Fulmer definitely wants to coach again
New York–The last time August rolled around and Phillip Fulmer WASN’T getting ready for a football season, he was in the sixth grade in his native Winchester, Tenn.
“When this time of the year finally came I knew I was going to miss coaching,” said Fulmer. “I just didn’t know I would miss it this much.”
As a player, assistant coach and head coach, Fulmer has spent most of the past 40 years at the University of Tennessee. In 17 years as head coach, Fulmer had won 152 games, two SEC championships, one national championship (1998) and took the Volunteers to the SEC championship game five times, the last appearance coming as recently as 2007. But last November, as the Volunteers stumbled towards a 5-7 finish, athletics director Mike Hamilton informed Fulmer that the time had come to make a change.
“It was tough. I’m not going to kid you,” Fulmer said. “Given our track record, I certainly believed we could get things turned back around if given a chance. But that wasn’t what happened. I understand the business. I knew I was going to be fine.”
With his 59th birthday coming up on Sept. 1, Phillip Fulmer wants his friends to know he is fine. He was in New York this week getting ready for a new assignment as a college football analyst for the CBS College Sports Network. Fulmer and I did an SEC/Big 12 preview show together that will run on CBS College later this month. We also enjoyed a nice dinner out on the town where we had a chance to catch up on what he’s been doing since parting ways with Tennessee.
“My priest told me that I should take a sabbatical where I would rest, study, and pray and I took that to heart,” said Fulmer. “I did more fun things than I’ve done in a long, long time. We have a new grandson that I’m enjoying. I’ve enjoyed my family a lot more. I’ve gotten involved in an investment business where I’m a partner. The good news is that I don’t have to do anything. But it’s not in my DNA not to be doing something.”
Fulmer is set financially but he took the TV gig because he wanted to stay involved in the game and keep his face out there. He is very clear on this: If the right opportunity comes along, he wants to get back into coaching for the 2010 season.
“I absolutely want to coach again. I’m young and I feel young,” Fulmer said. “Given what we accomplished at Tennessee I still think we have something to contribute. We had a lot of success at Tennessee.”
But Fulmer also made it clear that he will only return to coaching at a school that is committed to winning championships.
“I think the commitment comes from the administration in terms of facilities, hiring the best possible staff and giving them the tools to succeed,” Fulmer said. “It would be silly for me at this point to go start up a program. Building new programs is very important work. But that is not what I want to do at this point.”
Fulmer is doing television to remain close to the game. He is also making his own personal tour to NFL camps trying to add to his knowledge base. When he left New York on Wednesday, Fulmer rented a car and drove to Albany where he attended the Giants training camp.
“People who know me know that I’m not afraid of change and to learn new things,” said Fulmer. “I’m not afraid to take a chance. We showed that went we went from (quarterback) Petyon Manning (in 1997) to Tee Martin (in 1998). They were both great players but had success in different ways.
“Of course that (willingness to try new things) probably bit me in the butt last year.” Fulmer was referring to his hiring of former Richmond head coach Dave Clawson as his offensive coordinator in 2008. The move was intended to create some new offensive wrinkles after the departure of OC David Cutlicliffe to Duke. It did not work and was one of the contributing factors to Fulmer’s ultimate dismissal at Tennessee.
Fulmer is very guarded when he discusses the new Tennessee coaching staff, led by Lane Kiffin. He believes that former head coaches are supposed to be like former presidents. You don’t talk about the new guy.
But in our show he did say this when asked about Tennessee: “In football, if you’re going to talk, you better be able to back it up.”
So Fulmer is going to work hard at television but have some fun. He’s going to learn as much as he can and if the phone rings in November and December and opportunity knocks again, he’ll have a decision to make.
“People who are close to me tell me I don’t have to do this (go back to coaching). It is a valid discussion,” Fulmer said. “Figuring all that out is what this fall is going to be all about. My plan is to enjoy it.”
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157 comments Add your comment
The Rifleman
August 20th, 2009
9:13 am
The next coach at Louisville…..
Saint Simons
August 20th, 2009
9:13 am
(((((45-42))))) hahahahahahaha. WTF took you so long barny?
Bill in Sandy Springs
August 20th, 2009
9:36 am
Hey TB,
My brother’s girlfriend’s a lifelong Texas AM Aggie fan. The Aggies are currently stuggling under Mike Sherman despite the great recruiting effort. I know it’s still early in his stay in College Station but if things don’t shape up this season they may run out of patience anyway.
Would a place like Texas AM be a place for Fulmer to land his next job?
