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Coaches Chavis and Fulmer talk about the impressive 23-game winning streak against Kentucky. The 2008 game against Kentucky marks Phillip Fulmer's last game as head coach for the University of Tennessee football team. Watch »
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UT defensive coordinator, John Chavis, reflects on his career as a coach for the Vols. He talks about his coaching staff, the "keep it real" philosophy with players and what these last few days with the program mean. Watch »
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UT offensive coordinator, Dave Clawson, talks about the struggles with the offensive line this year and the quarterback issue -- all dating back to this Spring. Watch »
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Coach Fulmer talks about the Kentucky matchup and Coach Chavis talks about seeing UT's former offensive coordinator, Randy Sanders, again. Sanders is now the quarterback coach for the University of Kentucky. Watch »
Eric Berry refused to answer the question during that unforgettable press conference in which Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer announced he would step down.
With more than three weeks to reflect, Berry finally gave his answer Wednesday.
"I haven't considered transferring at all," the Tennessee safety said. "I'm a loyal guy. I'm loyal to my teammates. I'm loyal to my university.
"Me transferring would be a big slap in the face to my teammates."
Berry, however, admitted hat he was a bit conflicted - between his love for UT and his loyalty to Fulmer.
"It has been a little tough," Berry said. "That's the main reason I came here, is to play for that guy."
Berry isn't the best example of a player that might jump ship in response to UT's coaching change. Just a sophomore, Berry can't enter the NFL draft until 2010 and would have to sit out next season if he transferred to another Division I school.
However, there are other players with easier exit strategies. Players who are three years out of high school can enter the NFL draft. Young players looking for a fresh start might be willing to take a year off to try to improve their surroundings.
Here are some players' thoughts when asked about possibly leaving UT:
n LB Rico McCoy: McCoy said the coaching change is certainly something he'll think about. The junior said he'll base much of his decision on where he's projected to be picked by the NFL Draft Advisory Board.
n TE Luke Stocker: Stocker said he'd prefer UT hire a coach that runs a traditional offense but will remain at UT even if it hires a coach who runs a spread offense.
n DE Chris Walker: Walker is extremely close to UT's current coaching staff but said he doesn't want to sit out a year at another school, especially after establishing himself at UT this season.
n TE Brandon Warren: Despite a disappointing season, Warren said he is committed to playing football for UT next season.
n DT Dan Williams: Since he's a junior, Williams could enter the draft. He said he is open to the possibility and that a first or second round grade from the advisory board would certainly catch his eye.
Injury Report: Brent Vinson did not practice. The sophomore cornerback has been extremely limited this week after having his right calf stepped on during last Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.
McCoy revealed that he played with a sore foot and injured thumb for the first half of the season. He has since improved his play, according to Fulmer.
"My play is showing I'm healthy," McCoy said. "I was good second half of the season."
Bam Bam: When the players line up for the ceremonial last tackle drill today, it will be Fulmer's last.
Even as head coach, Fulmer once was known to take part in the drill, which basically amounts to knocking over a tackling dummy dressed in the oppositions' jersey
Fulmer even used a special tackling technique one season, which he called "The Flying Bambino". That won't be the case today.
"There won't be any Flying Bambinos," Fulmer said. "That was about ten years ago. None of that. Let's be sure I get to the game on Saturday."
Rating Randy: Saturday's game against Kentucky will mark a return to Neyland Stadium for former UT coach Randy Sanders, now the quarterbacks coach for the Wildcats.
"Randy was a guy that I have a tremendous amount of respect for," defensive coordinator John Chavis said. "I enjoyed working with him. I think Randy is one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the game."
Chavis said he can see certain things in Kentucky's offense that are Sanders inspired, such as the Wildcat's quick passing game and three-wide receiver formation.
But the one aspect of Kentucky's offense that most reminds Chavis of Sanders is quarterback fundamentals.
"That's been a trademark at Tennessee for a long, long time," Chavis said.
Vanderbilt 93, Tennessee 79, Feb. 9…
UT's new $45 million football…
Tennessee 69, South Carolina 57 men's…
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Comments » 33
FlaVol2 writes:
Thank you Mr.Berry. We would hate to lose you.
Bufforange00 writes:
berry has no reason to transfer. It can only get better. Like it or not, he is not in this for fulmer anymore. I don't care if any of the other guys leave. it would be different if we had something to lose by them leaving, but we don't.
vol88 writes:
Thanks EB!
CoverOrange writes:
I wonder if Kentucky would hire Chavis?
