Dave Hooker audio
Josh Ward Audio
Tennessee Stat Book
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton understands emotion.
And following a 41-17 loss to rival Alabama, UT fans certainly will be emotional.
But Hamilton wants to make sure emotion doesn’t enter into any evaluation of Tennessee’s football program.
“We’re fortunate to be at a place where people are passionate about our product,” Hamilton said. “I’ve got a lot of friends who are ADs at places where they don’t have full stadiums and they don’t hear from their fans.
“I’d much rather be at a place like Tennessee where high expectations are the norm.”
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for Tennessee fans is the way the Vols have lost to two of the biggest rivals on their schedule.
Tennessee has been outscored 100-37 in losses at Florida and Alabama.
Florida’s victory over Kentucky, coupled with losses by South Carolina and Tennessee, puts the Gators back in control of the SEC East race.
But a trip to Atlanta for Tennessee’s first SEC championship game appearance since 2004 remains the goal, Hamilton said.
“Got to pick it up, go back to work and see what we can do the rest of the way,” he said. “We’ve got four straight home games now, and we need to take advantage of that.
“We’re going to have to have a little help to get where we want to go, and that’s the SEC championship. But we’ll see what we can do against South Carolina next week.”
But no matter what happens next, Hamilton wants to hold any final judgment on the football program until after the season is over.
“These are 12-game seasons and you have to look at things holistically,” Hamilton said. “I think that we’ve got coaches who have been down this road before and they know how to respond.
“Certainly you’ve got a lot of young men who are trying to learn how to be better football players and accomplish the things they need to accomplish, and I think that they’ll do that.”
Injury Report: Lucas Taylor, UT’s leading wide receiver, did not play after Tennessee’s second series of the second half and was limited all day by a toe injury suffered in last week’s victory against Mississippi State.
“It was really bothering him,” UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. “He couldn’t run and separate.”
Receiver Josh Briscoe suffered a first-half concussion and did not return.
Well Stocked: Redshirt freshman tight end Luke Stocker caught his first touchdown pass on a 3-yarder from Erik Ainge on the first play of the second quarter.
It was another play that got Stocker pumped Saturday, however.
“Coach ran the ball to my side and I kicked the defensive end’s tail,” Stocker said, referring to his block on Arian Foster’s first-quarter touchdown run. “I was really excited, almost more excited than the touchdown.”
No Mo: Tailback Montario Hardesty did not play Saturday because of personnel, not an injury.
The sophomore reserve, who did not play against Florida and Arkansas State because of an ankle injury, was kept on the bench Saturday because the Vols’ offensive sets called for either Arian Foster or LaMarcus Coker.
“We were in open sets and three-wide sets,” Fulmer said. “He’s not a great pass receiver, or at least we’ve got better guys at that, and didn’t get him in the game. We should have. He’s a good player.”
Lennon Creer had a carry.
Heavy Rotation: Tennessee played eight offensive linemen, with reserve tackle Ramone Johnson seeing his most meaningful snaps of the season.
Johnson subbed for starting left tackle Eric Young in the first half, but was whistled for a holding call.
“He was anxious and excited, quite obviously,” offensive line coach Greg Adkins said. “He had earned the right to get that opportunity.”
Choke Artist: UT defensive tackle Dan Williams said an Alabama player choked him on one play.
“I told the ref about it,” Williams said. “The only thing we can do is tell the ref about it. If they call it, they call it. If they don’t, they don’t.”
That particular play wasn’t whistled. However, Williams was flagged for a personal foul on a late hit of Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson.
Extra Points: Fulmer said he learned of a surprise suspension of five Alabama players shortly before kickoff. … Former Tennessee sports information director Gus Manning attended his 62nd consecutive Tennessee/Alabama game. … A 53-yard completion to Arian Foster in the second quarter was quarterback Erik Ainge’s longest pass of the season.
Mike Strange and Dave Hooker contributed to this report.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
Vanderbilt 65, Tennessee 47, Jan. 24…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 148
TNVolsFan writes:
I use to expect Tennessee to win every game no matter who they were playing.
I no longer expect Tennessee to win any game no matter who they are playing. It breaks my heart to see Tennessee loose games this way.
Another sad day in TN.
The biggest disappointment for Tennessee is the way the Vols have lost to two of the biggest rivals on their schedule.
Tennessee has been outscored 100-37 in losses at Florida and Alabama.
