Actually, this can be an exciting time for the Vols. Many have been bemoaning the fact that they haven't been content with the status quo. These events have provided the opportunity to explore a new direction. Cutcliff was only temporary at best - he wasn't going to remain OC for long. I think we all knew he would make a move like this or retire before long anyway.

At least he isn't going to leave us before the bowl game like he did last time. I never appreciated that move. With a national championship on the line, I don't understand why he would not have remained committed to the Vols until after the '99 Fiesta Bowl. That has always bothered me. It's all good, though. We still won it.

Can't make up my mind about Trooper, but I'm leaning toward the idea that he needs to cut his teeth on a smaller system to gain experience and prove his worth first.

And our recruiting was good before Trooper was with the Vols, so I don't see that as a downside either.

The other intrigueing thing about Kippy (assuming he's even a candidate and interested if he was) is that he's been working under Mike Marsh at Detroit. I'm not a huge fan of Marsh's pass happy offense, but it could really cause some headaches for a few years for SEC DCs. Marsh's offense at the Rams also produced some good running numbers...interesting to think about.

One word, Trooper. Give him a chance

The unfortunate thing about Cutcliffe leaving is that he is the one who returned some discipline to the team when he returned. Remember Ainge running around with wild hair and an earring after his awful year as a Sophomore. Well, Cut told him to cut his hair and lose the earring and turned him around. The offense was on a higher level and played much better under Cut than Randy Sanders. Hopefully, Trooper will get a shot.

TJ, good to hear from you! Where ya been, brother?

I can only hope the warm weather and pretty girls in Fl will distract the Wisc Players to the point the TN faithfull are distacted now. I hope we are not headed for another bowl arse whooping!

Hey granny, start an academics chat site and listen for the crickets.

volntx - I was trying to respect the elderly and remain silent, but since you broached the subject, I'll just say that I was thinking along those same lines. I'm all for supporting academics, but this is, after all, a UT SPORTS site. Thanks for the laugh!

Every challenge is an opportunity for success. I know the recuriting season is in full swing and decisions have to be made. The most important thing is to make the right decision and not the easy one.
Choices and consequences: Make the right choice and this program with the talent it already has can more back to the front of the conference, make the wrong decision and it could hurt this program for years to come.
There are options out there. Lets hope that all of our options are considered before the choice is made. The costs are too high at this moment in the programs history not too.

pdhuff: with you. I say beat the badgers, but beware the badgers..if we take the old "slow big 10" theory, they will hand us our helmets I promise. A dozen plain (like Dfreeman's brain)to go please.

Vol76 - Vol52 - Volindawgland - Duluth-Tucker-Etc. Lived in Covington 16 years, worked in Lawrenceville. Know about Dwag fans. Woof-woof, whew!

Lots of fine women, the men are...errr.. Oh well its a football area. Little BB. Miss ole Ray Goff and Donnan. Moved back to the mountains in 2004, found a woman with a farm and settled down.

Sister still in Ga - husband Dr at Emery. Hang in there, Vols in Ga. Its a lot easier up here. Merry Christmas.

I voted "other". I'm hoping they take the opportunity to bring in somebody outside the family. And it should be somebody with plenty of experience. I don't want somebody who is getting his on-the-job training as a first time OC.

The one key to all the posts so far was the one about discipline and Cut bringing it back. That coupled with the maturity to wear your hat right comment points to the team potentially losing any discipline they may have. We're going to fall back into having players making cell phone calls at halftime of the Peach Bowl if we don't watch out. I don't want to lose Taylor's recriuting, but I also despise the athlete we have to recruit to stay competitive. I say get someone from the outside that knows what the heck they are doing and have proven it and hope we get to keep Taylor.

Turnover in the coaching ranks is the nature of the game. Eventually, the good coaches will get interviews for the yearly openings. Whoever is responsible for the selection (individual or committee) needs to look at the most qualified. If someone is more qualified (and willing) than Trooper, then give him the job. We may lose some recruits this year but make some gains in the long run. Giving Trooper the position (if not qualified) because of the fear of losing some recruits is akin to hiring Wade Houston so we get his son to play B-ball for us.