The two longest-tenured head coaches in the SEC are also the ones on the hottest seats. It might not be pure coincidence.
Phillip Fulmer took over at Tennessee full-time in 1993. Tommy Tuberville is in his 10th year at Auburn. That both have endured this long speaks to a considerable level of success.
But longevity isn't always a coach's friend, especially not in an era of unprecedented media coverage and fan involvement.
"At a high-profile school like Tennessee,'' Fulmer said Wednesday, "there are very, very high expectations.
"If you can keep the results where you want 'em to be, certainly, anybody can stay as long as they want. ... But it's more difficult than it was 10 years ago, certainly.''
Rich Brooks survived 18 years at Oregon before coming to Kentucky. He remembers the later years being the toughest:
"When you've been somewhere at least 10 years, there's nobody in the middle on you anymore. They either don't like you or like you.
"Through the first five to seven years, there's still quite a few in the middle, but the middle goes away the longer you're at a school.''
Steve Spurrier left Florida, his alma mater, in 2001 on his own terms. Having done his thing for 12 years, he was ready for a new challenge.
In his fourth year at South Carolina, Spurrier said it's tougher in the current climate to not wear out your welcome.
"It can be done,'' Spurrier said, "but it is sort of unlikely.
"Once you reach a level of excellence of 10- or 11-win seasons in a row, then (when) you don't reach it you start going backward. And when a coach starts going backward, that's when people want change.''
Fulmer cited the increased scrutiny and, as a by-product, the quest for "instant gratification" that permeates a fan base.
"It's filtered down from pro football and television, and the dollars involved, and our ability to communicate to all the different outlets that are out there,'' he said.
"That's the nature of the beast. Hopefully, level heads will prevail in those kinds of circumstances.''
Homecoming II: Last week Arkansas lost at home to former coach Houston Nutt, now at Ole Miss. This week another ghost returns to Fayetteville, former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.
Malzahn, once the head coach at nearby Springdale High School, joined Nutt's staff in 2006 and brought several high-profile Springdale players with him. Malzahn left after one season of philosophical differences but landed on his feet.
He is co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tulsa, which leads the nation in scoring (56.6 points) and total offense (624.7 yards). Tulsa (8-0) is a seven-point favorite.
"We gave him a great opportunity to get from high school to college,'' said Nutt. "I don't know why he didn't stay longer than he did.
"The thing he has is an excellent imagination and creativity. He does a good job of putting some defenses in a tough situation.''
This week, that will be Arkansas' defense.
Slick Is On Tulsa Time: Former UT receiver Slick Shelley also landed on his feet at Tulsa. In two years at UT, his only catches were in the spring game. This year the 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior has 25 catches, including six touchdowns.
"He had good hands and a really good ability to get open,'' Fulmer said. "Here, it was injuries, primarily. It didn't look like playing time was going to happen a whole lot.''
Block That Kick: Last week Kentucky felt the wrath of Florida's kick-blocking passion. The Gators blocked Kentucky's first two punts and then a field goal.
Florida coach Urban Meyer puts a premium on special teams.
"A lot of times (coaches) put the fourth-string safety or third-string receiver on punt-block,'' he said. "I don't do that. We have a significant amount of starters on it.
"We've got it going in that phase right now and it's because of our personnel.''
Brooks insisted the Wildcats' problems were self-inflicted.
"They were more our problems than what they (Florida) did to us,'' said Brooks. "I don't think they're any more innovative than anybody else in this league.''
Stat of the Week: The UT-South Carolina series is the second-closest SEC series since 2000, with eight games decided by an average margin of 5.75 points.
South Carolina has played only two overtime games, losing both to UT (2003, 2007).
Last Word: Meyer, on the challenge of complacency the season after winning a national championship:
"You deal with entitlement, with (young) guys wearing those national championship hats. They should have bought 'em at the store because they didn't earn them.''
Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strangem@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 35
tnbigg writes:
Not as hot as consistent poor performance...ya' know what I'm sayin'...
invisiblekid writes:
Those dang-nabbed expectations of instant gratification will get you every time. People don't understand it takes time to fix things, usually 3 years or more. Fans expect magic dust to be sprinkled and teams to go from 7-6 to national title contenders in a year, an occurence we all know isn't possible.
98memories writes:
We couldn't use Slick Shelley, but he's having a decent year with Tulsa. Hmmm!