Pearl4pres writes:
lennon creer gets a carry on 3rd and 1 when arian is shredding the defense...give me a break..what a joke...one of the worst performances i have ever seen... right next to two other games we lost this year... we need an outside spark
koamalina writes:
Tennessee football...who cares anymore? There is no longer any reason to get excited about it. This season is now officially over.
At least there is fantasy football so we can cheer for other teams when the Vols let us down.
jaminc3 writes:
I have always told my closest friends to be careful for what you wish for in regards to firing Fulmer, because so many teams go into a slump year in and year out usually going through several coaches before they have any real success (i.e., Alabama)and we almost seem spoiled as fans but I can no longer support this staff. I live in Louisiana and I am a UT alum and I have always worn my colors with pride and will continue to do so, but there is no excuse for a team with the facilities that we have and the budget that we have to perform at such a poor level. What I watched was terrible and I saw no fire of emotion from the coashing staff (did you see Saban or even Leavett?) Fulmer has brought a national championship and been a good steward for UT, but the program is in a tail spin and it is time for him to step aside and let a new generation come in and take Tennessee back to the top. No name calling. Just common sense. The program needs to be higher than one person. Go Vols!
jimmy71#237592 writes:
Wow, now I have heard it all - well you heard the suit, the only remedy to this dreadful situation is apathy - little did we know that our disgust was merely being used as fuel for maintaining the status quo, since we were, at least, still "interested" - well I say we give it to 'em...no tickets, no pay per view, no donations, no merchandise and concessions, and while we're at it, how about no more posts...I'm out-I'll see you under the new regime
DarthVol writes:
On the bright side, one day none of this will matter to me. But I won't smell too good then, that's for sure.
oldbasshead writes:
It will take empty seats, drop in concessions sales and mechandise to dislodge the current staff. They have had their day and their opportunity to show that they still have it. They don't.
yeavols#228407 writes:
There is nothing wrong with retirement at the end of the year. Thanks Fulmer for giving us a few good years. Things change and time goes on. Many coaches will come and go in the years to come. We just need to make sure we make the right choice. Someone who is innovative, passionate, coaches on the sidelines, emotional and can teach young players how to develop.
onecrazyvol writes:
I sent mike my email and told him what I thought about emotions. I also told him I don't give a **** about his AD friends with empty stadiums. He didn't shell out money to go watch the phooey on the field that i did..............
cgbtn writes:
Perhaps we should follow Nebraska's lead and fire the AD.
vol52 writes:
I am not certain Hamilton is seeing the same team as we are or he has the change in coaches under way.
onecrazyvol writes:
I dunno about that....ie Bruce Pearl
onecrazyvol writes:
Vol52 i hope you are right!
nmvol writes:
I emailed Hamilton about the joke UT football has now become today and everyone who is a UT fan should. Fulmer must step aside at the end of this season.
eduke33#545720 writes:
I have not exactly been defending Fulmer, as I want to know who is out there before making a bad switch (as some of you have noted above). But it seems there might need to be a change. BUT PLEASE STOP WITH THE MAJORS COMMENTS = his *** needed to go! Fulmer took us to heights Majors could not have dreamed of. And stop with the Majors won 2 of 3 SEC titles in his last years ... whatever, the SEC is light years ahead of that ancient good ol' boy network! I want to see UT at the top of the best league, not senseless reminiscing of those old days when the SEC was nothing more than a regional phenomenon.
asand211#361548 writes:
It is obvious after reading comments made by Hamilton that Fulmer is safe regardless of how far the Vols fall year after year. Obviously, these guys are buddies and and the good of the program takes a back seat to friendship. That is very unfortunate for the school, players, and the fans. I think we are going to keep falling and end up going from the top to the cellar like Nebraska.
jim.yates#443418 writes:
I graduated in 1980 and I appreciate all Fulmer has brought to our program. I have seen much worse and have been hesitate to dismiss him. But I have difficulty continuing to support our direction.
That said, who can we get to replace him and go forward - I SURE DON'T WANT TO BE ALABAMA AND STRUGGLE FOR 12+ YEARS. Short of Tubberville or the "Ball Coach", I'm not sure who we could get to Knoxville... Thoughts anyone?
gillblog writes:
Money. Just money. Hamilton doesn't care about anything else. Buying out Fulmer now would be more expensive as many on this site have calculated than making a change now. But, he would do us all a service if he would simply come out and announce his decision now.