Kid Ray
August 20th, 2009
9:37 am
UofL would be perfect for Fulmer…Good school…BCS league but a little more off the radar than UT. Also could see him at Wisc if Bielema falters again.
Kramers2009
August 20th, 2009
9:37 am
South Carolina?
Kramers2009
August 20th, 2009
9:41 am
Wiscosin would be hilarous.. hell, Fulmer is use to having to rely on recruiting out of state talent. He succesfully went out of state in Knoxville.. maybe he could talk some kids in to coming up to Madison. They do have a rabit fan base. I would love to see Phil go up there and dominate the big ten.
Jon
August 20th, 2009
9:41 am
If I’m TAMU I would go after Tuberbille before Fulmer.
Bill in Sandy Springs
August 20th, 2009
9:42 am
Louisville sounds like the money pick for Fulmer’s next stop. Wisconsin is a realistic possibillity if Bielema continues on the same path he is on.
Jon
August 20th, 2009
9:43 am
Spurrier is not going anywhere Kramers 09
Dink
August 20th, 2009
9:43 am
Seems like Father Time is not on his side. Too many young, up & coming coaches these days.
Tony, I’m looking forward to the return of “Talking Football” September 3. Who is taking over for Tee Martin?
Go Dawgs!
Bill in Sandy Springs
August 20th, 2009
9:47 am
I am not sure if A&M could afford Tuberville but they might get Fulmer at a discount.
GWJ
August 20th, 2009
9:49 am
Fulmer can go to South Carolina and win 6-7 games a year….just like everybody else that’s EVER coached at USC.
Gator Nation
August 20th, 2009
9:50 am
Tuberville will be head coach of Miami if they dont get at least 8 but possibly 9 wins this season.
We the people
August 20th, 2009
10:03 am
He will not coach in the SEC again. The Big 12 or the “Slack 10″ might be suitable for his XL Pumpkin Ego.
SuperB
August 20th, 2009
10:04 am
Fulmer needs to keep his house in Knoxville. By November the Vols will be trying to hire him back to replace the large mouth bass they employed to run them further into shallow water.
Why don't these guys just...
August 20th, 2009
10:09 am
…go off into the sunset quietly? He probably will not be hired anywhere other than a 1AA school – as Dink said, too many good young coaches out there deserving a chance and good D1 athletics directors know that in these financial times they can roll the dice for less money than roll the dice on a probably overpaid FORMERLY successful coach – no matter what the name on the former coach says.
Chuck Uga
August 20th, 2009
10:11 am
I still say UT made a big mistake. Just watch.
Fulmer will not leave the south for a new position. He won’t have to. Louisville or an ACC school will likely land him. Don’t be shocked to one day see him alongside David Cutcliffe (again). I just hope we (UGA) won’t have them on our schedule (oh well, UGA has a home-and-home coming up with Louisville. Crap). I just pray he doesn’t end up at Ga Tech when Paul Johnson leaves.
PTC DAWG
August 20th, 2009
10:11 am
Best of luck to Fulmer…..I don’t see him at South Carolina either, as they aren’t committed to winning anything.
Brad in Jasper
August 20th, 2009
10:12 am
Hard to see Fulmer leaving the Southeast Region (not SEC necessarily) with his background and ties, although he did recruit nationally at UT. Nutt was able swap schools in the SEC West, but even with a vacancy I don’t see him back in the SEC soon, esp. not in the East – though stranger things have happened.
Gatorzone
August 20th, 2009
10:14 am
UT will Bring back the big man. They will regret their current coaching choice
JoeV
August 20th, 2009
10:16 am
When Spurrier gets waxed by the SEC and Clemson again, he’ll bolt for the greener pastures of Augusta National. Then USuC can hire another washed up National Championship winning coach and ruin his career and legacy. That’s what they do best there. Its a coaching graveyard and Fulmer would be a perfect fit.
Ryan
August 20th, 2009
10:17 am
No athletic director is going to get close to the dirtiest coach in NCAA history, sport notwithstanding.
David
August 20th, 2009
10:19 am
The 1st thing he needs to do is lose a 100 lbs. He needs to call Ralph at Maryland to get some advice. After all the arrests at UT during the last few years, it showed he did not have control of the program. Each time Cutcliffe left UT, the offense struggled. I can’t see any major program taking a chance on him.
Bamafan
August 20th, 2009
10:19 am
Some of my bama friends may think I have lost my mind, but I hope Fulmer gets back in coaching and does well. I had a UT friend talk to about want Fulmer was trying to protect his home turf talking about Memphis recruiting and trying to stop Logan Young from buying football players to Alabama. I
know most Alabama fans hates Fulmer guts, but we need to move on and put this in the closet for good. Fulmer has done a lot of good thinks for people in Knoxville and the great state of Tennessee.
