Audio slideshow
Following the path they take to Neyland Stadium on Saturdays, Tennessee’s football team walked from the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center down Volunteer Boulevard to Peyton Manning Pass and hung a left on the street named after their head coach.
Nearing the stadium, offensive lineman Vladimir Richard bellowed without breaking stride that, “Coach Fulmer’s always gonna be my coach.”
A little less than 30 minutes after they entered the stadium from Phillip Fulmer Way, Tennessee’s players crammed themselves into the media center adjacent to their locker room and listened as Fulmer and athletic director Mike Hamilton explained why their coach wouldn’t be back next season.
They listened, but they couldn’t understand.
“I just feel like I just lost one of my ribs and my kidney or something,” sophomore safety Eric Berry said. “I feel like I just lost a family member. Nobody has died, but that’s what it feels like to me right now.”
Berry and senior offensive tackle Ramon Foster addressed the media on behalf of their teammates, support staff and coaches, who — to a man, it appeared — gathered inside the room used for the team’s press conferences.
When Foster and Berry were asked how the team found out, senior linebacker Ellix Wilson piped up, “ESPN.” Foster, one of UT’s six captains, was no less taken aback by Monday’s announcement.
“It was a shocker,” he said. “That’s one of your things that you feel your body drop. That’s how it was. We didn’t see it coming. You hear the talk and you hear this... You just don’t expect this to come out right now. That’s just unreal.”
So was the scene at Fulmer’s press conference.
Players lined the walls and filled seats, as did a number of Fulmer’s friends and supporters. Those who couldn’t find room near the podium watched the event unfold on widescreen monitors posted throughout the media center and in the adjacent Wolf-Kaplan Center.
When Fulmer took the podium, players delivered a lengthy standing ovation. They clapped again when Fulmer completed his 7 1⁄2 -minute statement and once more when Fulmer talked about what the support of those gathered inside Neyland Stadium meant.
“It’s what we’re about,” an emotional Fulmer said before stopping as players filled the silence with more applause. “Some people may not understand that as well as others. You’re in the homes of these young men and work 18 hours a day with the coaches. You sacrifice a lot. It’s in the name of Saturday afternoon, but it’s not really about Saturday afternoon at all. It’s about the reason we all got into to coaching, to have that relationship we all have. A lot of people don’t ever get to experience what I’ve had for a long time.”
Foster and Berry spoke about the team’s relationship with Fulmer and the family atmosphere surrounding the program. They also talked about how the team will continue to work and dedicate its final three games to Fulmer. Foster even went so far as to say they’d dedicate their bowl game, which with the Vols at 3-6 isn’t guaranteed, to Fulmer as well.
Foster, though, was surprised that Hamilton and Tennessee didn’t allow Fulmer the chance to help the program rebound.
“That’s just something that you wouldn’t expect from a Tennessee program where you have other programs like Notre Dame who have their hard times also and still rely on their coach,” he said. “We want to talk about fans and this and that. If you’re on the other side of the fence, we hope you’re happy. But if not, this is Tennessee. We’re a family here first.”
Foster said that Fulmer — and women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt — have been at the head of the table. Fulmer’s 17-season tenure, the most of any current coach at a single SEC school by seven years entering this season, made his dismissal even tougher to take.
“I mean, him going somewhere else or him just being on staff, I mean he’s a coach. That’s what he does,” Foster said, referring to the possibility of Fulmer remaining with UT in some capacity after the season. “He helps young men become men. What more can you ask of a man who’s been here longer than some people have actually lived?”
As for laying a new foundation for the football program, Foster had a rebuttal for that, too.
“We want to talk about winning and leadership and a foundation,” Foster said, “it’s left the room.”
