Phillip Fulmer has been linked to at least three college vacancies since being ousted as Tennessee’s football coach in 2008, but he couldn’t bring himself to pursue any of them seriously.
“I have talked to some people along the way,” Fulmer said Wednesday, “and my feeling at this particular point is that we had an unbelievably great run at Tennessee, and I truly believe we would have been right back on track if it had just been left alone. To go and try to do something like that again at a school that has had its struggles isn’t something that appeals to me a whole lot.
“I was interested in listening, but when it came right down to it, Tennessee is my home. My family is here, and my grandchildren are here.”
Fulmer led the Volunteers to a 152-52 record from 1992 to ’08 and guided them to the ’98 national championship, which was the program’s first since 1951. Tennessee made five trips to the Southeastern Conference title game in an 11-season stretch, but he also endured two losing records in his final four years.
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Comments » 206
knelson55 writes:
I wish we had never let him go. I have to agree with him that given time he would have had us back on track. We sure wouldnt be worse off than we are.
creekroad writes:
Fulmer led the Volunteers to a 152-52 record from 1992 to ’08 and guided them to the ’98 national championship, which was the program’s first since 1951. Tennessee made five trips to the Southeastern Conference title game in an 11-season stretch.
If this isn't the standard, it certainly must be the minimum.
SBWB2 writes:
Glad he is gone... he got lazy and sloppy.
heyitsme writes:
Great decision by the university to fire Phil. Should have been sooner, in my opinion. Without Chavis and/or Cutcliff, Fulmer was simply an average coach (at best).
SevenT writes:
Is Tennessee Football better off now then you were under Fulmer.
A resounding NO...much worse shape now
Mansonlamps writes:
Please make these articles that make fulmer out to be a victim go away. A great record in the nineties against saps like dubose, goff, tiny Bowden and zooker, but a flop when the rest of the sec got serious about hiring good coaches. 29-21 his last four years and a joke of a signing class in 08 which is a big reason why we were awful this year.
volbob writes:
Hammy should have pressured him to fire then OC Clawsen - that offense was terrible. Chavis would never have been fired, Kiffin would never have been in Knoxville, and someone wouldn't be sleeping on the floor. It is what it is, and I'm glad he hasn't gone somewhere else to coach. Also glad Hammy is gone. Can't wait till September...
rockytn2jc writes:
Fulmer was a loyal coach, who bleeds orange!!!..... I think we would've been in better shape with him then without him at this point...... We wouldn't be on probation for starters!!
underthehill writes:
I think the big donors and fans who buy tickets were responsible for the Fulmer change and they really believed it would make things better..has that happened..no..it is not reasonable for me to think things would be worse if he had stayed..but that is hindsight and UT has to live with the way it is now..I personally think Fulmer is a man of very good character with a wonderful family and many friends and wish them all the best..
creekroad writes:
The problems we face today goes beyond PF or DD....it is not the change that matters, but the way it has been handled...firing PF in mid season and hiring someone like Kiffin set us back years.....it will be 10 years before we get over the damage that has been done. Has there be ANY improvement in any area since that day? Hamilton did us no favors.
volinlm writes:
Does that mean with Chavis & Cutcliff he was a great coach? Like him or not, he hired those guys. He gets credit for that and the record. He gets the blame for hiring the wrong replacements, also. Whether he deserved to be fired sooner, or kept on for another year or two to turn things around, we'll never know. Coaches come and go. He's having a tough time putting it behind him, obviously.
SIMSVOL writes:
This is where Fulmer and his Fulmerite followers have it completely wrong. Had we left Fulmer as coach, Tennessee certainly not be landing top recruiting classes in 2012. Fulmer got lazy, couldn't win the big games. Now, after a few painful seasons, the VOLS are in a position to begin the return to the top of the SEC. Dooley is a great, energetic coach and recruiter who knows what it takes to compete in today's SEC. Fulmer had his day, got one National Championship when he had the talent and should have won three. Go VOLS!
SIMSVOL writes:
creekroad - you and others like you are way off base. Think about it - Hamilton actually made some amazing hires. Pearl brought UT BB to unprecedented levels. Not Hamilton's fault that Pearl lied. Hamilton hired Dooley, who has the VOLS back on track after a few painful seasons. LSU's biggest boosters want Dooley now. He's a great coach and recruiter. The small percentage of UT's fanbase, who are ignorant and uninformed, will be happy with Dooley once he rights the ship. But they're too stupid to know they have a great coach. Then add in Cuonzo Martin - who has instilled an aggressive defensive play we haven't seen in a while. Another Hamilton find. And as for Kiffin, and I hate the way he treated UT, he's going to have USC in the top 5 this season. Not Hamilton's fault the way Kiffin dissed us. He hired a good coach. Go VOLS!