JWilly writes:
I keep hearing the overused term "instant gratification" from CPF. I'm not sure I understand what he is talking about. Just don't know what "instant gratification" has to do with the last several years of this program going down the tubes. Somebody help me out here!!!
Colliervol writes:
To be fair, it one thing to work against Conference USA defensive backs. It is quite another to be as successful against SEC DB's. Two different worlds.
Pullingguard writes:
Slick Shelly is an example of signing excellent players at UT that never get on the field... Shelly was not injured the entire time at UT, he saw the writing on the wall that he was not gonna get to play... So he exited to Tulsa ..Good for him..
Colliervol writes:
I agree on longevity being an issue now for coaches. I just don't see a Bowden or Paterno situation happening in the future.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
You, said it Bill, overcoverages of Media coverage and FAN involvement. In other words arrogant soothsayers and know it all blow hard fans, with nothing to do with their spare time except to expect perfection in everything and everybody except themselves. When the cowardly sportwriters divorce themselves from their sancofantic ways and start being the men God intended them to be maybe , and maybe then , will we achieve some balance. Moving on to this game, should belong to the Gamecocks, actually. Fulmer might lose a few more before he turns it around. I personally am ready to vote to give him the chance, just to see if he can do it. He's young enough to do it, and smart enough to learn from his mistakes. He might just need negative fans and a few sportswriters to believe in him. People who are cowards, just don't like being wrong and getting laughed to scorn. This statement both defines and identifies the fans and sportwriters who hate or don't like, or find a need to have Coach Fulmer fired. No reason to fire someone for losing. They are trying, and to listen to all of the critics to fire him, well, when will Coach Fulmer start doing what his critics say to do , like different things, etc.
madisonvillevol writes:
pull the plug on spanky now! i am sick and tired of bein' sick and tired! can i get a witness?
pdhuff#552644 writes:
You know a kid with a name like Slick Shelly had to be a player.
What a headline - Slick Shelly Slights Steve Superior Snagging Seven Stephens Slingings!
It would have been a beautiful thang.
mpm80#1357758 writes:
amen brother
shipperman#280095 writes:
For gosh sakes, Mrs Fulmer, quit rambling like a drunk
weisgarber2003#313889 writes:
invisiblekid writes:
"Those dang-nabbed expectations of instant gratification will get you every time. People don't understand it takes time to fix things, usually 3 years or more. Fans expect magic dust to be sprinkled and teams to go from 7-6 to national title contenders in a year, an occurence we all know isn't possible."
One thing is certain and that is, "instant gratification" surely didn't get Fulmer, as he is trying to suggest. His dismal record and his destruction of the football program is what got him. Self deception is Fulmer's greatest problem, off the football field. That and a distorted sense of accomplishment. Fixing things? Fulmer is the so-called coach who has driven the program into the ground this century. Fixing things means going in a different direction, not giving Fulmer more time to try and correct the very things that are wrong with the program.....the very things he is responsible for. Fulmner is deluded.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Well said - he is the king of denial.
Sadly, he see's little problem with the situation - thus the fixing- not taking responsibility. What was left of his ship sank with Cutcliff departing.
Cherokee writes:
These are the kinds of comments from Fulmer that annoy me. I like the guy, but when he makes these semi-condescending comments about "instant gratification", etc., it gets under my skin. This program has been hovering in the slightly above average to mediocre range for most of the past 6-7 seasons. We have not finished in the top 25 several times over that timeframe (I think this year will be at least the third time, probably the 4th), and that is not a problem with fickle fans and our desire to be instantly gratified. It is a problem with the product on the field. If "cooler heads prevail", football coaches don't make $3 million per year. That kind of money darn well DOES come with high expectations, so there's not really any need to talk about it like we don't already know this. Just accept it or leave. The expectations at UT aren't any higher than they are at Bama, LSU, Florida, Georgia.
Volgrad777 writes:
haha Mrs. Fulmer , good one ship. Welove teaches high school English.
jasonn1970 writes:
Fulmer is already done. Tubberville does have the long streak against Alabama to hang his hat on. However, he'll have to extend it and pull out a winning season to survive.
jeff1vol writes:
Still NO GATOR TROLLS? Man...they must have had a sale on jorts at the Bi-low.
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
Dismal record? Yeah, four 10 win seasons in 8 years is pretty dismal.