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 96
RockyTopReign writes:
1st
byobbio writes:
I hope PHilip Fulmer Reads this post:
I don't feel sorry for Fulmer. I think he has had a dream career. However, i am very disappointed at the athletic department's handling of the final few years of his career. At no point did Mike Hamilton offer a vote of confidence or a show of support. You know what he did in the weeks leading up to this? He was on the air discussing the kitty that they had stored away to pay for a head coaching change. What kind of boss does that? That is absolutely absurd. When Fulmer had to replace virtually his entire offensive staff this year, there was never a show of support from Hamilton. You know, this is half the staff. Half the staff! We had a tough time at UCLA. To me, that was expected. They are playing in early Sept, in California, new coaches, new qb, first game, you get the story. Granted, UCLA had some similar nuances, but, this is the first out of the box. The rest of the games were tough, granted. BUt Hamilton should have been right there with Fulmer. Best i can tell, he distanced himself from Fulmer. Maybe he never has seen eye-to-eye with Fulmer, but this isn't his school. It's not his athletic department. He's just a leader. It's definitely not his money. I honestly think he wanted his guy in there to help his "legacy". Granted, he made a great hire in Bruce Pearl. But, do you have to get trigger happy and fire all the major head coaches? I'm sure he'll pick somebody capable of handling the job. And we have a great deal of talent here and on the way, if they all stick. But, I think the fault of this program's demise is not solely on Coach Fulmer. He's a great, great coach. He's the reason we have a modern day national championship. He's the reason so many recruits have chosen to come here. He's built an elite program. Tennessee will move on. WE'll always be a great football school and will always attract top talent. I just hate that we as an entire organization of supporters, fans, administration, and even former players, decided to bail on Coach Fulmer three years ago. Today, i am embarrassed to call myself a UT fan.
BYOBBIO
Hunter writes:
Did Foster actually use Notre Dame as a model of coaching consistency???
Fulmer builds great young men. Not SMART young men, just great young men.
Coach, you will be missed. Thanks for the years of service. I hope you stick around and become the face of Tennessee Athletics - nobody around has more class than Philip Fulmer.
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Notre Dame?
IslandVol writes:
Be careful what you wish for Fulmer haters. Next thing you know we will be Nebraska or Michigan. Thanks for everything and the memories Coach, you always have been and will be a class act.
byobbio writes:
I think ESPN is showing what they are made of. They couldn't care less about college football. They have not mentioned the Fulmer situation in the first 10 minutes of the broadcast. It didn't even make the intro. All they care about is NFL and Texas Hold 'em.
RockyTopReign writes:
I totally agree with you. He should have gotten a couple more years to try and get things stable and leave on a high note. After all he has been to ATL 5 of the last 10 years. I agree things are not good but having former players mad and current players and recruits mad is what hurt Nebraska and Michigan. If we don't hire a Gruden, or a Cowher, or maybe even Kiffin??(very iffy) we could be in for a long decade.
MANVOL writes:
"We didn’t see it coming." Where has Foster been for four years? Maybe the player's need to look in the mirror when they want to blame someone. The team caused today's results not the fans. If they showed this kinda of emotion on the field maybe they would have won more games. They didn't look that upset Saturday night.
kimann248#353608 writes:
I love you Phil Fulmer!! You will always be Coach of the Vols!!
Laydbakvol writes:
UT doesn't deserve CPF and Mike Hamilton has no balls. To cave under the pressure of a few hundred spoiled, cry baby fans and spoiled rich boosters and not come out and support the man who has done more for the University than anybody who posts on this website has ever thought of, is a complete crock. 'It's time to treat him with appropriate dignity and respect', you say! Does the word hypocrite mean anything to you Mr. Hamilton? The time for that was when he was being crucified by the Monday Morning Quarterbacks who stalk this website. But your silence was deafening. CPF didn't step down. He was pushed, shoved, coerced, forced, or whatever you want to call it. What do we do now? Wait 3 years to rebuild the program while the man who was in the best position to rebuild it has been shamed out the job? Fire Mike Hamilton! Go Vols!
DCVolFan writes:
Thanks coach! You'll always be a Vol!!
gitchabuzzon#444258 writes:
would you rather take the chance to be like florida or 'bama or continue to get whipped by them and georgia and sc and auburn and a non-conference foe? foster needs to shut his trap. he ALONE lost at least six games by himself with his brilliant ball handling skills. coach fulmer stuck with him, now he's paying the price. oh yeah, BYOBBIO, isn't it the coaches job to recognize that your qb sucks in the off season and have an open competition BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS instead of just anointing one because he was there longer. i'm tired of losing just enough games early to take us out of the BCS picture, then "working like heck" to luck us into the SEC championship game, only to get stomped. props to coach fulmer for taking the vols to a new level(never was a majors fan), but just like johnny, he didn't know when to call it quits. thanks, mike, for pullin' the trigger.
