A group of 191 former University of Tennessee football players had finally seen and heard enough.

Through a letter sent to UT athletic director Mike Hamilton and a full-page ad printed in Friday’s edition of the News Sentinel, the football lettermen pledged their support of coach Phillip Fulmer.

It was a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by Fulmer.

“It’s such an unbelievably warm feeling that it gives you,” Fulmer said after the Vols’ walkthrough at Neyland Stadium for today’s game against Arkansas. “I’m honored and appreciative and even humbled.

“All those guys and many, many more are really special to have been through this program and accomplished all they’ve accomplished in life.

“If we had anything to do with helping them accomplish those things, that’s what we’re trying to do.”

In the course of the letter, the former players called it “laughable” that Fulmer has faced criticism and speculation about his future with the program.

“We’ve won a lot of football games here and we’ll win a lot more in the future,” Fulmer said. “But that’s really the essence of why you coach — having a chance to help and influence people any way you can.

“I’m just honored and humbled to tell you the truth.”

The letter preceded one of the most key stretches in the Fulmer coaching era as UT plays host to Arkansas at 12:30 p.m. today at Neyland Stadium.

“It’s an exciting time for us right now,” Fulmer said. “There are five teams in the East Division and five teams in the West that would like to be right where we are.

“We’re competing for a championship.”

Here is the Lettermen’s ad in its entirety:

“For much of this fall, various groups have voiced their opinions about the Tennessee football program and its leadership.

“The Athletic Department has heard from donors, ticket holders, sidewalk alumni, journalists and self-styled commentators.

“But it hasn’t heard from us. That is, until now.

“We are former players. Our ranks also include people in each of the groups mentioned above.

“Our perspective is unique. Our physical, emotional and spiritual investment in Tennessee football can’t be measured — and probably can’t even be understood without going through it.

“Let us be very clear: We are proud that Coach Fulmer is the head football coach of our team.

“We’re glad that he leads and teaches the young men in our program. For some of us, those young men include our sons and other family members. He is what we want our children to be, and what we work to be more like every day of our lives.

“The skills necessary to be successful aren’t industry specific. They include qualities like honesty, clarity of purpose, a daily commitment to improvement, discipline, attention to detail, focus, an incredible work ethic, the ability to work with others and a willingness to learn from adversity.

“These skills do not become dated; time does not pass them by.

“Coach Fulmer not only possesses these in abundance, he teaches them to young people. He represents the best of what a university can and should be. He prepares young men for life.

“Given his accomplishments at Tennessee, the discussions surrounding his future here would be laughable — if the potential consequences weren’t so serious.

“Don’t misunderstand us: the seriousness of the consequences has nothing to do with the possibility of Phillip Fulmer losing a job.

“The terrible loss would be if the University of Tennessee lost Phillip Fulmer.”

Stopping The Hogs: Fulmer joked about a new game plan for stopping Arkansas’ running game and raved about the Razorbacks’ duo of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

“We’re going to put 13 or 14 out there,” Fulmer said of how the Vols plan to stop Arkansas. “Other teams we have faced in the past have had good backs, but I don’t know if anybody besides us has had a pair like that.

“We had Jamal Lewis and Travis Henry. We had Aaron Hayden, James Stewart and Charlie Garner in the backfield at the same time. Those guys (McFadden and Jones) are special when you talk about the great backs in the Southeastern Conference.”

Still Climbing The Charts: With 89 more yards, Arian Foster will move into 10th place on UT’s career rushing list.

Foster has 2,001 career yards and is 12th all time, behind Hayden (2,061 yards) and Garner (2,089 yards).

Fosters’ 21 touchdowns, however, are only one shy of Hayden and Garner’s combined total.

Chopper Flyover: In honor of Veteran’s Day on Sunday, UT will have a military flyover of five OH-58D armed reconnaissance helicopters from the 1-230th Air Cavalry Squadron of the Tennessee Army National Guard based in nearby Louisville.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.