Hyperbole is the internet posters' best friend.
law_vol writes:
So last year's 10/14 record is really impressive? "10 win season" lost its luster when the regular season went to 12 games. So when you peel the layers back a little bit and actually take a minute to analyze things, you get last year's 71% winning percentage including getting taken behind the wood shed by our two biggest rivals and losing to an awful Pac-10 team.
But you are right, Fulmer's record is sparkling over the past 8 years. We shouldn't question his performance or ability to lead the program back to the top.
volunteer_cowboy writes:
1 WORD: SLOW!!!!
volunteer_cowboy writes:
MAYBE 2: AUSTIN ROGERS
Volfantm writes:
Good article. Those of us who "support Fulmer" just aren't convinced that starting over is automatically an improvement. Georgia, Florida, LSU and Alabama have something we don't - lots of instate talent. Before CPF we were pretty much a regional program that he took to a national level through recruiting. If you fire him you lose the staff and probably at least half the recruits. Then several years of .500 records while building a new staff ect. THis seems like a big price for being "tired of" things. It's a good job, but not a great job and not a dream job for anyone other than a UT alum. Sure, good facilities, an SEC job but midlevel SEC money, and that's about it. Which coach for hire out there comes with a guarantee of instant success? I'd rather focus on hunting up some d tackles and o linemen is all.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
I always wanted to hear that Jim Bob Cooter passed to Slick Shelley.
utvols1 writes:
2 great posts. This isn't a quick turn for the worse. This program has had wheels off for 6-7 years. It's like a cancer. Won't kill you for 5 yrs but eventually catches up with you. All of Phills charts and "work like heck" nonsense and failure to fix this program-special teams, find a good repl for Cut, a good repl for Gardner, a good repl for Trooper are all a symtom of his inability to work with his assistants...he has to be the king....and no one else can step on his cape. Bye Phillip.
spvol writes:
Less than a year ago we played for the SEC Championship and lost to the eventual NC by a TD.
invisiblekid writes:
Alabama and their fans seemed real concerned about that last week.
invisiblekid writes:
"It's very frustrating. Frustrating for everybody. It's frustrating for our defense, because they know how good they're playing and we know how good they're playing," quarterback Nick Stephens observed.
"Mostly it's been execution and I haven't quite had this kind of issue that I can recall in my career as a head coach. We've had difficulties from time to time but not continued like this, particularly the penalty thing," Fulmer said..
“I’m obviously very disappointed,’’ said Fulmer. “We’re in a battle from top to bottom, whether it’s recruiting or whatever.
"It's really frustrating. I can't put 100 percent of a finger on it. It's like the dam and the little boy - it just keeps coming somewhere else."
“In the short term here it’s not where anybody wants it to be, starting with me,” Fulmer said. “I’m just going to go to work and do the very, very best that I can for the Tennessee people, the Tennessee family, the administration and whoever.”
No hyperbole here, these are quotes straight from the head coach and starting QB. Apparently, they sense a problem that you aren't picking up.
bigorangeslice writes:
That was a gift....much like the Stoerner fumble.
db11_cn writes:
Too many George Steinbrenner wannabes on here.
ctexorange writes:
The Fulmer Haters do not care. They just want to see a new coach. I think they want Johnny Majors back. They will turn on Bruce Pearl, injuries are no excuse. Too much Jack and PBR.
This group of whiners will never be satified. I will support the Vols and our programs and realize that these kids win or lose, are playing with pride for the Orange.
DingoVol writes:
Take a look at this article on Mike Leach. I think the biggest difference between him and Fulmer is his ATTACK, ATTACK, mentality. Neat guy. Could be a good fit with the athletes he could have here. To quote the great Bum Phillips: "He could take yourn and beat his, and take his and beat yourn".
volburger writes:
Do IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME! Hire a big name that will be an instant success like Alabama did this time, or dont do it at all.
ncvol17 writes:
How far back do you go in rooting for the VOLS? 1990? A regional team.. Buy a Football guide and read up on history, go back to General Neyland and read forward through the Rose Bowl, on to Doug Dickey's tenure, etc.
CPF gets 3 million to tell us to wait for better days. We pay 1000's to VASF in order to buy our season tickets. There are no PSL's in Neyland you know...
rbromley7#241642 writes:
To "we love the Vols". For goodness sake don't critize or question the critics they will get nasty. Probably the majority are "sidewalk alumni", give big bucks, attend practice, and have years of coaching experience from their seats, either at sandlot games, or pee wee. Go Vols!!
Thanks goodness, you have a site to ventilate your frustrations.
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