Keeping UT staff intact

The Vols enter spring practice without a new face on the coaching staff for just the second time since 2001.

But that's not because of a lack of interest in the Vols' coaches.

This offseason alone, the Cleveland Browns courted offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, and Howard University targeted wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor for its vacant head-coaching position. The Oakland Raiders approached running backs coach Kurt Roper about joining its staff.

And those are just the ones that fans and media know about.

"Fortunately we've been a fairly stable staff," UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "Occasionally, it gets out that somebody's been visiting for a coordinator's job or an assistant's job, but most of the time it's handled internally pretty well by our guys.

"We've had a good measure of success and people want to get people from successful programs. Most times (UT's coaches) prefer to keep it quiet and not affect recruiting, not affect the kids that are here. Not disrupt a whole bunch of things and then make a decision."

For most of Tennessee's assistants, the decision has been to stay in Knoxville.

During Fulmer's 15 full seasons as head coach (the longest active tenure in the SEC), the Vols have had to replace 13 assistants. Three of those departures -- Randy Sanders, Pat Washington and Jimmy Ray Stephens -- came after a 5-6 season in 2005.

Tennessee's defensive staff hasn't changed since 1999, with the hiring of Larry Slade to coach defensive backs.

John Chavis has been at UT since 1989 and the coordinator since Larry Marmie left for the NFL following the 1994 season.

That year was defensive line coach Dan Brooks' first season, and defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell came in a year later.

None of them have left, despite opportunities.

"Steve Caldwell's had two or three chances to go other places, as has Dan Brooks, as has John Chavis, as has Roper as has Trooper, as has (offensive line coach) Greg (Adkins)," Fulmer said. "All of them have."

For one reason or another, they've all stayed.

Roper, who was a graduate assistant at UT before joining Cutcliffe's staff at Ole Miss in 1999, said the work environment and resources offered by the university would be tough to beat.

"In the offensive room, I feel like I'm working with great friends and family members," he said. "That's not to say you don't have goals you want to accomplish as a position coach, but when you're at the University of Tennessee, you're at a special place. To me, it's hard to find a better place than Tennessee."

Cutcliffe and Taylor also cited family atmosphere as a reason for staying at UT.

Those who have left by choice have usually taken a step up.

In addition to Marmie, Jacob Burney, Kippy Brown, Kevin Ramsey and Doug Marrone went directly to the NFL after leaving UT.

Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, who was a UT assistant from 1993-94, spent a year at Ohio State before moving to the pros.

Woody McCorvey left after the 2003 season to become offensive coordinator at Mississippi State.

Fulmer said the Vols are able to stay competitive -- both financially and on the field -- in order to keep assistants from leaving for similar positions and other schools.

"We don't lose people laterally," Fulmer said. "We've been competitive because the administration has allowed us to do that. But if a guy has a chance to be a head coach or a guy has a chance to be a coordinator or a guy has a chance to move up considerably from a salary standpoint, that's the world we live in. That's the American way for anybody."

The only truly lateral moves in Fulmer's tenure have been Rodney Garner and Kevin Ramsey (now at Carson-Newman). Both left to be position coaches at Georgia.

Even Fulmer has resisted overtures from the NFL and other colleges, both before becoming a head coach and after.

"Since I've been a head coach, I've had a chance to look at a couple professional (jobs)," Fulmer said. "I've chosen not to really get involved in that world because I didn't want to disrupt recruiting. I feel very loyal to my staff and to the Tennessee people and to our administration.

"As I've said before, I'm not just passing through. I've given a large part of my life to this school. It would have to be something really, really special or later in my career."