Posted by DennisVols on February 16, 2008 at 7:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The solution is simple. Beat the teams you recruit against and the players will see first hand who has the better program.
Build a repretation for beating Meyers, Saban, Richt, and Miles. Win the titles instead of just playing for them and the recruits will come.

Posted by txvolsfan on February 16, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

well put DennisVols, kids want to play for winners and for champions!!!!!!!!
We need to have a great year in 08 or it could be worse next year in Feb.
We have the talent, Do we have the Coaches???
It should be interesting
GO VOLS
WIN THEM ALL
TXVOLSFAN

Posted by Pullingguard on February 16, 2008 at 7:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

In the past there has always been a loop-hole along the bordering states or southeast where UT could capatilize and sign good players... That does not exsist at the present so its very important that UT get the best from instate and let their record and hard work become factors in getting players from other states.. They also must assign the correct in house players to be with those visiting, no more arrest, for that makes bad impression on Mom/Dad...

Posted by stroker on February 16, 2008 at 7:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

CF is on the move. This recruiting season is an abberation due to coaching changes and other issues. The past is the best indication of the future. GO Vols!

Posted by TommyJack on February 16, 2008 at 7:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Stroker: Does the last 9 years count as the past? Just curious. Stay the course.

Posted by pdhuff on February 16, 2008 at 8:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ,7:57- check your selective memory switch for settings. It shouldn't be on reality.

Posted by gslaton on February 16, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, John, Florida won a National Championship on Ron Zuck's recruits and managed a Citrus Bowl trip losing to Michigan. So far, his #1 classes have REALLY impressed us! I still say he's gone in three years to a better offer.

Posted by stroker on February 16, 2008 at 8:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ I hope so, recruiting wise and the last two coaching wise. I expect good things from these coaches. I believe CF got a little over confident, now down in reality, and I expect winners. Just wish he would quit trying to get these kids to relate to his past like Bama is such a big deal. It is just another game now days.

Posted by TommyJack on February 16, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bama is just another game? I'm really sorry you feel that way.

Posted by pdhuff on February 16, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, like his approach. 'Nother game. I hope I don't have to use that on the 3rd Sat this season. It about 'nother gamed me around the bend. I don't think Bama scored a total of 41 points the rest of the year.

Wait, DJ Hall just caught another pass.

Posted by ggriggs939 on February 16, 2008 at 9:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fulmer is hamstrung by a negative media, more restraints, and fewer gimmies than some other schools. Tennessee players are required to go to class and show progress toward graduation per NCAA regulations, not just toward the Pros. They have a curfew which they are supposed to make; some fail and are reported by the media who follow them if they don't. They have to meet the criteria set by NCAA, SEC, University, local media, and the local fans. Most of the others have to meet only that set by the staff at the other places.
The media people at Knoxville would not be tolerated in the other places and have gravitated to Knoxville.

Posted by ncvol17 on February 16, 2008 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bama just another game? D*mn . You must be under 35 - 40 to even think that. Come UT alumni parents, teach those future Vols some UT history and pass along that anti Bama pride. Who do the new generation of UT fans find as our rival, SC?

That's like Ohio State saying Michigan is just another game because they have beat them a few times.

Learn from and love UT history.. make it part of the present..Bama & Auburn are long standing rivals and the hated Gators have been ONLY since 92.

Posted by dash727 on February 16, 2008 at 9:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gosh John you have done it again and trashed poor ole Tennessee. I think we should quit attempting to play D1 football and drop the program for soccer. Listening to you daily on your dribble show and reading your inane articles I accept from you that we are doomed. Please go back to Looserana or innerbredbama. We are screwed and you could save me about $30,000.00 a year if we just capitulated and gave up. You and this sports page suck! We just beat Georgia again!

Posted by invisiblekid on February 16, 2008 at 10:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, unfortunately Bama is just another game to many of these out of state recruits the Vols go after nowadays. The game is still a blood feud among us fans of the programs and the local players. Overall though, the rivalry has lost it's luster with Bama being down and the Vols fast fading from national relevance. We needed a championship last year in a bad way in my opinion. With the influx of coaches like Petrino and Saban and an upgrade at Ole Miss with Nutt, Adams is right in that recruiting isn't going to be any easier. Just have to chalk it up as another opportunity missed and hope they can close the deal next year.

