It's funny how things can change so quickly. For weeks all you heard around town was, "it's time for a change." At the water cooler, "when will they get rid of Phillip Fulmer and bring in a younger coach?"
You know you heard it, you know you thought it and very likely at some point in the season you said it.
But, when Monday's announcement of Fulmer's forced resignation came, all of that talk subsided and frustration set in. I saw firsthand the emotion of former UT player Reggie Coleman as his eyes welled up watching the press conference. I saw the frustration of Fuad Reveiz, a former Vol and father of UT player, as Fulmer broke down.
For all of the talk, the reality of change is difficult for many Vol fans to take. After the dust settled, I called a number of Fulmer's former players to get their reactions and thoughts about the change. I heard many of the same things from each of them about seeing their "father figure" pushed out the door.
"He was my coach," former linebacker Al Wilson said. "He was my national championship winning coach. He will always be my coach. Seeing him break down was tough for me."
"I wish they would have done it in a different way," former defensive back Fred White said. "They should have waited until the end of the season. He deserved to go out on his term. I didn't think it was time for him to be gone. I felt like he could have gotten it turned around if he had been given the chance. I knew there would be some changes. I just didn't think it would be him. If you win the coach gets all the credit. If you lose he gets all the blame."
"It was handled the wrong way," former defensive end Will Overstreet said. "I was not happy about it and I'm still not. They should have waited til the end of the season. It angered a lot of former players who have a special connection with him. Unless you've played for him and been in the program, you don't understand what the phrase, 'Family,' means. It's like if your father lost his job. You know how much your father put into that job. But, the economy changes and change happens.
"When he gets fired, you see his disappointment as well as all the people who worked for him. Look, it's not just Coach Fulmer in this deal, it's Chavis, Brooks, Caldwell and the other assistant coaches. It's their wives and their families."
"When I heard about it, it broke my heart," former wide receiver Peerless Price said. "When coach broke down in that press conference, I broke down with him. I cried watching my coach treated like that. That man is a true Tennessee Volunteer. He helped me become a man and I'll never forget that."
"I was up there a week ago and he was working as hard as ever," former quarterback Tee Martin said. "They were game planning South Carolina and he was working to get the program turned around. They were No. 5 in the country in recruiting and the future looked good for a turn around. The problem is when you see other schools like Florida and LSU that (new coaches) helped them win national championships very quickly. You look at Alabama and what they're doing now with Nick Saban. Whether we like it or not, it is a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-lately," society. The key phrase in the press conference was when coach said, 'We are united in our goal, but divided in the way to get there.'"
Former offensive lineman Bruce Wilkerson thought he had the solution figured out before the forced resignation.
"You have to look at (offensive coordinator) Dave Clawson's history in this deal. If you look back at his career, the first year was never very successful for him. It was always the second year when the players figured out what he was trying to teach them."
For Coleman, days haven't healed his frustration with the situation.
"It was flat wrong the way they treated him," Coleman said. "Imagine if they did that at Florida State to Bobby Bowden. What about at Penn State with Joe Paterno. Coach Fulmer is in the same class as those guys and he deserved the same respect. I'm ticked off and I don't know when I'll get over it or if I will."
Reality will really set in next season when the Vols run through the "T" with someone else leading the way. It will be a dose of reality that these ex-players aren't ready for.
"That will be strange," Price said. "What if it's a guy who is not a UT Volunteer? It won't be Robert Neyland, Johnny Majors or Phillip Fulmer. If it's not Coach Chavis leading them through then it won't be a Tennessee man. I guess they could go get Kippy Brown from the Lions. I'd vote for that. If they're going to hire a defensive guy they need to give the job to Chavis because he's the best defensive coordinator in the country."
"If Coach Chavis is not on the list of finalists I'll be disappointed," former offensive lineman Jarvis Reado said. "I'd be surprised if he's not because he could do that job without a doubt."
Overstreet said he understands where Reado is coming from, but just doesn't think it will happen.
"There's no question Chavis should be considered, but I don't see them giving him the job. I think they want somebody totally brand new. I think their attitude is that if you're going to make a change then you're going to start over."