Brew
August 20th, 2009
10:25 am
Hope he does get another job. Maybe he’ll work a little harder at his next job because he won’t have the sense of entitlement or have built up enough “equity” (his word) he felt at UT.
Ron Mexico
August 20th, 2009
10:26 am
Florida State, when Bowden doesn’t leave and Fisher doesn’t stay.
Brew
August 20th, 2009
10:27 am
Ryan, my friend, you are so mistaken. The dirtiest coach in the NCAA did just get hired…at UK in basketball. However, this is a topic about Fulmer.
HURRA-CRANE
August 20th, 2009
10:30 am
I see Fulmer being the next coach at Georgia Tech. Yup. I said good ole Tech. Paul Johnson is a hack. He will not have the ability to surprise anyone with his High School offensive approach like he did last year. Johnson can’t recruit and fat Phil can. Write it down NERDS! Tech will go 5-7 this year and not sniff a bowl. Fat Phil will swoop and get Johnson on the road back to the ‘boro. Saint Simons, tell your wife I said hello!
Atlanta Gator
August 20th, 2009
10:35 am
Phil Fulmer was a Division I head coach for 17 seasons, all at Tennessee, his alma mater. His Volunteer teams won 152 of 204 games played (or almost 75%); only Steve Spurrier among SEC coaches had a higher winning percentage. His Vols played in 15 bowl games (including 3 BCS Bowls and 4 Citrus Bowls), and won 8; only 2 teams did not go bowling.
He was 11-6 against UGA, 11-5 against Alabama, and 5-12 against the Gators (more wins against Florida than any other coach during the same time). His Vols played in the SEC Championship game 4 times, and won twice. His 1998 team won the first BCS championship game. His record is even more remarkable because he was backed up behind the Evil Genius’ SEC-dominant Gators for 10 of his 17 years as coach.
Yeah, I think Fulmer can coach. He’s 58 years old. Only question is, does he still have the fire? I’ll let the coach speak for himself.
The Day before the Weekend Links « Football on the Brain
August 20th, 2009
10:36 am
[...] Mr.College Football aka Tony Barnhart had dinner with Phillip Fulmer and the former Vol coach definitely wants back into coaching. I don’t see Fulmer returning to the SEC but you never know. I could see Fulmer landing at a smaller program were a name like his could mean big things for recruiting. The name that has been repeatedly thrown around is Louisville. Steve Kragethorpe isn’t exactly doing a bang up job there so a change could come at the end of this season if things don’t get better. [...]
athensdawg
August 20th, 2009
10:43 am
It will be interesting to see where the great pumpkin ends up. Somebody should at least snatch him up as an OL coach.
DawginLex
August 20th, 2009
10:45 am
Fulmer will coach again at the D-1 level. To think someone won’t hire him is foolish. I could see him at TAM. My bet is UVA after Groh goes 4-8 this year, they will be looking for a new coach.
LSU TIGER
August 20th, 2009
10:47 am
Maybe Curry will go back to Tech………I don’t think they bricks in windows at Tech, just dead fish at Catholic coach’s and players……all class over at the flats……..
Old Dawg
August 20th, 2009
10:48 am
I know it’s a long shot, but several former D-I coaches have coached on the high school level and enjoyed it. They don’t consider it a step down, rather a way to teach fundamental football and mentoring to youngsters. I know his high school team, Franklin County, TN, could use some help redeveloping the program.
Johnny Fontane
August 20th, 2009
10:57 am
Sitting at the same dinner table as Fulmer can be dangerous. Be careful reaching for a roll.
baconboy
August 20th, 2009
10:58 am
He might also be well served to go somewhere as a position coach or coordinator for few years and see how that goes. I’m thinking of what Dan McCarney has done at Florida after being a head coach that got let go. Sometimes you need to get in the trenches again before you can lead effectively. And since he spent his whole coaching career at Tennessee, it might also benefit him to see another program before he goes to take over another one.
won't be going
August 20th, 2009
10:59 am
Phil won’t be going back to UT, regardless of how poorly boycoach does, which figures to be poorly, indeed. First off, why would he go back to the same president and athletic director that fired him? Second, since when do a.d.’s and university president’s admit mistakes?