Posted by txsvol on February 16, 2008 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OK, Guys: We were #1 in 2005's recruiting, so this should be the year of highest production from that class, right? But, Slick Shelley, Darius Myers, Raymond Henderson, Malcolm Rawls, Andre Mathis, Todd Cox, and Dan Williams either weren't enrolled, were dismissed from the team, or have languished on the sideline. LaMarcus Coker, Antonio Wardlaw and Ricardo Kemp managed to be dismissed recently! Add them to the list of wasted scholarship offers. So, of that #1 class, we have had production from Montario Hardesty (when he wasn't injured), Vlad Richard, Chris Scott, Rico McCoy, Josh McNeil, Josh Briscoe, Lucas Taylor, Austin Rogers, Wes Brown, Marsalous Johnson, Demonte Bolden, and Jonathan Crompton (maybe Adam Myers-White, whatever happened to him?), with DeMo coming back, as a nucleus of veteran leadership for our 2008 team. We've also got Gerald Williams finally coming to UT from that original recruitment. Anthony Parker, Arian Foster, and one or two others, like Ellix Wilson, have red-shirted from the 2004 recruits. In retrospect, should we have taken players with less talent but more character, who would still be here? Tough choices for CPF! I'd hate to have my livelihood dependent upon the Daniel Brooks' and the James Banks' of the high school hotshots every year. Just food for thought! Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by invisiblekid on February 16, 2008 at 10:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just to qualify that last comment, I am old enough to appreciate the rivalry and there is still no other team on the schedule I'd rather beat. Just making the point that many of the players who were 2 years old when Bama won their last NC or 10 years old when the Vols won it don't have the perspective of time to appreciate the rivalry.

Posted by txsvol on February 16, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe it's because we have to recruit some marginal character players from out of state to be in the top five, where states like Florida, California and Texas produce too many great players for the Gaytors, Trojans, and Longhorns to recruit all of them, and they can be more selective. Look at the number of good players LSU gets from neighboring Texas! We just don't have that geographic advantage. I think that Clawson's Virginia connection will pay off next year, and maybe Drayton can recruit Florida for us. Look at the young faces of Latrell Scott and Jason Michael on utsports! If they can really relate to five superstars of the 2009 class, and bring them to UT, we'll be back on top of the pile! Go Vols! SAVol

Posted by txsvol on February 16, 2008 at 10:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

IVK, You and me, man! I'd rather beat Bama than any other team we play! And the Bama fans in my family, except for one cousin that I see only every five years or so at family reunions, are now deceased!. I hate their stogie-smoking, obnoxious fans, especially when we've just lost to them. But, Gator fans are almost as obnoxious, with their chomp signs. Just haven't been in Ben Hill Stadium on a night in September to really get worked up about them as much. Go Vols! (It's really been slow today.) SAVol

Posted by Cherokee on February 16, 2008 at 10:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I HOPE this year was a tremendous aberration, but I think it is more likely that the schools in this region are making sure the kids know that Fulmer's status in Knoxville has hardly been rock solid these last couple of years. And if we had not thrown two killer INT's in the 4th quarter against LSU, we would now be the defending SEC champs and might have put a lot of that talk to rest.
Right now, Meyer, Richt, Saban, Miles and some others look like the coaches on the rise or very well-established within their programs, while I'm afraid Fulmer looks to these kids like a guy that is 50/50 to be there the entire time these kids are in school. Things don't look terribly stable on Rocky Top to the high schoolers right now.

Posted by TommyJack on February 16, 2008 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just another game. Can you imagine an Aggie saying Texas is just another game? I sure hope Stroker doesn't represent the mainstream. Wow.

Posted by Volfan1 on February 16, 2008 at 10:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Here's the facts from an old timer....Bama is the most arrogant, Florida is the most obnoxious. NEVER replace Bama in the place of any other team as a rival. And remember, you can never beat Bama or Florida too often or by too many points.