Wilson was a little more business-like in his approach to the next coach.
"I don't think it matters if it's a Tennessee guy or not. We need a guy who can recruit and get players and coaches to want to play for him. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for it to be a UT guy. But, the most important thing is that he respect the tradition of Tennessee."
Martin doesn't think it's important to the university that the next coach be a Tennessee guy.
"You have to look at the demographic of the administration," said Martin. "It's not Tennessee at all. Mike Hamilton is a Clemson guy. The President is from Cal State. You hate to say that the culture has changed but it has. The only person over there you can say is a "Tennessee person" is Pat Summitt. Since 1829 we've done it with Tennessee people. If David Cutcliffe doesn't come back, if Kippy doesn't come back, it will be a new era at UT."
White said he'd at least like to see someone on the UT staff next season.
"If Chavis doesn't get the opportunity, I'd like to see somebody like Jay Graham, Spencer Riley, Terry Fair or Dale Jones at least on the staff," said White. "I think a lot of us would feel better if there was somebody on that staff that understood what 'family' means over there."
"Look, we all realize what this means," Overstreet said. "It's a coaching change. It's not a tragedy, nobody died. But, to the former players it's a big deal and there's pain that goes with it. That pain will go away. Time heals all wounds. For some people it will be a longer time than for others. But, we're all Tennessee Volunteers and I know coach will want us to support our program, so that's what we'll do."
Mark Packer hosts the Locker Room, presented by Parkwest Medical Center, on Sunday at 10 p.m. on MyVLT2.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 98
hotrodvol writes:
I would love to see Dale Jones comeback in some manner, he was a player.
ctexorange writes:
Now that's Class. Phil Fulmer with no malice in his heart. Johnny Majors never showed that kind of class. The Tennessee tradition is broken by a pair from Clemson and Cal State. Wow. I guess that says that people from Tennessee "can't get it done". A tradition that's worked since 1829 broken by a guy from Clemson. Does not says much about the university or the people of Tennesse does it. I reckon the Tennessee talent has all dried up.
blitzshoot writes:
Al Wilson would be great also as an asst coach.
TopperVol75 writes:
No matter what side of the fence you are on, the players ALWAYS stick up for Coach Fulmer. To a man, he has earned their respect for his efforts on and off the field. I have attended Tennessee games for 41 years and I understand the feelings of the fans. Change had to come from somewhere. We truly are a family that is divided and hopefully unification will come soon and we can focus on our one true passion...Tennessee Volunteers football.I wish Coach Fulmer all the best for he is a fine man and thank him for his MANY years of service to our beloved university.
jaxvol75 writes:
This just continues to get worse and worse and worse. We may never fully recover as a program from this mistake. Johnny Majors forced resignation is not comparable with Coach Fulmer's. Coach Fulmer deserved and needed more time. I have heard it now from too many different men who have played the game to think diffently. The sporting world is being turned upside down for the sake of the almighty dollar. I think I'll just shift my priorities for a little while.
oimo2005#352417 writes:
I'll second that.
volcycle writes:
I keep hearing this over and over about Clawson. I would love to see him get another year. If you're going to have to rebuild anyway next year, keep him and see if he can get it done.
jbc writes:
I hope Jack Reynolds at least gets asked if he would be interested in a asst position.
xvolx writes:
enough of this touchy feely stuff. he didnt do his job. he got fired. hire someone with some fire and lets get on with it.
The_Mayor writes:
Can't wait to see the first lunkhead hillbilly come on here and post something to the effect that they know more than Overstreet, Wilson, Martin, Reado, Price, Coleman, Wilkerson, White, Reveiz and Manning. Oh, and it'll happen...very likely less than 5 minutes after I post this. It'll be the genius Shipperman, or the true southern gentleman TouchdownTenn, or the eloquent VolinDothan, etc., but it'll sure nuff happen. Some self-proclaimed intellectual genuis will come here and start spouting off ignorance or insulting names or try to somehow demonstrate a connection between a man's weight and his coaching ability. And it's one thing to trash Arian Foster, or Josh Bricoe or Jon Crompton, because hey, they're "losers" and "quitters". But it will take a true braintrust to come to this board and try to convince anybody that they know what's better for the Vols than the ones quoted in this article. But you can bet the farm at least one person will come here and show us how much more knowledge of the inner workings of the Tennessee football program they have than the list I just mentioned. Whoever it may be, if I ever get to be that stupid, somebody please just shoot me.