Laydbakvol writes:
Gitchabzzon, The Foster quoted was OT Ramon Foster, not RB Arian Foster. Arian had the fumbling problems.
kbart4033#247331 writes:
Mike Hamilton lost me 3 weeks ago when he felt the need to
tell the world that he had the money, the power and the
gonads to fire Phil Fulmer whenever he felt like it. That
garbage article did not help Phil Fulmer, the football team
or the university--but it damaged Mike Hamilton a lot more.
It tells me that Mike Hamilton has been overtaken by his
ego (hey, look at me, I hired Bruce Pearl {with help from
Ernie Grunfield, thank you!}). His comment today that he would
announce a new head coach in 3 weeks also speaks volumes
about Mike Hamilton's total lack of class.
BigOrangeVol writes:
Watch out Patrica! With a new assistant coach, totally new line-up and 2/3 of the team having never played a college game - you better win 15 of the 29 regular season games because obviously your character, running a clean program and your history of winning at UT don't count for squat with the AD.
BTW, Hamilton had little to do with Bruce being hired. Give the props to Grunfeld on that one. His son Dan was dating Jacqui Pearl. I guess Bruce isn't safe either. Just because you are the third winningest active coach in the NCAA doesn't seem to hold water with Hamilton either.
Poor Todd Raleigh is a great guy with loads of character and his players love and respect him... I hope you didn't sell the house in Cullowhee just yet!
If I were coaches Kelson; Parrington; Trembley; Watts; Webb and Winterbotham I'd be looking over my shoulders because if he'll do it to Phillip then he'll have no qualms about sending you guys packing too.
This is a pathetic and embarrassing day in UT Sports history.
posivol writes:
thanks for your dedication coach fulmer.you will be missed for years and years to come.hope after a couple of years of trial and error on hamiltons part he too will be fired and you will come back as the a.d. and rescue the vols once again (even though alot of these FOOLS dont deserve it).
i will miss the rantings and ravings from several on here who loved to attack you at every twist and turn.but dont worry they will give the new coach the same phooey before his first year is up.
these same FOOLS wanted crompton to start over ainge last year.they were jumping for joy for the new spread offense (until they got it) they were all excited about the clawfense coming to town and the G-GUN.
they are FOOLS,they know nothing!
when 200 plus former players gave you a shout out of approval,they disagreed and claimed to know more FOOLS!
you rewarded them w/ a sec east championship and a trip to atlanta (they didnt deserve or appreciate) then for icing on the cake you played on jan 1st and sent a good wisconsin team home in defeat (again these FOOLS were unimpressed).
all the while they complained dink and dunk dink and dunk we want change,we want change louder and louder WE WANT CHANGE!.......FOOLS!
well FOOLS you now have your wish,wanted a new o.c. for sake of change (how did that work out for you),,,FOOLS!
guess what,your fixing to see the same thing w/ your next 3 or 4 misses at head coach.or maybe you failed to notice that many turned down the o.c. position....FOOLS!
keep throwing out those big name head coaches that are just hanging around the phone waiting for the call from mikey.they aint coming boys,this job requires way to much travel and time recruiting for a big name coach that can find a easier meal ticket just around the corner...FOOLS!
pissing off current and former players along w/thrashing a top 5 recruiting class is no way to rebuild the program.this isnt b.b. you need 85 players not 10....FOOLS!
you begged for it,you got it...now live with it.....FOOLS!
utgrad93 writes:
I will miss you Coach Fulmer. I seriously doubt UT will find a better coach. You are one of the greats and will go down in history as a Legend!!!
Take Coach Joe Paterno for example and where Penn State ranks today @ #3 and the woes experienced in past years.. Excellent programs do have their down years and this year was no exception for the Volunteers.
Much has happened this year regarding the transition and loss of Trooper Taylor, Coach Cut and getting a new offensive coordinator started. Common sense tells me this would be a transition and rebuilding year for the program. Having said this, it is very sad and embarrassing that Mike Hamilton and select fans do not see past the woes experienced this year as a part of a program that is starting to rebuild itself from key losses.