By now he must have made a decision. He can't really believe that giving this coach and his staff more time will make things better. So why leave Fulmer and his staff and his players and UT fans twisting in the wind? Money. At the bottom of all this Hamilton's reasoning has to be about money. Fulmer's only hope of staying another year is the bottom line dollar difference between breaking his contract and the cost of a new head coach. Nothing else matters.
larrywanderson#270295 writes:
MIKE, We Fellow Vols regret to inform you that we do not care to have our Football Team referred to as a 'product'.
AND maybe your 'friend who are ADs at places where they don’t have full stadiums' are not friends within the SEC or Top 50 Football Teams.
MIKE, you should read the Omaha Newspapers about what happens to AD's that to not care to keep in touch with the goals and traditions(winning) of their State University.
t_johnson3#219924 writes:
You have to be kidding! Are you actually referring to Johnny Majors who was owned and beaten like a rented mule by Alabama. What a joke! The most disturbing trend of this team to me is when they are losing in the fourth quarter they quit playing, and that is a character issue. While I agree the coaching needs to be revamped, a rah rah for Johnny Majors, the drunk, who made the phrase good one year, bad the next, is ludicrous.
vol52 writes:
If Hamilton does not listen then we should get the president of the university and e-mail him. We all thought Buzz was safe and in reality he was not.
gavol2572 writes:
I really dont know who we could get but I do know this, I want the good buddy system gone. Lets get some fresh blood and fire at UT. What we go just aint cutting it. BTW I like Cutty as OCbut I really think he wouldn't be what we need as HC
Phowell23 writes:
Jim Yates, well lets see other then the ones you mentioned...
-Jon Gruden (current head coach at Tampa Bay Bucs), started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UT in 1986.
-Jim Leavitt (current head coach at South Florida), was interviewed for Alabama job but turned it down. Maybe UT job would could sway him out of Florida.
-Chris Peterson (current head coach at Boise State). Has done a lot with very little. What could he do with great talent?
-Bill Cowher (ex head coach for Pittsburg Steelers). Lives in North Carolina and works as a NFL TV Analyst and rumors have been circulating he wants to get back into coaching
Stay tuned...I'm working on a website called NextTNCoach.com where I'll profile all of these and more. Website should be up in a few weeks.
ETownVol writes:
If Failmore isn't fired or retires, we at least need to get rid of Chavis. He was outcoached ALL DAY by Major Applewhite who can't be much more than 30 years old, if that. You would think a so-called "veteran" DC could at least stop an offense controlled by what amounts to be a kid. I've not been a big supporter of Fill-up Failmore lately nor have I been calling for his head, but we have been completely embarrassed by our two biggest rivals this year due to lack of preparation and piss-poor coaching. It's one thing to get beat... I can handle that. But we have been EMBARRASSED at least twice this year. And, no, Fill-up, it's not an aberration and we should NOT stay the course. The course we're on resembles the maiden voyage of the Titanic. I still love the Vols but supporting Failmore is futile. WE NEED A CHANGE, Mr. Hamilton, and that right soon.
madcow26#524674 writes:
jeez louise...can this team be much worse on defense...defensive line - horrible..linebackers - lost...defensive secondary - somewhere else but on the field....absolutely one of the worst excuses for a defense I have ever seen...but what do I know..I am just a fan of college football....
Pearl4pres writes:
either cowher or Petersen...both would bring extreme excitement back
orange71 writes:
hamilton may consider it inappropriate to attack a coach during the season, believing season's-end the better timing for a nunber of reasons. he deserves time to act. the grace period ends, however, at the end of the kentucky game. until then, he should play all close to the vest.
bls8617#370509 writes:
This is not acceptable, especially for someone like me who has to live with all these crazy alabama fans every year. I don't expect tennessee to win every rivalry game, but i do expect them to not get humilated. Mike Hamilton doesn't suffer for embarrasing losses like this, the fans do. I've always been a fulmer supporter and i try to look past some of the bad things, but I can no longer support a coach who oppenly refuses to change anything!
wyomingvol writes:
On Hardesty: He is a good player, we should of gotten him in......
Is that a coach or a fan talking. This one is inexcusable.
This guy and Foster torched people the last two weeks, and Foster was running well all day.
WHAT A DISASTER. Thanks for making sure We were not in a position to win the game Head and Assistant Head Coaches.