Clarkrm0706 writes:
This debate was dying down and relevant conversation was starting to take place. That meant this site had to actually get a scoop or restart a long gone debate. I ask posters to please post some recruit news or something helpful. Do not fall for this stuff again. I knew 1 or 2 of the above posters would not be able to resist but the rest of you can end this now.
lomas98 writes:
Oh no! Not another article on Fulmer recapping what he did here and what he is doing now. Now we get to read all the same comments again that we have read since 2008.
Sir_Spanky writes:
Slow news cycle.
dirislr#209355 writes:
You should be the coach.
SevenT writes:
Pass the Dool-Aid please.
Thanks,
Double D's Mom
D60 writes:
Fulmer was one good recruiter away from bringing the team back. AD dept should have paid Garner what ever he wanted to stay @ UT instead he ends up at GA. 10 to 1 rather have him than what we got now
TennesseeTonyT writes:
With Coach Fulmer still on board we would have been in the SEC championship game this past year instead of Georgia. Any true Vol fan knows this is true.
mmynatt12 writes:
Wait til what?? See them lose to Vanderbilt? That is what is going to happen next November. Between Dooley and James Franklin guess who wins?
But it is only a game, right? Man we lost to Kentucky in football when they used a wide receiver at QB...the women's basketball team is going downhill, the men's BB team lost to Georgia (yes they beat UConn and Fla, beat then look at all their losses....jeez, UT sports are in the toilet).
How's that for optimism?:)
rtrchatt writes:
Glory days....GONE
Pompey writes:
....all fired coaches say the same thing...all of them....
mancell1871 writes:
Wrong! The day he got fired he had the #6 recruiting class.
Pullingguard writes:
Looking back, it would have been a miracle and God's Grace had he been retained with the Vols. Tennessee Football presently is under the heel of that hob-nailed-boot and it just keeps grinding the Vols into the mud. Fulmer had the Vols where they were discussed with the elite, and a couple of bad hires and a couple of bad seasons and he is kicked out the door... Stupid decision, and one has to wonder, will the Vols ever be a force in the SEC again... I doubt it...Prove it to me and others.. and 8/4 or 7/5 is not a force, that is survival.. a force is 12/0 or 11/1 or even 10/2 will get u a peach bowl invite...Good luck coach Fulmer in your future endeavors.
underthehill writes:
Your statement that Dooley is a great coach puts you at the top of list of the small percentage of UT's fanbase which you describe..fact..Dooley is on what is known as the hot seat and his success or lack of it will determine is he is retained for the following season..fact is.. it's going to be beating the odds if UT get a win over a quality opponent ..if UT wins 7 or 8 Dooley most likely would be returned..this is hardly the time to say Dooley is a great coach..on the other hand Martin appears to be a great hire and his recruiting Stokes may lead to UT being a very good team next year.
GreerVol22 writes:
another 5-6 season and Dooley will be gone too. To few people with too much influence from the west box. As long as the admin runs from those folks things will not change. Lets hope this new regime will bring in the right coach and then simply thank the donars in stead of bowing to them.
AncientVolFan writes:
Just a note, your post says more about you to me than about Phil. Just wanted to be a nice person and let you know how you come across. Have a good day.
Navaloranges writes:
"Resounding"? Hardly. Maybe to you and your other screen names. When we FINALLY get over what his departure did to UT (roster wise), considering we had our next coach leave the next year, we'll be back on track, and better off.
His last class of 35th, and the double coaching change, is what has us in this shape, not him leaving, and not Dooley. Only a true Fulmerite would believe that nonsense. When we have the players to compete again like we had up until 2009, then we'll compete again.
I have nothing against Fulmer. He's still my favorite UT coach during my lifetime. Until another on reaches his success he will be my favorite coach. I'm just realistic enough to see the truth of the situation. You Fulmer worshippers that can't even admit it was time for him to go, due to complacency, are a HUGE minotiry. No matter how many screen names you come up with on a website to try to "make your case", most, by a long shot, have moved on. The consistant need to throw Fulmer's name up, three years after he's gone, is proof that some of you are not true UT fans, but rather true Fulmer fans.