Posted by budd on February 16, 2008 at 11:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Adams, what a crock. Last yr a #3 class. This yr major coachihng changes and a lower rated class. It's one yr and you write as if it is going on forever. Get real. Fulmer owns Richt 3-1. GA schools so poor most of their kids have problem qualifying. Still got kids from LA and SC. The legend in his mind finsihes third in the division. He has the Hesiman winner to boot. What happens when he has to make do with a less than Heisman? Saban will leave for more money and /or go on proby. Steve doesn't really care. I do not usually complain about your stories but this is pure BS. No matter if you like CPF or not this is a truly weak attempt.

Posted by DMSVOL on February 16, 2008 at 11:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There's a reason that the so-called experts are considered experts. This was not the best of recruiting years for THE BIG ORANGE, but we all must remember that the proof is in the puddin' and the final chapter will not be written for several more years yet. So far, there is no reason to believe that this group can't get it done. You've got to believe.

Posted by orangebass on February 16, 2008 at 11:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The solution is simple alright, look for another coach who is willing to work hard and not take the lazy, we're not going to change anything approach. Fulmer has let almost every aspect of the program decline, player devlopment, game adjustments and execution, off the field incidents with thug players he has recruited, but can't get top notch performance from any of them. The recruiting is just the last to go, blaming the negative media is obsured...Fulmer has brought all of this on himself, just growing fat and lazy and is under no pressure from administration to improve things. After he was unable to 'out-recruit' main rivals (who have ALL improved their coaching situations) he has won almost nothing. Since 2000 a few 'east division titles' and a minor bowl game every 3-4 years is all he has to show...when are people going to wake up and realize it has all passed the great pumpkin by !!!

Posted by Madkels on February 16, 2008 at 11:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Looking back at the '90s, the loss of Rodney Gardner to UGA may have been bigger than originally thought. Also, remember that during the '90's, we were one of the few schools that had facilities that rivaled NFL teams. Now, everyone has upgraded and that advantage is gone.

DennisVol..you got it. Beat your rivals, win bowl games, and the recruit's will come. We haven't faired well in these catagories lately. So if we have another poor year against Bama, LSU, and UF, all that's left to carry the blame is coaches.

Sure CPF is the tenured coach in the SEC, but recruits won't come if they fear he may be fired if we can't beat our rivals or win bowl games.

Posted by TurboFan on February 16, 2008 at 11:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The southeast is only one quarter of the country. Did Fulmer not go north or west to find recruits? Ohio is a very populated state and OSU can't take all of them.

Posted by KnoxVolian23 on February 16, 2008 at 11:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

a challenge doesn't mean that we are doomed. There are so many good coaches in the league that recruiting will be tough in any state, its just a fact.

Posted by PLEASEGETRIDOFTHENOTSOSLIMONE on February 17, 2008 at 12:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

yawn

Posted by tngeoff on February 17, 2008 at 3:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

All summed up in one crystal clear, no mistake about it picture.

http://www.chriswylde.com/alfred_e_ne...

Nothing is worng.

Posted by tngeoff on February 17, 2008 at 3:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

http://www.maxwellfootballclub.org/co...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ejEVczA8PLU

Posted by stroker on February 17, 2008 at 7:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

invisiblekid 10:12 PM right: Had we won the Bama game and lost to UGA of any other east team,you know the result. It ain't like it used to be. I hate Bama.I was there when Tony Robinson drove the VOls for the win to stop the streak. CF it seemed, had the kids so tight this year they were afraid to make a mustake. I hate losing to Bama but any east game is more important. SO ---------

Posted by oldorange on February 17, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Your point is well taken, in the short term. However, Tenessee has a record of recruiting well since well before Fulmer. It is no secret that Philip is coming to the end of his run. To soon for some, not soon enough for others and the challenges he faces with the younger more charismatic coaches in the confrence may continue to grow over the time he has left in his coaching carreer. I find a bit of solice in the coaches he selected as replacements this year. The OC and the guy he brought with him appear to able to dance with the other schools with regard to recruiting. Let's hope so. Go VOLS

Posted by grvol on February 17, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

He can't sit on his a$$ waiting for them to drop in his lap anymore. He's got to actually get out and work very hard at it. Like the other SEC coaches are doing now.

Posted by GerryOP on February 17, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This too shall pass ... soon I hope.

Posted by invisiblekid on February 17, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Glad to see you getting a slow day SAVol. It is kind of like the old days of the pay site, now we only need some nuggets from busybody, especially on that Pennington article LOL.