FlaVol2 writes:
It is a bad time for Tennessee football. Poor decision Hamilton!!!
CrankE writes:
It was hard watching Fulmer endure that press conference. I really do hurt for him.
The problem was not that he needed more time, the problem was that it was past time. The W-L record should have been much better next season. But would things have really turned around? It's not all wins and losses.
The next coach needs to do three things:
1) Embrace UT family, tradition, and team. Bruce Pearl did it. Bob Stoops did it when he showed up at Oklahoma. 2) Discipline. Discipline in the classroom. Discipline on the physical and the mental. In the weight room on the practice field. Attention to detail that is sorely lacking at UT right now. And so is the strength and conditioning in my opinion. Again, look at Stoops at OU-or Cutcliffe at Duke if you like. Both ran their kids hard because they were in terrible shape.
3) Alabama is the archrival and that counts for a lot. However, if you want to win a championship, you'll have to beat UF in September. The next football coach at UT must make Florida the most important game on the schedule and get his team perennially ready to be at their very best in September, not November (i.e. Vandetucky).
I'm sick of these talking vi-jay-jays on ESPN, et al talking UT down for firing Fulmer. As if those championships happened yesterday and our expectations of Fulmer were far too high. Maintain integrity, be competitive, win games, play for championships, bring home some hardware, make Neyland Stadium a pit of despair for opponents. I don't think that's too much to ask given the fans, the facilities, the funds, and the tradition of The University of Tennessee.
FlaVol2 writes:
Are you smoking rope, dude?
ggriggs939#223122 writes:
Yhis action is just a typical performance for knoxville;
it would not fit anywhere else.
KNOXVILLE
Knoxville, an unusual town,
When faced with a chance at renown
From a project that'll work
Produces a jerk
Hell-bent to tear the thing down.
ctexorange writes:
Amen Mayor! I am sure someone will have some pearls of wisdom they have not yet posted. They will have a profound statement. The next time your in the stands you, take a look around, " I see Dumb people".
The_Mayor writes:
Ring a ding ding...we have our first winner! Please explain with some sense of logic, how your ability to write a check somehow gives you some great abilitiy of assessing football coaching adequacy. Is it in the magic ink you use? Do you write with ambidextrous flair? Please do tell.
zqvol writes:
You are and please don't write your check because we don't need you or Hamilton, or Adams or Hyams around.
Everyone told CPF to switch up the offense, everyone with any sense knew that it was a minimum two year process and that this year and next were at best .500 propositions.
So the script holds true and the idiots run off one of, if not the greatest coach in UT history.
He's gone because Hamilton doesn't have the guts to do the right thing and say that he messed up and bring him back, but mark may words we are in for 10 years of down time and 3 or 4 coaches before we are back to even having a chance to win an east division title.
TommyJack writes:
At the risk of being called a lunkhead hillbilly, I would say that whatever CPF was in the glory days, he lost the magic the last few years. The record is clear Mr. Mayor. No reasonable person enjoyed the pain he endured, but the change was needed. It's simply a fact that we are no longer competitive with the big boys in the SEC. Where am I going wrong?
The_Mayor writes:
OK, now I'm have no choice but to laugh. Thanks.
FlaVol2 writes:
Yeah, it is bad this year, but next year could be real good. You are one of those fans that cannot see past the tip of his nose. We do not need fan like you. Coach Fulmer needed time to get things going. Guys like you got him fired. You should be careful what you wish for. Now you can live with the outcome.