I would assume Mike Hamilton will be next to visit the firing squad (just wait..) because this decision lacked good taste and judgment. I have a feeling Hamilton is protecting his own cynical hide. I thought he was all about and in support of a coach's "Body of Work" and he has to be a flip flopper.. Whatever come around goes around..
Fire Mike Hamilton and Lets reverse the stupidly once the dust settles!! Go Vols..
tennesseehillbilly101 writes:
Like all sports today, college football is now an "entertainment corporation". The departed Doug Dickey declared that he was not an Athletic Director, but rather he was the "CEO of a Corporation".
Anyone here remember the 1940s and 1950s where elementary and junior high Orange-blooded guys just waited for a chance to attend their first UT game at Neyland Stadium? These kids listened to every Vol game (Lindsey Nelson) on the radio, and then studied the DyerGram by Bill Dyer that appeared in the News Sentinel. We little Vols have grown up as adult Orange fans, through and through.
Tennessee football has survived in hard times before, and it will rise again. Without casting blame, Johnny Majors had his new contract laying on his desk when he had to go into the hospital for a Angioplasty procedure. The AD removed the contract, in effect terminating Majors. Who made that decision? No one will ever know.
We do know the Dickey brought in Hamilton, and Hamilton replaced Dickey as AD. CEOs beget CEOs. It is always about the $$$$ with the CEOs, be it NCAA football or Wall Street.
We have now experienced another tragic event. But the Vols will survive. I hope we don't have to go through 2 or 3 new Head Coaches before we find success once again.
Enough said for now.
BigOrangeVol writes:
posi, I've been saying the same thing all year only to be ridiculed by the Haters. You are 100% on the money! Since 1998 this fanbase has turned into nothing but a orange copy of those unrealistic and immature Tide fans.
Linda, Hamilton may try and fire Joan & Donna just to get to Pat so he can show off more of his "power"!
Time for Thunder and Pilot Jim to take out Hamilton and replace him with Phillip.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Way to go Hamilton, you just fired a coach that lost to the Number 1 Team in the Nation, to the team which was rated number 1 at the season's onset, to the team which could go to the National Championship with one loss and has the Heisman Trophy winner on that team, and to a team which has the number 4 rating defensively. Also loss to two teams because of playing a clearly inferior quarterback. Also Hamilton you overlooked the oncoming freshman class and that we have a stellar defense. Duffus, you are, and a coward, listening to who?? Idiot!!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
You know, where egg head up there loses, and stays right there. You'll wish you'd never got up some day, Fulmer haters, your foundation just left the room is about right. Now try to find someone to do his job. You Tennessee fans are being laughed about in the big media networks right now. If only you knew what they really thought about you@
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Hamilton should be the next one to go. Watch Fulmer go on to coach somewhere else(maybe Notre Dame), and take a bunch of our recruits with him there. It would serve you recalcitrants right if that happened. Only I wouldn't want bad to happen to our program, but you guys did want us to lose just so you could show Fulmer to the door. You guys are pigs, I only wish the same to you and to your families. One at a time.!!
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Now we all can just go out and play with love in our hearts, just like with Obama, we can be one united country again. And who caused the friction in the first place? And did anybody ask the players who they wanted as coach?
raynochonspeed#212632 writes:
Ooooooo, internet tough guy!
Your screen name provides perfect insight into your mentality.
If John Adams, a newspaper reporter, causes you that much consternation - don't read his articles!
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Idiot.
tripsavol3#650322 writes:
Some Tennessee fan you are. The last time I checked,
Ramon Foster didn't play runing back, so his brilliant ball handling skills you mention are a mooot point. Get your facts straight before telling a Tennessee player to shut his trap. Heed your own advice and shut yours. Good luck Coach Fulmer. Go Vols!!!
tripsavol3#650322 writes:
Couldn't agree more. Fire Hamilton and replace him with Fulmer, today.