BTW, If you believe he "didn't really want" the Louisville, UCONN, and Kansas job, dream on. He absolutely did. But, everybody knows the game's passed him by as a coach. That should be proof enough for you Fulmerites living in denial. "Should" being the key word.
Tacamo01 writes:
IMO the program was going to get a lot better. Georgia and other programs have had their down days but they did not overreact and start firing everyone. With that said, we have a new set of coaches this year that we need to rally behind. Should be a good year!
beartn#223846 writes:
I still find it odd that many people think Fulmer was just a great recruiter, but not good at X's and O's. The SEC was still the best conference in the 90's, and he won a lot. A bad coach wouldn't do that. Remember Ray Goff? He was the coach that could recruit but not coach. Also, the offense was very productive when Fulmer was the OC. Regardless of whether fans wanted him to stay or go, we should be grateful for his run here that included a national championship. He's the 2nd best coach we've ever had.
For know, it is what it is. Looking forward, I hope Dooley can have success. If not, we need to do what Bama did when they hired Saban. Find a high profile coach, and pay what it takes to get him. We aren't going to compete in the SEC trying to do it on the cheap.
Lane_Kiffins_Daddy_Wears_Diapers writes:
The decision (which was the correct decision) to fire Fulmer is not why UT is where it is now.
UT is where they are now because Hamilton hired two bargain bin coaches with a combined record of 22-35.
Of course, some of the same posters who defended the Fulmer firing blasted me this week for when I said Paterno stayed on too long. Paterno won 55% of his Big 10 conference games from 2000-2010. Fulmer during his downturn (2002-2008) won 62% of SEC games.
illinoisvolfan writes:
$6 million helps to ease the adjustment process.
CantCompare writes:
Shame on most of you! I can't believe some of the nonsense I have read on here! You tear down one of the greatest college coaches in recent history and the ONLY head coach to bring a national championship to Tennessee in most of YOUR lifetimes! IF nothing else, CPF was perhaps one of the best recruiters in the nation! Other coaches crumbled when they saw CPF walk onto a high school football field. H*e*l*l they even depicted that part of him on The Blind Side. I can't stand bandwagon fans like some of the people on this site. You are not VFL's! You love us when we win and hate us when we lose. You are a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacks. "We need to do this" or We need to do that" "Fire this guy" "Hire that guy".. Well, what makes me sleep better at night is that while you are flipping burgers or bagging groceries, people who are qualified to run the Tennessee program are doing everything they can to bring our program back on top. Just one more thing, thank you CPF for everything you did at Tennessee! GBO! VFL!
VolFanUSNavy writes:
I wonder if he'll come back as offensive coordinator.
utfan36 writes:
hate to say it and it has done been said if cdd dont win 9 or 10 games this year he is out the door! and he just might have another chance ! but mights are on chickens @$$ so you no how it goes ! 5 years off you know he is revamped!if it aint at ut he dont want to coach!
mrvol2u writes:
I notice you doom and gloomers always dredge up some future negative event to try and prove your reason for doom and gloom.
Franklin had Vandy's best shot last year and DID NOT get it done. Let me repeat that for you, Vandy had their best shot in years and did not get it done.
And before you tout little foul-mouth Frankies recruiting efforts, check out Rivals' rankings. It seems UT is trending up and is behind Texas A.M., Fla, and Ala. only. Not a bad job for a team with as many problems as we have had.
I am 100% behind all of our coaches in all sports. I do see, however, the program is in bad shape and needs time to fix. I think CDD can recruit and help stock the talent level but like many I want to see him win a big game and show some improvement.
This year will give him that chance, what he does on the field will decide his future and not some dire prediction by some fans on a message board.
Womens BB going down hill? Another top 3 recruiting class and will win the SEC and probably will at least finish the season playing in the elite 8, and you say going down hill?
GO VOLS!
hueypilot writes:
Pretty amazing to me how polarizing PF is to so many on this thread. For me, I appreciate PF's ccommittment to the University of Tennessee as a native Tennessean, a player, captain, assistant coach and head coach. He was a good ambassador for the school (that Florida puke could have named the "Fulmer" cup after any one of a dozen coaches in the country that go after top-rated recruits) and he brought the last significant glory to UT football that anybody on this thread can remember. I think he had to go because he had lost the confidence of the fans and the monied boosters that call the shots. But should he be vilified and demonized by some here? Absolutely not. Totally classless and ignorant IMO.