I think you hit on a key point in your 10:23 post in talking about character. I had been turning a blind eye to the off-field incidents and guys like "The Future" up until '05. Then the bottom dropped out and we fans were stuck dodging spit and helmets from Toeaina and listening to constructive criticism from Rick "if the fans don't like it they don't have to watch" Clausen. All this while watching one of the most selfish and splintered teams in Vol history take the field. I thought we had turned the corner on all that but, with events of recent weeks going back to Bolden's comments post SECCG, the character issue is showing up again. All we can do is cross our fingers and hope it doesn't manifest itself on the field along with hoping none of these guys get into any serious trouble. A field trip to visit Dwayne Goodrich to let them see the potential consequences of their actions may do these guys some good.

Posted by pdhuff on February 17, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Madkels 11:31 p.m. - Agree - I have posted several times that the loss of Rodney Garner to Ga short-circuited us in recruiting the fertile ground of Ga. No more Jamal Lewises. Garner coached nothing but closing recruits to Vols and is doing the same thing for the Dawgs.

Take out the non-qualifiers and baseball prospects, I doubt this class would rank in the top 50. Well, we'll root for all of them who ever make it onto the field wearing the Orange. Storm clouds are on the horizon. Surprise me, Phil and make a BCS bowl. Don't think so as we are now.

Millions of $$$$$ are being poured down the drain.

Posted by bloodrunsorange on February 17, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Stroker you’re not from around here are you? For us who have lived here, played here, and coached here, “BAMA” needs to be destroyed every year in everything including spitting if that’s a contest.

Posted by 99gator on February 17, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

WARNING.....

i am about to play devil's advocate and defend fulmer....

i keep reading this ten year's without a championship stuff.

since 1970.....tenn has won 5 SEC titles.....(85,89,90,97,98)

two of those years 1985 and 1990....tenn did not actually win the league. florida did, but was on probation.

the point being is tenn winning the sec title once every four years or so has not been the case over a long period of time, not just recently.

so, the expectation is that fulmer accomplish something none of the recent coaches at tenn did either is not necessarily fair. it is true that what fulmer did in the mid to late 90's raised everyone's expectations so that nothing else is acceptable. but, no one at tenn had a five or six year stretch at tenn liike fulmer did since 1970.

Posted by stroker on February 17, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

bloodrunsorange that's funny. I felt that way prior to Conf division, now this ain't your daddy's fb conf. We live in the present. Win the east first. I bet these kids think CF is spaced out when he rants and raves about Bama. CF kept saying they need to know the history of the rivalry. They seemed uptight and confused rather than pumped this year.

Posted by 99gator on February 17, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

another thing.....

i must defend urban meyer and illustrate why recruiting matters. incidently, i still find it somewhat humorous that people think he's a bum even though he continues to beat tenn.....but, that's another story.

how could he have such recruiting classes and lose 4 games.....that seems to be the big question.

first of all, the winning with zook's players stuff. would he have been a better coach if he lost with zook's players. this makes no sense to me. ask the players on the 2006 squad if they would have won a national title if zook remained coach at florida. they all like zook and would not want to say anything negative toward him.....but, they would to a man say no.

second, how do you replace the school's all-time leading passer, the starting rb, and two starting wr's, the starting center, and nine starters on the team's defense. in addition several key backups on defense (the two backup corners, and three backup defensive lineman) and have a respectable record......RECRUITING.

i know none of you think florida had a decent season. but, they did. they lost all that talent and put a bunch of freshman and sophomores on the field. of the two teams who went to the SEC title game, they beat one by 39 and the other they lost on the road by 4 after having the lead the entire game until the final minute. that team won the national title.

so, pick on meyer all you want. but, whether some of you like it or not.....meyer can recruit and coach.

Posted by stroker on February 17, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator you say "i know none of you think florida had a decent season. You are wrong. "The correct statement would be "i know none of you think about florida.

Posted by Oenoboy on February 17, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator is right on both accounts.

Certain UT fans are spoiled by the accomplishments of the same man they feel should be fired. They either have no memory of how things were with our football program before him or a distorted version of it.

Urban Meyer is a very good sideline coach and unfortunately a damn good recruiter as well. Let's just hope he's an opportunist who wants to try out his offense in the NFL.