MidTennVol writes:
COACH FULMER FOR AD.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
These players will be playing for themselves out there now, Mike Hamilton's proved it's a dog eat dog world out there. Thanks Mike.
shipperman#280095 writes:
He should have left 3 years ago. And your post sounds a lot like a threat.
shipperman#280095 writes:
I wish my employer would shame me out of my job and give me 6 million bucks. If you don't perform in your job, you get fired. Thats life. Phil has been a great ambassador for UT but it was time
shipperman#280095 writes:
If you Fulmer University fans think Hamilton made this decision by himself, you are sadly mistaken.
shipperman#280095 writes:
Look at this "body of work" for the last 7 years and you will see that the admin had to do something
shipperman#280095 writes:
Does your keeper know you are up?
shipperman#280095 writes:
Sorry Touchdown, that was meant for WELOVETENNESSEEVOLS
orangebloodgmc writes:
Was it Hamilton's idea to swap the UAB and UCLA games? Huge mistake.
Gigavol writes:
Fulmer acted like he had no idea this was coming. That is how out of touch he is.
99gator writes:
the players were shocked?
guess the "fire fulmer" painted on the large rock that you have on campus facing one of the athletic facilities did not seem to reveal the discontent that a few folks had.
and you all thought the people associated with the team read the posts on these message boards.....
blitzshoot writes:
Do you realize what you posted?
blitzshoot writes:
I agree. He seemed in total shock. Angry, denial....I cannot believe he did not know, but it just seemed like he found out that morning.
Did you notice how he hand picked the reporters and then did not answer the questions?
fundamentals83 writes:
Right decision was made yesterday. Glad Hamilton had the courage to make it.
calvolfromkingsport writes:
Go away you scaley lizard. Go back to the slimey enviorns you're from. You're not welcome here.
fundamentals83 writes:
Well Said. Briscoe is a prime example. Last person that should be speaking on Fulmer's behalf. No dicipline and no respect for the coaches. Proved it on national TV -- Georgia game.
blhvols#536551 writes:
Bama, your a bigger moron!!!!!!!!!!
blitzshoot writes:
Good post TouchDown...the barge was drifting with no power. There is no reason why UT should be dead last in the SEC...ever. No discipline, expecations, player work ethic,
passion, etc...no wonder the players were upset. Now, maybe they will have to actually go to practice or feel some discipline. UT needs a heavy handed coach with a lot of discipline. No player coach.
Volalumnus writes:
Sorry but these player haven't done enough for me to worry about what they "know" about the situation.
Many of the guys are and have the attitude they are just passing through.
Just because SOME of these guys are tough also doesn't mean they know anything about being men.
If any of them really do care, then they are learning a little more about being a "man" right now as they will have to realize if they had been more of a "man" to start with, Fulmer just might still have a job.
calvolfromkingsport writes:
Great post. United we stand, divided we fall. I hope after a few days that we all stand together whether we like each other or not.The action has happened, I don't think anyone here wanted to stomach anymore of what happened last Sat nite! Hamilton's actions were still classier than what happens at UF or bama.
rockydog writes:
If your embarrassed to be a UT fan, then don't be one. How can you say Hamilton didn't support Fulmer? Giving him a contract extension and an automatic rollover with just eight wins after tons of mounting evidence that the program was slipping under Fulmer is a lot of support. Hamilton did a lot to help Fulmer stick around. Fulmer did almost nothing to help himself. I honestly think he thought he could pin all this on Clawson and continue on. I have no wish to belittle Fulmer. He is leaving, and not by his own choice. I feel for the man to an extent. I wish he would have realized his time was over and moved on by his own hand. If you want to blame Hamilton, blame him for that ridiculous contract extension and buyout. That almost guaranteed Fulmer would have stayed as long as he wanted. (I think that was the goal.) Fulmer just lost this team and because of that his job.
olozbal#646632 writes:
Well said.
It comes down to the simple fact - do any of you believe this program was headed in the right direction? Was an SEC championship in our 2-3 year future? DOES ANYONE REALLY BELIEVE THAT?
Any of you that have ever led soldiers or even just ran a small business know you have to make calls based on your gut. I think all of us knew this program was not headed in the right direction - this season was not just a bad luck year.
Now if you don't think it's moving in the right direction do you take the hit and make the change? Or do you hope and pray things will get better? Those of you who run successful businesses know the answer to that. Those working at Walmart probably don't.
Fulmer is a great man and should be respected. I would have preferred we waited until the end of the year but maybe this is a recruiting strategy to trump Clemson and Washington.
rockydog writes:
Easy on 99 there Calvolfromkingsport. He may root for the lizards, but his posts are always respectful and usually insightful. He was just pointing out something obvious.
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