The_Mayor writes:
TommyJack, you always post with good reason, and you clearly think things through before throwing it out there. I can only respect that.
jmsbolt writes:
I thought I wanted him(fulmer) to go.... I was wrong... I was wrong.....Coaches like him are a dying breed. Yea he played "not to lose" and he irritated the heck out of me with some of his play calling. but when it comes down to it he is a very respectable coach that truly loves our state and our university. I was in 3rd grade when he became coach. When I was deployed to iraq and the middle east. he was the familiar face I saw on afn at 4 in the morning. Something that really helped me to remember what it is like to be home. I am really sad about this. but we have to move forward and I hope Coach Fulmer and his family moves forward with us as a " UT Family "
TommyJack writes:
Thanks Mayor. What's done is done...let's hope for the best possible hire.
Caspian writes:
The trend over the last several years was not a good one. That's my perspective -- and it goes beyond the "tip of my nose". I've watched Tennessee football since 1967. People get fired for underperforming all the time. Especially when they make over $2 million a year. It was time for a change.
The_Mayor writes:
Oh, no doubt...I'll be the first in line to support whoever takes the reins.
JohnnyVol writes:
I agree. Just a reminder. When Bowden stepped out several weeks ago, there were some players who snipped at him. That was wrong. Yet, Coach Fulmer has not had even a single player say anything negative.
I still continue to think that it was time for a change. Yet, do not ever forget the great work he has done here and the lives he impacted in a positive way.
volunteer_cowboy writes:
Junior free safety Demetrice Morley will sit out the game under suspension due to a violation of team academic policy.
shipperman#280095 writes:
I appreciate your realizing I am a genius. And first of all Mr Fulmerite, I am a UT fan and always will be. But anybody who has watched football for any time at all could see that the program had been going downhill for sometime. You make over 2 million a year to field a winning football team, you perform or you get fired. Same as you and I on our jobs. We perform or they will find someone who will and can. And finally, you talk about others thinking we know what is best for the program, and then you show your ignorance trying to convince us that you know what is best. Basically if someone disagrees with you, they are ignorant. I support UT, not Fulmer. He has not won the SEC in 10 years and no hope of doing so anytime soon. Deny all you will, but facts speak for themselves. The players take up for Phil because he was a friend, not a disciplanarian. And i don't care if the coach weighs 500 pounds. If he wins thats all i want. Either way it works out, Go Vols
Bufforange00 writes:
All we want is a coach that wins
shipperman#280095 writes:
And as i said all along, I could go for Fulmer working as an AD. He did a lot of good and deserves to do that if thats what he chooses
shipperman#280095 writes:
And what caliper would you wish to be done in with?
Bufforange00 writes:
I agree. Fulmer is an excellent CEO and is political. The only question I have is his eye for coaching talent. If Pearl, Summitt or whoever coaches football leaves, will Fulmer have enough chops to make the right hire?
The_Mayor writes:
Shipperman, UT missed winning the SEC Championship Game by ONE PLAY last year. The had the game WON in the 4th quarter. LSU's offense was a complete train wreck and could not convert a first down the ENTIRE SECOND HALF. UT the lead and the ball on their own 4 or 5 yard line. The only way they could have possibly lost the game was EXACTLY the way they did. Ainge threw an awful lame duck hanger out into the flats, and it was picked and taken to the house by the LSU db. That was it...game over. I'm certainly not going to put all the blame on Erik Ainge, and I feel awful for him still, because I honestly think he is the most underappreciated qb in recent UT history. But that one single throw, late in the 4th qtr. in Atlanta cost us the SEC Title.
Less than a month later, that same LSU team we just came inches from punking out, was crowned National Champion.
The_Mayor writes:
Is that an admission that I'm as stupid as you...Dood? ; )
shipperman#280095 writes:
Likely worse, because you only see your way. Don't forget that Florida and Bama kicked our rears last year and it took 4 OT's to beat Kentucky. And we had a lot of help. Fulmer's record against top teams the past few years is pretty pathetic. And we had no promise of that changing anyway soon. I will be the first to admit that there is no assurance of instant success with a new coach. But I felt like we could no longer continue down the same path. I don't care about Phil's weight, heck i am a pretty big boy myself. But discipline was very lacking and it showed in their performances. I truly wish Phil well,and would honestly have no problem with him as AD. He does bleed orange, no doubt about that
The_Mayor writes:
Here's my beef with this whole thing. Mike Hamilton (the same Mike Hamilton who some of you are so grateful to for firing Fulmer now) assessed the situation 10 and a half months ago and came to the conclusion that Phil Fulmer was the man. He awarded him with a huge pay raise and an extension. Fast forward 10 and a half months. Somehow, the same Phil Fulmer has somehow mysteriously changed at the age of 58 years old. He is no longer capable of leading this football team, in the eyes of Mike Hamilton (the same Mike Hamilton), so he fires Fulmer (the same Phillip Fulmer). And so, my friends, who's the "Fool more" here? Seems to me that the little twerp sitting in the AD office, sqirming in his own little hot seat now, p!ssed away AT LEAST $6 million dollars of UT's money (probably closer to $12 million by the time all the assistants' contracts are bought out as well).