Posted by VOLstuckINky on February 17, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

tngeff .. thats funny stuff man.

Fulmerites unite.

Stay the course.

Posted by lkilgore on February 17, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What is the purpose of this article? Another negative rant meant to bring down the program. Lets see how the season plays out. If UT is a big winner does that mean everything written negative was wrong?
People, get a life. Look in the mirror. Try to be the best person you can be. Try to support something besides a celebrity and the winner of the day.
Pick a program and help it be successful----not bring it down if it doesn't win every game and make every first down!

Posted by leedsvol2007 on February 17, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Adams point is a good one there is more competition for athletes around the SEC.

But also there is the matter of in state talent. I don't have the list in front of me but if memory serves the state of Alabama had at least 4 players in the top 50 players in the country as did Georgia.

The state of Tennessee had none. In 1998 we had Jermaine Copeland, Chad Clifton, Al Wilson, Spencer Riley, Jeff Hall, Travis Stephens, Eric Westmoreland, Will Offenheusle, Jeff Hall, Cedrick Wilson, Andre Lott, Will Bartholomew and Gerald Griffin all from Tennessee. John Henderson was also there but ineligible.

Many of these players were all SEC and All-American caliber and several have had NFL careers.

They formed the core around which the team was built with other great out of state performers like Tee Martin, Cosey Coleman, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Shaun Ellis et al.

Most of in state talent stays home. Alabama and Georgia are great examples this year and their recruiting rankings bear it out.

And looking at this year it appears on paper that the talent we signed is not a bust by any means. All of the players we have signed appear to have high potential to be strong contributors.

Had we been able to get McClain and Davis it would have been an excellent year. But overall we shored up a lot of needs and can make up for what we were not able to get in the next recruiting season.

GoVols!

Posted by invisiblekid on February 17, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

99Gator, for the average, level-headed Vol fan, a championship every year or even a return to the unattainable level of the 90's where the Vols went something like 45-5 over a 4 year stretch isn't the expectation. The SEC is a totally different landscape and much tougher than it used to be when it was UF, UT and everybody else. The talent is more diluted and will continue to be diluted due to playing time and the increased need for exposure among athletes. Obviously, coaching has gotten better across the SEC.

Here's where the rub is though, Fulmer has put it out there every preseason that he expects to contend for and win SEC championships. Mike Hamilton has stated that 2 SEC titles in a 10 year stretch is the goal. Fulmer deserves respect for raising the bar and setting the goals high but, in doing that, he invites the criticism when he doesn't meet those goals. The biggest gripe about Fulmer has always been the "great recruiter-bad coach label" and I don't think that's completely accurate. Where Fulmer has fallen short in recent years is not being a great big game coach. 0-3 the last 3 SECG appearances, terrible losses in the bowl games and another losing streak to your Gators to go along with another round of off-field incidents is what has most of the fanbase in an uproar. Until they come through with an SEC title or a BCS bowl win, then it's reasonable to expect the criticism to continue. And the longer it takes, the tougher it will get.

DennisVols said it well in the first post on the thread, "win and the recruits will come". The corollary to that statement is lose 59-20 and 41-17 to your most bitter rivals and expect the recruits to go elsewhere.

Posted by tngeoff on February 17, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

VOLstuckINky.

Thanks Bro'!

invisiblekid.

Very well stated.

Posted by TommyJack on February 17, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

99gator: I don't find, on this board, too many knocks on Suburban's coaching or recruiting abilities. You really expect TN fans to LIKE him? FL fans like ole CPF? Please. Hate is normal with rivals.

PD: Agree. Many of us knew IMMEDIATELY that the defection of Rodney Garner was gonna be huge. (and it was)

I.Kid: Good post. As another reminder to all, TN has ALWAYS recruited outside TN, going back to the real General. Never seemed to affect the importance of the Bama game.

To those late-comer fans, Life itself did not begin in '98. My take. Selah

Posted by vol1994 on February 17, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ok guys, we have all seen the schedule so I would like some predictions for next season.

I would like to be the optimist and say
11-1 (losing either to Auburn, GA, or Florida).

My brain, however, says with the new coaching staff, new QB, off the field incidents that will most likely continue to linger on hence more arrests... 9-3 losing to FLorida, GA, Auburn.