Sidewinder writes:
I support human cloning for this reason:
1st candidate. . . . Eric Berry. We clone him 22 times. In 18 years we will have the best football team to ever walk the earth.
hotrodvol writes:
We need Williams to stay for sure, but if he is a first rounder take the money and run biggin'.
jason.taylor#629315 writes:
E.B....can you go out and recruit????
eefor10c writes:
"Thats the main reason I came here, is to play for that guy." Just so you Fulmer haters know---he's talking about FULMER!
tnbigg writes:
Good man...TRUE VOL through and through...maybe the best ever by the time he's done...
MANVOL writes:
What's the point of this article? He would be foolish to leave and as far as the other players love it or leave it. UT Football will move foward. GO VOLS in 09!
threehundredbowler writes:
Berry has been coached quiet well on defense thank you.Some of you need to go to know what you are saying before you let your mouth overload your arss.The more some of you say the more you show your ignorance.
ect1983 writes:
Dont hate Fulmer----hate lousy undisciplined ,boring,losing football....Understand the difference ?? Doubt it.
jsm67vol writes:
I was just thinking the same thing when I read his comments. KY would be crazy not to. I wonder if Duke would , I wonder if GA would, if Ole Miss or Vandy would, or SC? He is quite likely at top 3 in SEC D-coor. if not the best. I can't think of anybody better now in SEC.
volbald writes:
We wouldn't need 22 Berrys. Sprinkle 4-5 of him throughout the defense and 4-5 throughout the offense and the Vols would be world beaters.
dowdpat#654244 writes:
Chavis is the best 1st and 2nd down Defensive Coordinator in the country. His 3rd and long defense has probably taken a couple years off my life though.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Thank you for your opinion, you do not know the future do you? Your stupid opinion?
southernson writes:
Al Wilson, Dale Jones, Reggie White, Eric Berry.... Best Ever. Make room next to Reggie in the circle of fame....
southernson writes:
Can you even dream of what Monty Kiffin will do with Berry ....
82cat writes:
What a stupid article!
Anyone with an ounce of knowledge would know Eric Berry will be leaving after next year to make lots and lots of money as he should.
Sure he is going to transfer sit out a year and then play another year then go pro ------what non sense
As for the rest OF THE PLAYERS WHO CARES--- you lost to Wyoming for Gods sake just shut up and get in the weight room and prepare for next years season --- and to compete for a job because other than Mr Berry all of them should be wide open.
writer#358485 writes:
I promised myself I wouldn't contribute to this board any more just after we fired one of the best coaches in college football. But I have bled orange for most of my 60+ years and I learned it at my father's knee. He never gave up on the Vols and neither will I. So, I'm reneging on my self-imposed exile. I am about ready to give up on Vol fans who are spoiled, and a major proportion of whom are mindless, emotion-driven, TV-culture morons.
Unless we get extremely lucky (or unjustifiably blessed), Tennessee is in for a long, rough period in football. Whether we ever again will emerge remains to be seen. It will be impossible to find another coach who has had only two losing years out of 17. Very few have even coached at the major college level for that long--two others still active at the top level, I believe. Those other two have had down years, as well. We fired the youngest of that trio and will regret it for many years. To expect someone to come in and turn things around completely in one, two or three years with a flavor-of-the-month system is absurd. It isn't going to happen!
On Saturday I will celebrate what Coach Fulmer gave us for so long. I'll also mourn the "give-it-to-me-now," instant gratification, extremely disrespectful, television-level-intelligence, absurd, crass, crude and doomed culture we have become and all the ugly examples who contribute to this board and who contributed immensly to his departure.
The only thing that makes it interesting for me to hang around this mindless culture and its denizens (including many on this board) is that as a college history major and professional writer and it's utterly fascinating to watch a culture and a football tradition self-destruct. You get to watch both at the same time here, why should I quit! Go Vols!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Last paragraph nailed it.
Might have some new pine riders next fall.
Wherethe____isBrandonWarren writes:
I have much respect for Brandon Warren and I hope he'll be properly utilized next season. Hell, Luke Stocker is allergic to the ball.
steelersman42 writes:
THANK YOU! some people need to open their eyes... fulmer's the one who put all our amazing recruiting classes together, not o mention won a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Greg18 writes:
It is not all gloom and doom. Bama finally got it right and I know we will. If it is Kiffen or Mel Kiper, then we should support and allow him at least 5 years to show significant progress.