Some one please help me understand the logic in this whole clusterfock.
The_Mayor writes:
a'ight Shipperman, I'll get off your case. I see things a lot of ways though...really.
shipperman#280095 writes:
I am afraid to say this, but here we agree. I never understood that move at all. I felt a coaching change should have been looked at a few years ago, and then the raise last year. Go figure. We may not be as far apart as I thought Mayor. :o)
Greer_Vol_22 writes:
we don't need a "daddy"...we need a friggin' coach. DITKA!!
the only man that "da Vols" need.
hcjournals#206623 writes:
An outsider came in and fired one of our own.........Think about it.......................
Feared_Mustang_Package writes:
Understand this wasn't all Mike Hamilton's decision. He's the man paid to drop the hammer in a public manner.
EyeNoEvrthng writes:
SO FUNNY ! This article was written by Coach Fulmer hater Mark Packer ! Mark Packer is a two-faced S _ _ O _ A B _ _ _ _ _ ! This is SO BAD to have this A _ _ H _ _ _ writting for the KNS ! Fire Packer !
OrangeBlitz writes:
How good can recruiting and the offense be when Tennessee has had three different offensive coordinators in 4 years?
2008 Clawson + new offensive staff
2007 Cut
2006 Cut + new offensive staff
2005 Sanders
I do not think any team can have a great offense with that many coaching changes. But, what do I know?
The_Mayor writes:
Not being smart alec at all, but which decision? The most recent one, or the exact opposite one 10 and a half months ago. See, that's where Puppet Boy Hammy loses...he can't have his cake and eat it too. He either effed up severely this past Monday, or last December...BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!
EyeNoEvrthng writes:
Fire Packer ! Fire Russo !
Pullingguard writes:
Just my opinion, but the room will probably be swept clean, and that means no UT people presently there will be left. The new man coming in will want his own staff, and will want no leftovers saying well Phil did it this way... I also think they are going to really miss some of the new staff that came in this year, which could really recruit..
This hire will be the most important in Vols history.. Why? larger stadium and facilities equate to bigger budgets and needs, larger expectations, a must win situation, split base of support (fulmer verses new guy) and just winning will solve all these problems and winning big for some think change will bring everything good and if it does not things are going to get nasty,
EyeNoEvrthng writes:
Stupid article by a stupid person ! Coach Fulmer hater, Mark Packer !
ozzy writes:
Ditto
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
I feel exactly the same way these players do. Thanks for letting it be told. Look at GreerVol for instance, pitiful, just pitiful. Are these the people who helped get our coach fired? What will be their punishment? Their fate? What has a guy named greervol22 ever done for this program, that they get to dictate to us? And to Mr. Michael Hamilton? Poor, poor judgement, Mr. Hamilton, very very poor !!! What will be the rest of the fallout>?? I will never ever get over it either. Where will the healing end and begin? Will winning do it? Is that all there is to it??? Will that get Hamilton off of the hook? The Fulmer "haters" are a different story. Birds of another feather are they.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Promise? you want promises? You want guaranteed success. Don't you think you are being unreasonable, and don't you see yourself as being unable to lose with grace? There are no guarantees that you will beat every team every year. If Phil had won against these teams, do you realize how high high percentage would be? I mean my goodness, how many teams have top teams in men's and women's basketball and in football too?? I may be missing something but I think parity is something to consider and there is a lot of competition out there. And who is this miracle coach who will come along and assuage your feelings?
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