He’s articulate, fairly personable and seems to be a perfect fit on television. I mean, he actually has a distinguished record as a coach, unlike Corso, or the perpetual probation machine Holtz, who is the embodiment of all that the term d-bag implies. Just keep him out of the SEC and away from Cutcliffe. Those guys did a number on us more than we did them here in Athens.
dawgstephen
August 20th, 2009
11:03 am
I think he needs to coach again. He is a winner. I dont like Tennessee or Fulmer, but he didnt deserve to go out the way he did. Of course those who remember how he GOT the job at UT would say karma is a mean mean thing. I think he would do just fine somewhere else..maybe SC…haha
http://www.dawgstephen.blogspot.com
dawgstephen
August 20th, 2009
11:05 am
Atlanta gator….that is a great post. Very well done.
DublDawg
August 20th, 2009
11:06 am
Fulmer referred to his priest. Would that be a Catholic priest?
Maybe he will end up at Notre Dame to replace the unwashed fatboy that they have now. In the end, Notre Dame would probably be happier with a Catholic bigboy that cannot win than the one it has.
Otto
August 20th, 2009
11:06 am
Fulmer wants to be back in coaching? Does Cutcliff need an OL coach?
Tubby is a good coach if you can get Borges along with him to run the offense. They could be an ACC title contender but I don’t see it being a national power like Miami wants.
Miles
August 20th, 2009
11:09 am
Having alluded to his priet’s advice, maybe Fulmer will land at Notre Dame…
HH
August 20th, 2009
11:10 am
Ron Mexico: Florida State has Richt locked up. Poor old Phil will have to look elsewhere. Cheer up, UGA fans. Richt will take Willie with him, AND, maybe even Bozo.
Miles
August 20th, 2009
11:11 am
DublDawg…Sorry, I didn’t see your comment until mine had posted…I guess we’re on the same page…
Mining For More Nuggets | MrSEC.com
August 20th, 2009
11:13 am
[...] Barnhart of The AJC caught up with Phillip Fulmer to talk about his plans. In case you haven’t heard, he still wants to coach. (He’s certainly keeping his [...]
sact
August 20th, 2009
11:13 am
wish i could feel sorry for him,……..but i remember how he got the job and how he did in a pretty good coach, (that i didnt particularly like) while he was down……….so …………it comes around!!!! and …….texas a&m can afford and pay anyone they want………just watch
Miles
August 20th, 2009
11:14 am
Mr. Barnhart, any word on Jeff Bower? He’s in a similar situation to Fulmer. Any chance we’ll see him again as a head coach?
Rover
August 20th, 2009
11:19 am
Dude needs to lose 200 pounds. It would help him tremendously in life and in selling himself for a comeback.
mgoodr00
August 20th, 2009
11:21 am
I agree with the the above comment about Tuberville going back to his roots at Miami. I’m sure Jimmy Johnson would put in a good word. Matter of fact I wouldn’t be suprised to see Ed Orgeron end up in Miami as well. I would be suprised if Orgeron stays at Tennessee for more than two years. As for Fulmer I would be suprised if he doesn’t get back into coaching in some way. I also wonder if hasn’t been quietly mentioned by Jason Witten to Jerry Jones as a possible replacement for Wade Phillips in Dallas if things dont go right there.
Navigator
August 20th, 2009
11:25 am
He’ll never get a top assistant’s job after what he did to Johnny Majors, so it’s head coach or permanent retirement.
RxDawg
August 20th, 2009
11:27 am
Notre Dame is an interesting prediction…it makes a lot of sense too.
I agree he is too talented and proven to be talking on TV for long. I’ll make another prediction Miami.
that was funny about
August 20th, 2009
11:34 am
Johnson going back to middle georgia….If CPJ keeps beating uga, the orange guy could be wearing red and black! That would probably just kill BuLL!
EW
August 20th, 2009
11:34 am
Atlanta Gator, TB stated that UT played in 5 SEC title games…splitting hairs I know, but great post anyway. Nice to see that occasionally people want to talk football more than they want to act like five year olds.
Pitbull
August 20th, 2009
11:35 am
Depends on which “new young coach” craps out first. The one at Clemson, Auburn, Miss State, Southern Miss.
Or which established coach screws up royal: Central Florida, Miami, FSU, Arkansas, GT, Memphis, Kentucky, Louisville, Virginia , WVU all come to mind.
It will be somewhere in the SEC ACC area unless he gets a wild hair and takes Notre Dame. He would be one hell of a coach there if the fatter guy finally gives it up. How much longer can the ND people take him?