I don't know Fulmer so I can't hate the guy, but what he got when Hamilton(who Fulmer helped get the job) fired him during season was a dose of Karma. Fulmer undoubtedly loves UT and he could have made this situation worse, but I think he thought back to 91 when Johnny M was trying to remove the knife his loyal assistant Fulmer plunged in his back and realized that he did deserve for it to play out almost the same way Johny's demise did. Now I don't have to hear how a bounce here or there..., or if we more healthy, things would be different. The 98 Championship Team used up enough lucky bounces and timely penalties for an entire coaching career. Enjoy living the life of a multimillionaire CPF.
writer#358485 writes:
I've heard that nonsense about Fulmer and the knife in Majors' back so many times it's absurd. Majors put the knife in his own back with the bottle. He would have had it made at Tennessee had he stayed sober and learned some class. He also was a pretty good coach. He self-destructed and the administration did what they had to do at the time. They got class, longevity, loyalty and success with Fulmer.
Now the administration has self-destructed because they couldn't wait a couple of years to get a new offensive system installed and let one of the best coaches in the land work out the obvious kinks in the first year. They couldn't ignore the nonsense on this instant-gratification board and similar denizens elsewhere. No great football program can be built on instant-gratification. It is built over time with class, loyalty, honor, hard work and patience--patience that extends to a bad year or two over 17.
I have to admit, it has been fascinating watching it happen, if tragic. Fulmer will be fine, one year ago he was 10-4 and he got what he deserved financially in today's grossly inflated economy. He'll be in several Halls of Fame. He's also an honorable family main with principles of which those who did this to him--including many on this board--have absolutely no understanding. It's spelled PRINCIPLE, and it isn't the guy you ignored in High School. It's a word much of our society has forgotten over the last 40 years.
It's loyal Vol fans who will suffer now, probably for many years. I hope I'm wrong, but I'll be utterly shocked if I am. Go Vols!
southernson writes:
It was clear this coach was not interested in a new offensive system.It was allso clear this coach was not getting the most out of his tallent.It was allso clear he thought he was bigger than the program. If Fulmer is regarded as a great coach he will get a great job. If the rest of the collage world hold him to great asteem. It will be a refreshing change for him and Tennessee.. GO VOLS
southernson writes:
Fulmer did NOT build Tennessee . Johnny Majors Laid the foundation ,Then while Johnny had his chest cut open, Phil lobbied for his job. That my Stuck up friend is FACT.
writer#358485 writes:
I don't disagree Johnny laid a foundation. You don't seem to disagree that he self-destructed with his personal problems. As I recall that season, Johnny came back after his heart attack, but the other issues were too much and the administration decided to make a change after they saw that Fulmer actually ran the team better than he did. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
southernson writes:
Yes He came back EARLY from his heart attack. When someone clued him in on Fulmers Butt Kissing, and slandering. I allso remember Some Local Boosters, Wanting more control on the hill and thought Phil would be more controllable. The shame Tennessee has, is we pushed a Legend out, and have never gave him the credit for what he truly done for the football program. Alot of big money folks, did not like johnny,they called him a drunk as you did. Johnny did more with less. Than phill ever did.
Hopson2008 writes:
Do you believe everything you hear? He's playing for UT because his dad was a captain here and has been a fan his entire life. Also, what idiot journalist even asked this question? Why would he transfer and sit out a year when he will be a top five pick in the draft next year? Not even a relevant consideration.
writer#358485 writes:
I, for one, do give Johnny credit for getting Tennenssee back on track and for being a Vol legend. I think many others do, as well. However, the only time I ever met Johnny personally at a public function he seemed to me to justify the accusations, and that was before he was fired.
I confess I was very disappointed in his state and demeanor when I did finally get to meet the "legend." It remains my impression that his personal problems were what cost him the job, not any lobbying by Fulmer.
I am not an "insider," however, so I can't know for certain. I do know from direct observation that Johnny seemed to have personal problems. I also have been told by people closer to the program than I that was the reason for his firing.
I also give Fulmer credit for taking what Johnny started and making it even better over a much longer period of time. He became a legend in his own right, and without the alleged baggage. I just hope we can do as well this time, but I am not optimistic.
beef4davols writes:
I would love to be present when the new coach lines these two up for comparison to see who will start and thinks, "what the hell were these coaches thinking last year?"
Colliervol writes:
Some folks still have convenient memory loss when it comes to Ole John. Sure, Phil and Dickey might have greased the skids a bit but Majors had only himself to blame. Nothing has changed 15 years later. You can only anger the president of the university and key boosters just so many times and you get the boot.
The best news in this whole coaching change is that I don't have to read monthly comments about what Majors thinks and the debate about "knifings" in the back can go silently into the night. Bottom line: Majors had to go then and Fulmer had to go now. Both served their purpose but both of their tenures had to cease for the sake of the program. Sad but simple. If you don't understand it, it doesn't really matter.
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