I will attend all the home games with my 5 year old son for the 2nd year in a row and will always love my Vols but I like others feel we will lose a game or two due to coaching.

What do you guys think??
GO vols and i will see coach FUlmer Tuesday at the luncheon!

Posted by TommyJack on February 17, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

vol1994: I would throw in UCLA as a loss too. We never seem to perform well on the left coast.
Soooo, 8-4. Hope it's better.

BTW, vol1994...try to get ahead of CPF in the buffet line. Juuuuusssst kidding, Faithful.

Posted by beartn on February 17, 2008 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

<<The solution is simple. Beat the teams you recruit against and the players will see first hand who has the better program.
Build a repretation for beating Meyers, Saban, Richt, and Miles. Win the titles instead of just playing for them and the recruits will come.>>

That would certainly help, but it doesn't explain why UNC and Clemson had so much success recruiting against us. The football atmosphere at UNC is not that good. Bowden seems destined to go 8-4 at Clemson forever. Neither team could win their division in an obvious down year in the ACC. Though our success hasn't been as good in the recent past as in the 90's, it is certainly been better than UNC and Clemson.

One other thing, it's not just winning titles. Sometimes it is playing time, which makes it hard to believe no DT's wanted to come. If I remember correctly, the recruiting class after the 98 title wasn't one of our better ones. It was better than this year's, but I remember wondering why we lost out on so many top players that year after winning it all.

Posted by mparker on February 17, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Most of us hard-core Vol fans have seen this coming for the last 10 years. The SEC has picked up (form top to bottom), and the sourthern ACC schools are historically good teams (miami, clemson, fsu). Then, add in schools like UNC and NCSTate, Wake, even Duke, all trying to upgrade their programs.

For various reasons, UT is no longer an 'elite' program. It is on par with Auburn, Ark, UGA...in other words, pretty good, but not at the top. IMHO, UT has to focus on the offensive and defensive linemen, and fill out the rest of the teams needs with 'athletes', a eupemism for guys who can run really fast.

The southeast isn't getting any easier to play football in, that is for sure.

Posted by pdhuff on February 17, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

beartn 2:02 p.m. - could be that many recruits see Phil as inflexible and never going to change anything unless its forced upon him.

Younger coaches presenting a more energetic front have cleaned his clock this year head-to-head, like it or not. 8-4 would be a great year for this fall with his inability to address the lack of quality on the d-line. Look for many more games giving up 350+ yds this fall.

Don't like it but I guess things happen that way. Stay this course. As old orange stated "Phil is coming to the end of his run". Some feel he has already passed it.

Posted by invisiblekid on February 17, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

beartn, I'd say the reason we lost out so much in NC and SC this year had to do with the same reasons we lost out to AL, FL etc., an upgrade in the coaching staffs. Like him or not, Davis is a good coach and, along with Bowden, is an even better snake oil salesman.

I think it was only natural that UT was due for a down year in recruiting. It's hard to sell a program to a kid when they are facing the prospects of being 4th string tailback, 3rd-4th string QB, having to climb the ladder to make the top 5 at WR and so on. Where recruiting fell well short of expectations is on the offensive and defensive lines, which has been discussed ad nauseum on here. No good reason for it but all we can do now is hope next year is better and they can fill some holes in '09 by going the JUCO route.

Posted by invisiblekid on February 17, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

vol1994, 11-1 and the BCS is what we should expect with as much experience as anyone returning in the SEC and a workable schedule for an SEC team. Obviously, questions about the new offense and new QB are important but that pesky defensive line play has got to get better as well. I agree 9-3 is more realistic though as we lose 2 out of 3 to either FL, Auburn, or GA and blow another one we should win. No way to know for sure until they suit up though.

Posted by GerryOP on February 17, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff - 3:01 PM, I think many recruits see Good Ol' Phil as simply old, stale, and boring.

Posted by TommyJack on February 17, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

GerryOP: I truly think you have a point.

Posted by pdhuff on February 17, 2008 at 5:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

GerryOP 5:15 He is all that. Maybe living in the past, but I just googled an old Kaserne in Ga where I was stationed in the 60s. But I don't get paid #38,000+ per week so I can while away reminiscening about Labs and German beer.