Da Coach
August 20th, 2009
11:38 am
I predict Phil Fulmer will wind up at Auburn. He’ll recruit well and set the table for the next coach, which he’ll already have on his staff. Think Allbarn fans will remember his UT record vs. Alabama? Chizik will be gone after two years with the closck starting after getting hammered again this year by Nick Satan and his gang of hoodlums.
Mirna from smyrna
August 20th, 2009
11:40 am
Fulmer put the knife in Jonny Majors while he was down and is doing the same to the Louisville coach right now. Don’t be suprised when he ends up there as an “advisor” by mid October if things go bad again in Louisville.
Villa Rica DAWG
August 20th, 2009
11:49 am
I still don’t understand why UT fired Fulmer. Granted, he sucked last year, but don’t you think he had paid his dues and deserved a chance to turn it back around???
polskidawg
August 20th, 2009
11:58 am
First off, the dirtiest college football coach was Barry Switzer, or Lou Holtz.
How about Georgia State University for the Pumpkin? Just kidding…
Kiffin Is A Bozo
August 20th, 2009
12:04 pm
I don’t know if he will coach again but I do know he is better than what they got in Knoxville right now.
LJ of UGA
August 20th, 2009
12:07 pm
His best bet would be to latch on at Duke. Check Fulmer’s W-L record when Cutcliffe was with him, vs. when he wasn’t.
ReptilesRule
August 20th, 2009
12:09 pm
Gee, whatever happened to all those Urban Meyer to Notre Dame rumors??? I don’t even hear Paul Pondscum trying to spuew that garbage anymore. What’s Mark Richts coaching staff (and a few others) to do???
Buck Strickland
August 20th, 2009
12:18 pm
IMO UT started to go down hill because they recruited too many “me” guys like Jabari Davis and ice man Clausen. I can’t believe bringing in a huckster like Kiffin is going to help much. I’d be very worried about the state of my football program if I were a UT grad.
Orangeskull
August 20th, 2009
12:21 pm
First and foremost, Fulmer was a great guy and gave Tennessee a lot of proud years. With that being said much of his deserved wins should and needs to go to Cutcliffe. He was the mastermind behind the Tennessee offense. But the game has passed both of them up. When it came down to the big plays to win or lose Fulmer had to make the call, and there is only so many time you can run up the middle.
In the past Fulmer also was able to bring in the big players. But with the other up and coming coaches in the SEC, that also ended. Fulmer was too set in his ways to continue in the SEC. I also find his remark that he wouldnt go to any school unless they were committed to winning championships kind of funny. What school is not committed to try and win?? And with that thought, that is why he is no longer with Tennessee. SEC schools demand perfection, and if you don’t perform your gone. Fulmer wanted to be the Jo-Pa of the SEC. Not going to happen. As the saying goes “what have you done for me lately?”
Good luck Coach, You will coach again, but it want be a school that counts. I hear Hawaii is looking.
JB
August 20th, 2009
12:36 pm
Clemson, Auburn, Tenn,Fla. St., LSU,Michigan will all have new coach’s within 3 years. also, maybe Tech. That is out of respect, not bashing. If Johnson wins 9 -10 games a year for the next two years, real money will come his way. I don’t see Tech paying him 4.5-5.0 mil selling 35,000 tickets, playing at noon on regional TV, no ticket premium fund and spliting crappy bowl game money. He will exit to a big stage. Hate it Jackets, but that WILL happen…..Success will kill the goose. Hell, he might end up in the SEC, where all REAL BIG TIME COACH’S ASPIRE TO BE.
CrazyVol
August 20th, 2009
12:38 pm
Fulmer had to go. Kiffin hmmmmm.. Just don’t know. Talks a good game, but can he back it up. Has everbody talking about UT football. I have seen more UT stories in the AJC this year then I have in the past 10 years with Fulmer. Same with ESPN. Will this pay off in recurits? Time will tell. People talk about how much he stunk in the NFL. Lets see I could name about 5 current coaches that had the same issue. Can’t hang with the million dollar cry babies so they come back to college for the pure game. Alabama, Ark, SC just to name a few. Am I ready to sing his praises, not quite yet. Lets just say it should be an intersting year and leave it at that.
To Fulmer. Good Luck, Find a young offensive coordinator that is cutting edge. You will need it.
Aggie Fan
August 20th, 2009
12:39 pm
A big-name coach like Fulmer is exactly what Texas A&M needs to get the program turned around.
Old School
August 20th, 2009
12:41 pm
Tony:
Fulmer’s legacy among Non-Tennessee fans will always be his back-stabbing of Coach Majors who is a very fine man.