Another grand welcoming to the SEC for a new coach! Now the norm for TN football.
BigVolinCarolina writes:
Money IS an "emotional" thing--people don't part with their money without having some stake in where it's going....perhaps a less-than-paid-in-full attendance will grab the administration's attention.
As for coaching prospects (I hate to say it), I truly believe we're in a bind...there's no one "in the family" who has the pedigree to be head coaching material. And as for going "out of the family", it's easy to do for basketball when the program has been a perennial cellar-dwellar for 20+ years; however, football is a different thing and it IS the money-maker for all of UT sports.
It is time for a new coach, but it's not going to be easy for Hamilton to pull the trigger on football like he did for basketball. Keep that in mind.
dlobh writes:
jim.yates, just try not to jump out of any cars on the Strip. Somebody could kick your a** . . .
Alabama lost to GA, beat Houston by 6 and Ole Miss by 3. UT is now definitely better than Miss. St. and maybe GA only in the SEC.
injunvol writes:
i really want to say that our defense s**ks problem is we dont have a defense or a coach - this is worse than 05 - its gonna get much worse before this seasons ends - please fulmer step down
utmandy#237917 writes:
Hamilton won't be swayed by emotions, poor coaching, poor play, inteligence, no defense, no special teams, a 4-3 team the has had a top 5 recruiting class the past 3 years (4 out of 5), a team that is 18-14 of its last 32, 2-5 in last seven bolws (not bowl eligible in 05).
What will the he be swayed by?
utmandy#237917 writes:
The Bruce Pearl hire was made by a committee of faculty and administration headed be president John Peterson. All Hamilton did was show up to the announcement.
Peterson will be the one that does something.
Oenoboy writes:
Our winning percentage by decade since 1930...
30s - 78% - 1.5 SEC Champs (1 outright, 1 shared)
40s - 74% - 1.5 SEC Champs
50s - 67% - 1.5 SEC Champs
60s - 64% - 2 SEC Champs
70s - 64% - 0 SEC Champs
80s - 65% - 1.5 SEC Champs
90s - 80% - 3 SEC Champs
00s - 68% - 0 SEC Champs (including today's loss)
As much as I hate that big 0 in SEC Championships so far, under the past system without a playoff, we would have had 1. So, you talk about bringing in a coach to bring us back to the top or to a level worthy of our program? What freaking program are you referring to?
It was Fulmer who brought us to those lofty levels we haven’t seen since the Neyland years. Actually since the General retired, this decade so far is our 2nd best in winning percentage. So please explain what it is historically you guys want to get back to.
I’ve brought this up before. Neyland went 25-13-3 through a three year stretch at the end of the 40s. According to you guys, he should have been fired. The next two years the Vols record was 21-2-0 and we won a national championship.
For those of you who are attacking Hamilton. That is quite simply stupidity. Using Nebraska as an example? How does 27-19 sound for a football record under a current coach with nothing positive going on with any of your other sports? You guys sound like spoiled brats!
Get your heads out of your win at all cost a$$es and show a little faith in the best coach we’ve had since 1952 and one of the best ADs in the country.
jim.yates#443418 writes:
dlohh-the defensive support that night reminds me of what the we saw this afternoon, by the way, thanks
lkilgore#237303 writes:
John Gruden
5 million per year
dlobh writes:
It is ridiculously obviously that TN is out-coached every week. Every return of our kicks or punts is scary, we never, ever do anything innovative (like an onside kick to start the game or a funky shift on 4th down to draw the other team offsides), we don't go for it on 4th and 1 somewhere around the 45 yard line in Alabama's side of the field . . . What I'd like to know is how did this team play so well against GA? How can yearly top 5 recruiting classes look so bad unless it's bad coaching?
cphil writes:
"Hamilton won't be swayed by emotions"
Translation: Hamilton will do whatever Haslam and the other multi-millionaires who contribute to UT tell him to do.
utclassof1992 writes:
Read it! Hamilton dont give a phooey. Until Haslam, Johnson, and some of the other big $ boys really ride his butt, Fulmer is our man. After all, Fulmer did get MH his job and gave a mil to UT. Dont get your hopes up for a buyout.