I still believe Phil is in control. Of what, I couldn't tell you. Maybe they opened that Trojan horse up sitting inside Neyland.

Posted by GerryOP on February 17, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

pdhuff - 5:50 PM, to use your words, your spear hit right in the blowhole! Good Ol' Phil also thinks he is in control. Control left K'town on the same buses that carried Trooper and Cutcliffe out of K'town. Based on the number of players that are getting in trouble, we may have to cancel the O & W game because of insufficient number of eligible players.

You would think with $38K a week, Good Ol' Phil himself could hire a whole squad of rent-a-cops to keep an eye on these kids! Or maybe get Good Ol' Josh busy finding entertainment for these guys!

Right the ship, stay the course, all is well! (We been hearing that mantra since the end of the '05 season!)

Posted by budrhon on February 17, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If UT has a 3 loss season in 08-09, accompanied by a no SEC Championship game, tacked on by another dismal recruiting effort it will be interesting to see if Hamilton will pull the carpet on Fulmer. What I see is other Asst. Coaches leaving next season. If that happens then the writing is on the wall.

Posted by TommyJack on February 17, 2008 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: Was in Munchen in late '60's. A Mark was about a quarter (exchange rate). A liter of German sody water was a mark. For about 50 cents, our football team would've been proud. No wimpy unleaded available either.
Ah the day. Our punter would have plowed into several VW's. Selah

McBrim: I don't hate CPF either.

Posted by anthony on February 17, 2008 at 9:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I vow 48 dollars a year to the Lord's ministry, and ask that the UT football team under Coach Phil Fulmer will make a fool out of Mr. John Adams. I hope that this will a start of a creative thus by us to establish our team again, and to unseat the likes of our antagonizers.

Posted by pdhuff on February 18, 2008 at 7:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

TommyJack, 8:25 p.m.- one could only pray that the lad didn't sideswipe a "honey wagon" as one of our tank retrievers did. Phew, the aroma in the middle of a small village. Help German- Ami relations quite a bit.

Googled Drake Kaserne and even found a picture of "Johns" Gasthaus. 27 cent beer, ah the glory.
Now they hit tree stumps and Focuses.

Forgot who sang "Fraulein".

Posted by TommyJack on February 18, 2008 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PD: The late Bobby Helms. Believe he had a Christmas hit too, but disremember.

Posted by sjt18 on February 18, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

budrhon, Chavis and Slade have both publicly talked about retiring and/or leaving. That won't mean a thing.

A poor season on the heels of discipline problems however could put alot of pressure on CPF and MH. It could be enough to pressure CPF into retiring.

Posted by philfan on February 18, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It is essential this year that we defeat Florida (at home), Georgia away, and Alabama. If we do this the recruiting will get better and better. We have new coaches, and will have had eight months to prepare for these games. It is possible. Do not think that Fulmer has no SEC championships in him. I think he can win two before he retires.

Posted by firefulmer on February 18, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Look at the TN recruits Saban brought to Alabama. Kids do not want to play for Fulmer. Fulmer had his few years in the 90's, BUT THAT WAS DUE TO THE OTHER SEC SCHOOLS HAVING COACHING TURMOILS. This year, TN will be lucky to win 8 games!!

Posted by woodwr on February 20, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The coaching at rival schools has improved. Not just SEC rivals but regional recruiting rivals like Clemson, and Georgia Tech. Florida has also benefited from the decline of Miami & FSU.

Tennessee was already searching nationally for talent to match in-state Florida and Alabama and Lousiana. UT recruited better than our record and better than our location for thirty years now.

Tennessee had one advantage in stability of staff, especially if you count the Majors being deposed as the Assistants taking over. Since 1977, who else besides Bobby Bowden & Joe Paterno has been that steady? New expensive coach hires create that will be around a while stability cache.

The two biggest factors besides stability are winning and opportuniites to play early. This year UT had three early ugly losses, AND a team full of young guys from the highly ranked 2005 & 2007 classes. Alabama and Notre Dame didn't win ten games (combined) but they each got a passle of top recruits who saw lean/thin depth charts.

As far as winning goes, beating Florida half the years doesn't matter so much as beating Georgia consistently so Atlanta area sees UT as closer than Athens.