Ed-Covington
August 20th, 2009
12:45 pm
Bull Gator, Atlanta Gator & Dawgstephen: Agree with you all.
UT will regret letting Fulmer go. Kiffin is an embarrassment to all of college football, and Chavis(?) is a better college DC than Monte. Don’t see any Derrick Brooks playing at UT.
UT fans who called for Fulmer’s head will get what they deserve. He was as a devoted UT man as there could be, having been there continually since his freshman year in Knoxville. What other coach could claim that? He was in the SEC championship game two years ago. He won a NC. What more do they want, and how many other schools would be estatic with that record?
Of course, this is the same school that ran off Bill Battle, who had lost like 5 games in three years.
Good luck, UT!
Tide Rising
August 20th, 2009
12:45 pm
Funny but nobody seemed to mention ND for Fulmer. If Weiss gets fired Fulmer would be a great fit there. He knows how to recruit nationwide, his teams would be physical and play power football the way ND fans think they should, and he would be a steady helmsman for probably 10 years.
As for Miami I think that if they don’t excel this year then Miami fires Shannon and Tubbs takes over. If that happens then watch out. Miami will emerge quickly as a national power under Tubberville. Since Tubberville owned Meyer and the gators things would also get a lot more interesting in the state of Florida.
Question??
August 20th, 2009
12:46 pm
Old School
What did Fulmer do to Majors?
Island Dawg
August 20th, 2009
12:47 pm
I’m just surprised he has a grandchild after seeing sideline shots of little pumpkins…Gross!!
Sam Robards, Dawg Fan
August 20th, 2009
12:48 pm
Who wants to bet that if Charlie Weis gets booted out at Notre Dame, Fulmer takes the job? Unlike Weis, Fulmer is a good coach. And with Fulmer’s experience recruiting nationally, he could actually bring ND outta the slump they’re in. And how funny would that be for Urban Meyer to see his “dream job” taken by the guy he beat up on for the last four years?
Tide Rising
August 20th, 2009
12:53 pm
Question??,
When Johnny Majors had a heart attack and was in the hospital Fulmer lobbied the UT AD and some prominent alums for the UT job behind Major’s back. So they fired Majors since UT wasn’t doing very well and hired Fulmer. Johnny Majors to this day loves everything UT except for Phil Fulmer and 2 other UT people who I am assuming are probably the AD at that time and one booster who helped Fulmer get the job. And to think people call Fulmer a classy guy.
Ijust Cutwon
August 20th, 2009
1:06 pm
When Fulmer lied about being served a subpoena last year at Media Days, it was the beginning of the end for him.
Brew
August 20th, 2009
1:09 pm
Rising, you left out the fact that Majors refused to sign his contract over the summer trying to extort more money from UT and bitched long and hard about the contract to everybody. Fulmer went undefeated in Johnny’s absence and yes, UT bigwigs decided it was better to keep Fulmer than put up with Johnny. When Johnny saw the handwriting on the wall, he decided that contract wasn’t so bad and tried to sign it, but it was too late.
Mike Lum
August 20th, 2009
1:12 pm
Erk or Bill Curry didn’t back down when given the opportunity to build a start up program. Erk said it was a bigger achievement what he did at GA Southern than winning the natl title at UGA .
Tide Rising
August 20th, 2009
1:15 pm
Brew,
It doesn’t change the fact that Fulmer was lobbying for the man’s job while he was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack.
Another Dawg
August 20th, 2009
1:21 pm
I think Washington and ND would be good fits for Fullmer. UW ought to be a national program by the time their next coach gets done with them (this recent slide is just pathetic.) Notre Dame basically needs to be looking for a recruiter like Fullmer with strong national ties. He won’t be the guy to win ND a national title, but he’ll certainly get them back into BCS-relevance.
JaxDawg
August 20th, 2009
1:21 pm
Virginia or Miami seem likely as both coaches are definitely on the hotseat. Fulmer vs Beamer would energize the VA vs VA Tech game, and Fulmer’s national recruiting abilities could turn VA around quickly.
I think both Auburn and Tenn got caught up in the win now, win big hype and got rid of two very good and proven coaches. There’s no reason either coach couldn’t have gotten their respective teams back on track within a season or two. Now both programs are 4-5 yrs out at least and will most likely have to replace the coaches they just hired within that time frame.
how2fish
August 20th, 2009
1:25 pm
Auburn…!
ANDY
August 20th, 2009
1:27 pm
I NEVER LIKE FULMER AFTER WHAT HE DID TO JOHNNY MAJORS. HE’S CERTAINLY NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON I WOULD WANT TO HAVE FOR A FRIEND!
jumbeauxtiger
August 20th, 2009
1:29 pm
Nice post Atlanta Gator.