nocfred#204962 writes:
Looking at Oenoboy stats, it’s a telling a story. Since 2000 the winning percentage is 68%. You noticed that the slide from Gen. Neyland continued for several decades. Fulmers winning percentage is starting to decline. The decline needs to stop now. 68% is good if you are in Memphis. But in Knoxville where the Athletic Budget is $50 or $60 million dollars per year and HC makes $2,000,000, 68% is not good enough
cphil writes:
eduke33,
The reason everybody is bringing up Johnny Majors now is because the same thing that allowed Fulmer to orchestrate the "Night of the Orange Knives" and take over as head coach is happening again. Those of us old enough to remember (I was at UT when Doug Dickey was the head coach) will agree that Majors had slipped into mediocrity by '92, and needed to be replaced. The issue I've always had was the MANNER in which Fulmer went behind his back to do it.
utmandy#237917 writes:
Hamilton's email: mhamilt00@tennessee.edu
Let him have it.
chrisw2967 writes:
Hamilton sounds about ignorant as Fulmer does. Maybe he needs to be fired also. This is turning out to be one big joke.
utmdm writes:
Forgive me people. I am going to be longwinded here. I have come off the orange Koolaide the past 4 weeks and the rush of oxygen to the brain is overcoming and Hamilton's comments are like cold water in the face....
Hamilton, forget emotions and just use your eyes and ears.
1- No one can win them all but look at the continual general decline in wins per season, bowl losses, titles, national stature, etc, etc etc. - Doesn't seem to exactly fit your own stated criteria. 68% in 2000's. I hate Steinbreiner but he is right there has to be accountability even with family.
2 - It's not just unrealistic fans. Look at the number of posts (for everyone here, and review you own marketing course books, there are 1000's and growing each day not tuned into this site but just as unhappy and ready to hold their money even though they are silent).
3 - It's not just fan emotion, listen to the chorus of sportcaster/writer comments over the past 7 years about the direction of the program and their take on the core issue - a HC (and I am starting to wonder AD?) out of touch.
4 - It's not just the coordinators - It management. Yes Cut has made a difference in production. The signs were there for some time-why was it not fixed earlier before it became so critical. No deferral of responsibility at year end either - If the defense was in need of change why did the HC not come forward with proposed change before the problem became critical - this is not a one year only phenom either. As a manager you don't wait until the company is in bankruptcy court to propose real change. to be continued
Phowell23 writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
utmdm writes:
Continuation
5. This manager (HC and staff) are out of touch. All we have heard is stay the course - pound the rock even thru the losses. Last week we finally got this at MSU and had it going (7 yds per carry) this game. Then we suddenly forget the course (and I am talking before we were forced into pass mode), forget half of the productive cog of last week (Hardesty) and lose the course and start tip toeing the rock with passing. With the loss of receiver in the game and success of pounding which PF loves - well what gives? Gets what he wants and then jumps off the rock. Not to mention that we have long since lost the tradition of special teams. Small wonder that the players have any confidence in what they are asked to do. Got to have buy in whether in the corporate or sports world. continued
utmdm writes:
6 - Mr Hamilton, you are the ultimate manager here and responsible. Your "product" sucks. Your current customers are telling you that in droves. The market experts (sport hounds) are telling you your "product" is losing touch with its market. You have heard this warning for years. Your internal management may still have its blinders on and toe the company line with tweaking the advertising "slant" and smaller tactical changes without addressing the core problem. The customers still complain but sales are that bad and it is implied that our customers love us. They would not go anywhere else.
Does this sound anywhere remotely familar to the domestic car producers several years back? Your customer base for your "product" is already crumbling but you cannot see it in you ivory corporate tower. It may not have hit the P&L full force yet but the seeds are planted. The foreign competition in FL AL LSU AUB SC KY etc is catchin and passing and still an implied "our customers love us and would not leave us." The market says its so by the quality of the foreign product and your customers are trying to voice their concern. Mr Hamilton, ask the domestic car manufacturers about that. Want to stay the course as they did???? They opened the door and they will never get it back. Sorry for the length. Oxygen is refreshing.
Pullingguard writes:
Hamilton is a wuz, he won't, can't do anything to Fulmer. Unfortunate, but Fulmer will be there when Gabe blows his Trumpet, still making excuses and blaming everyone except himself.. It's back to the 80's and early 90's, you beat the creampuffs of the league and hope for 7/8 victories and go to some minor bowl, take your cash and go home for he night... And, Hamilton does not work on emotions.. Give me a break.
utclassof1992 writes:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_y...
Read this. I hope it never gets like this.
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