Vol43 writes:
It's the story that keeps on giving. If there's one topic that has been talked to death, it's this one. They refuse to let it go and it always ends the same. Yep, a little recruiting news would be nice.
VolFanUSNavy writes:
Seriously, an instant upgrade to most programs in the country, including ours.
We haven't been able to run block since he left. Therefore we can't recruit big time running backs. (please don't mention Bryce Brown) If you go back and look at the recruiting classes, he only actually had one terrible year. He followed that up with the Eric Berry year, nice recovery I would say.
Without Phil Fulmer, all of us would think a 9 win season was a good season and SEC Championship appearance would be just unbelievable!
john1998 writes:
The sad thing is that, for whatever reason, Fulmer would spend his twilight years hawking mutual funds to retirees at seminars.
TommyJack writes:
Where's Walt?
utk1996 writes:
All of the "fans" that were ultimately responsible for the university feeling pressure to fire Coach Fulmer should be ashamed. Conference championships. A National Championship. They don't happen every year. Joe Paterno won two. Two. Penn State had down years. Every program has down years, especially if recruiting classes don't pan out like expected. The bottom line is that he was a proven head coach. He knew how to run a program. He should have been left alone. I love UT, but some of the fans are simply ignorant (every program has knucklehead fans and I truly think they are the minority, but they are the most vocal). If you can't even draw up guard trap, leave the coaching critiques to yourself.
TommyJack writes:
Sorry 96, I thought this was an opinion board. I wish FHCPF had been terminated sooner.
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor say read close....hes here! lol. Witch Doctor say good luck , enjoy the Grandkids, teach them to Fish on Norris and enjoy what you have done for the program. Witch Doctor say a couple quick nods and Witch Doctor SURE we see some Phillip Fulmer days at Neyland and such.
Bones never lie.
VOLliven2it writes:
We would have stayed the course, gotten back up to 8 or 9 wins but never been a significant threat in the SEC or nationally. It was time for a change BUT...our AD had no idea what he was doing. He hired a head coach with ties only to the late Al Davis who didn't even like the coach we hired. So now we find ourselves longing for the Fulmer days because the program was brought so low it will take time to rise up again. Thanks to Phil Fulmer for giving his all for Tennessee as player and coach. But we have to move on and right now that is painful. Rocky Top continues to be a Rocky Road. For Dave Hart, if you listen to naysaying and get rid of Coach Dooley, for heaven's sake, have some plan to get a quality replacement or we will just continue on in rebuild, rehash and rehear"we should have never let Fulmer go" remarks.
Tenn_Traveler writes:
Thanks for everything Coach Fulmer. You and Coach Dickey raised Tennesse Football to the highest level I have seen. I got to see UT beat Fla State for the NC. Was @ Neyland when we beat the Pigs that same season. You did an outstanding job as our coach and representing our University and State.
Thanks again and God Bless.
nyyvol21#669431 writes:
Actually Chavis and Cutcliffe were hired by Johnny Majors. Fulmer did promote both coaches to their coordinator positions. Cutcliffe leaving was the beginning of the end for Fulmer.
orangeman1 writes:
I agree. UT would be in much better shape if they had just fixed the part of the team that wasnt producing instead of getting rid of everyone and starting over. Fulmer had a top 10 class ready to sign when he was fired and had he not been fired before the Wyoming game wouldve probably made a bowl game in 08. I am glad that he put the critics to rest that their only argument was that "he isnt coaching now so obviously nobody wants him" Did everyone read the article. He was interested in a few jobs, but never seriously considered them. He was even was considered for NFL offensive line or Offensive co positions. Bottom line is Fulmer is Orange through and through and gave his heart and life to UT. He brought UT to a higher level and UT fans enjoyed the most success of any coach in most our lifetimes. Anyone who cant see that UT would be better off if he was given time to fix the offense just isnt seeing things clearly. 20 losses in the 3 years after he was fired is telling. But I support Dooley just like Fulmer does and hope he is just as successful as Fulmer was.
RemembertheAlamo writes:
Robert Neyland could come back from the Dead and become our Coach, and we could go undefeated and we would still have fans or so call fans rehashing the decisions, and fans still wishing for Fulmer. You guys are pathetic.
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