Fulmer is a good coach and will be coaching again. It would not surprise to see him at A&M or in the ACC. I doubt he’ll ever coach in the SEC again but you never know.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
Ed-Covington
August 20th, 2009
1:29 pm
Doug Dickey, the UT AD during the Majors v. Fulmer affair, and Joe Johnson, the UT president were the main culprits in the situation. Investigation indicated that Dickey approached Fulmer and asked if he was interested in the job. It was Fulmer’s dream job, what was he supposed to say, “NO”? Then Dickey suggested to Fulmer that he needed to win over some influential boosters. Fulmer understood from the conversation with Dickey that Majors was already out; Dickey even implied that Majors was going to resign due to his health. Fulmer was as surprised as anyone to find out that Dickey and Johnson had used him as a lever to remove Majors; who was in a contract dispute with UT at the time. BTW, Dickey was aa ex Gator head coach. UT fans are rabid; there’s a reason there’s a 105,000 seat stadiun in, of all places, Knoxville, Tenn.
PaulC
August 20th, 2009
1:31 pm
Most of you people are idiots. Fulmer was an abject failure without Rodney Garner, and even worse without David Cutcliffe. It’s easy to win championships when you play against chumps like Ray Goff, Mike Dubose, Gerry Dinardo, and Tommy Bowden, not so against the current crop of coaches, and that’s why he had to go. Enter Lane Kiffin. Assembles a far superior to staff, hauls in a top 10 recruiting class, fires up the fan base, opens up competition at all positions (except E. Berry) and is not afraid (like Fulmer was) to talk smack to his opponents. VOL fans LOVE the fact that Kiffin is hated and people want to beat us worse than ever. Tennesse was becoming an irrelevant place for College Football under Philtard. If you counldn’t see that you either weren’t paying attention or you’re just an idiot.
Tide Rising
August 20th, 2009
1:37 pm
Ijustcutwon,
Fulmer has a history of being dishonest and lying about things. A lot of Alabama fans hate him because he turned in Bama for 2 boosters cheating in the early 2000s. Most of us don’t have a problem with the school being punished and for the 2 boosters who were blatantly trying to buy players.
What we did have a problem with is that Fulmer was behind the whole thing. He basically helped the sec and ncaa nail Bama in exchange for letting UT off the hook since UT boosters were also implicated in trying to buy the same high school player. Fulmer himself lined up 11 UT people including private eyes to dig up dirt all as “secret witnesses”.
The main person who helped Fulmer against Alabama was recruiting analyst Tom Culpepper, who was promised a job by Fulmer as UTs recruiting coordinator in exchange for helping dig up dirt. Culpepper never got the job and it was later proven in court documents and depositions that he either he or Fulmer were both lying part of the time or all of the time since their testimonies directly contradicted each other. The bottom line though is that according to all the documents revealed that the NCAA didn’t want revealed its plainly obvious that Fulmer was lying at least some of the time.
Fulmer also pressured a player Kenny Smith who transferred from Bama to UT into saying that Bama offered him illegal inducements. He put such pressure on the kid that he went along with it. Later he left UT and in an interview with ESPN he stated that Bama recruited him cleanly. He went along with what Fulmer told him to say because Fulmer had put such pressure on him that he was scared. He quit and left school over the whole matter.
Fulmer also fabricated a story to the NCAA in what he thought was “secret testimony” and would stay secret that Kenny Smith’s mother was having an affair with an Alabama assistant coach. After Smith left school and later on after these documents were revealed his mother then sued Fulmer for defamation of character since the accusation was without merit.
Fulmer did a great job in public of putting on airs about being such a classy guy. In my estimation he is anything but.
Don Barzini
August 20th, 2009
1:42 pm
Maybe he could go to Clemson when Dabo craps out….that way, he wouldn’t have to change his wardrobe.
Bama Aaron
August 20th, 2009
1:44 pm
All I know that Karma does in deed bite and it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. Wouldn’t hurt my feelings if he never coached again.
PaulC
August 20th, 2009
1:45 pm
And Bama fans: Fulmer was indeed a subpar coach compared to Saban, Meyer, et al, but he DID turn your lying, cheating, no good butts into the NCAA (as did Spurrier) and you clowns were BUSTED for all the crap you pulled (and still continue, btw) in Memphis. Just because Phatlock got you busted doesn’t mean you didn’t deserve it because you most certainly did.
John
August 20th, 2009
1:45 pm
Fulmer got fired because he went 5-6 in 2005 and 5-7 in 2008. Tennessee football had become stagnant and you cant have two loosing seasons in that short of a timespan at Tennessee. When you look at the two seasons they were when he was without David Cutcliffe the brains of the program. When Fulmer lost Cutcliffe he lost his job. Simple as that Cutcliffe was the man behind Tennessee’s success.
BAMA MAN
August 20th, 2009
1:45 pm
The reason Fat Phil turn in Ala for recuited all those good Memphis football player was Logan Young was willing to part with the money and The Tennessee Stud was to cheap to pay for them even if they did in his HOT TUB with him!
Old School
August 20th, 2009
1:49 pm
Tide Rising
When Fulmer was recruiting Tennessee native Santonio Beard, Santonio informed Coach Fulmer that he intended to sign with Alabama. Fulmer replied that “Alabama will be out of business soon”.
I agree about Fulmer doing a great job in public of putting on airs about being such a classy guy. Away from the media I wonder.
JoeV
August 20th, 2009
1:50 pm
PaulC,
what the heck are talking about? The only time Fulmer played Tommy Bowden he and his Vols got their clocks cleaned in the Peach Bowl?
Native
August 20th, 2009
1:53 pm
Fulmer and the subpenea at Media Days is not what started it. Fulmer was on the hot seat before Cutcliff returned. Cutcliffe saved Fulmer’s job but UT did not win an SEC title or beat Florida. Clutcliffe leaves and UT returns to fighting for 3rd in the East. Keep in mind UT’s record against UF is not much better than UGA’s. It does not fly in Knoxville.
Tubberville did not get along with Auburn for long. Borges saved Tubby from getting fired earlier and won Tubby’s only SEC title. Borges for whatever reason is run out (my guess would be boosters as Tubby and Borges are still friendly) The coaching staff as Franklin has said became more and more divided with people not talking to each other. It eventually imploded. The coaching staff at Auburn now is a much more unified staff. Tommy is a good coach as long as you have a good OC that he trusts.
PaulC
August 20th, 2009
1:57 pm
Joe, I meant Terry Bowden. A little insight on your part would have probably alerted you that is who I was referring to. And getting beat by Tommy Bowden’s unranked team was yet another reason why he was a lousy coach.
Native
August 20th, 2009
2:00 pm
PaulC, We’ll see how the VOLS fans like BoyBlunder when Urban makes the last trip to the swamp (59-20) look gentle. Saban and CMR don’t really care for him either. Chizik will be in Auburn longer than Lane is in Knoxville.
Tide Rising
August 20th, 2009
2:00 pm
PaulC,
Perhaps you need to read my post again. I acknowledged that we had 2 boosters who were trying to buy a player in Memphis Albert Means. I’ve no problem with the boosters being disassociated and Bama being put on probation.
But as the 2 high school coaches who were trying to auction the kid to the highest bidder reveal Bama wasn’t the only school who had boosters bidding for this kid. They flat out said that boosters from UT, Ark, Mich State, and 2 other schools I can’t remember who were also bidding to try and steer the kid to their respective schools. UT was clearly implicated as well by both high school coaches. The ncaa simply brushed it under the rug in exchange for getting one program like Alabama and hitting us especially hard to make a point. Going after 5 schools in 5 separate investigations would have been just too much and so they just made Alabama the target.
Also PaulC, since you just made the accusation that we are cheating again in Memphis then please provide the proof and I’ll wire you $1,000. All you have to do is provide the proof. You can do that can’t you?
observor
August 20th, 2009
2:03 pm
Does Barnhart ever read or reply to his blog at all? People have valid questions for him and he completely ignores them. Barnhart, you are simply a lazy drive by blogger.
Tennessee shocks the world twice this season | SEC Football Blogger
August 20th, 2009
2:06 pm
[...] news: Tony Barnhart says Fulmer wants back in coaching, so that is a great excuse to use this pic [...]
JoeV
August 20th, 2009
2:07 pm
Sorry Paul, I didn’t know I was supposed to “just know” whom you are speaking of when you clearly typed Tommy.
I agree he was a lousy coach. He got beat by an even more inferior coach that night.
Ed
August 20th, 2009
2:17 pm
I don’t know what happened during the last few seasons in Knoxville, but I saw enough of Fulmer over the years to know the man can coach. He’ll find a job.
Fulmer might want to reconsider going to a program that needs rebuilding. Erk Russell started from scratch at a similar age, and his status as legend was only enhanced by GSU’s success.