Johnny Majors' History

#51
#51
It was a story without heroes. Majors was a drunk and a jackass who pissed off enough important people that they were looking to get rid of him; Fulmer was a backstabber who took advantage of his boss's heart attack to elbow him aside. Not a pretty chapter in Tennessee history.

That's the version I heard most of the time.
 
#52
#52
The only details I would add to this verison: Majors had a heart attack allowing Fulmer to be interim coach for the first few games until Majors returned.

Rumor is Fulmer told the AD he was planning to leave to take a HC job, if he wasn't offered the HC at Tennessee. At the same time Majors was campaigning for a new contract with a major pay increase and creating some bad blood.

So instead of giving Majors a large pay increase and a new contract, they decided to replace him with Fulmer who had been threatening to leave anyways.
 
#53
#53
I was at UT during the Majors/Fulmer transition. Many of you know the facts in great detail. But the real "reasons" for things that happened are always going to be skeptical, even if you know the real reasons. There's just got to be more to it than x,y and z, and "that's what happened". I do know for a fact, personally, that J Majors wasn't the only one in his family that liked to drink. But, that's the only fact that I know.
 
#54
#54
The Majors family is Tennessee royalty, and Johnny damn sure deserved better than he got. As for where UT football would be now if Fulmer had left? It is hard to say, but I think JM could have groomed a successor quite well. You see the Johnny Majors coaching tree is pretty impressive, Jon Gruden, Larry Lacewell, Walt Harris, Kippy Brown, Lovie Smith etc..... Philip Fulmer's has one branch named Cutcliffe.
 
#55
#55
Here is the Fulmer version of the story - as told by Fulmer to my dad and other alumni on a golf trip during the summer of '92. Fulmer replaced Majors on this trip to Scotland because of Johnny's heart problems:

Fulmer said that a few years prior to '92, Majors had signed a new contract and told Phil it would be his last. He promised that he and Dickey would make sure Phil became head coach. Fulmer turned down several head jobs in the late 80s and early 90s (including Arkansas, I know).

As mentioned in earlier posts, Majors was demanding a new contract heading into the '92 season. Fulmer felt betrayed by Majors and told the alumni on this golf trip that if Johnny got a new contract, he would leave UT for a head job somewhere else.

No doubt he was applying that same kind of pressure to Dickey and others. No doubt that whole situation was much uglier than it needed to be. But imagine what UT football would be if Fulmer had left after the '92 season.

If the situation was like that, you can't hardly blame Fulmer for doing what he did. Sounds like Majors made it easier to replace him by his actions.

I first starting keeping up with UT football about the time Johnny Majors became coach. At that time the team had been unranked for a while, and I can remember the excitement when UT finally broke into the top 20 (in those days the top 25 wasn't listed), and the the three SEC titles followed. But it was obvious, and IMO embarrassing, that the insecure Majors came running back too early from his health issues because the team was winning under Fulmer. He also didn't help himself by losing to Bama seven years straight.
 
#56
#56
I don't like Johnny. He is an alcoholic, and a 7-win caliber head coach.

You made that diagnosis all by yourself? What testing protocols did you use? What are your credentials?

Even assuming you are correct is that a reason not to like him? I don't like Dick Cheney- he has cardio-vascular disease.

Did you like Betty Ford? She was a self-described alcoholic. What about Ms. McCain? (Abused other substances.)

Ok, let's put aside the whole "is alcoholism is a disease debate." This still seems like a terribly judgmental position you have taken.

Even if one assumes it is a character flaw (which I do not concede) some of my best friends are alcoholics and pot heads.
 
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#57
#57
Here's closer to the whole story:

1. Majors was mostly a disappointment at Tennessee, as it became increasingly evident his soft schedule at Pitt and Jackie Sherrill's designed defense had more to do with their national "title" than Majors' coaching acumen. Majors' blew a great era at Tennessee where the SEC was mostly down in the 80's, without divisional play, with usually only 1 ranked SEC opponent a year, and yet from 1977 to 1988 we won the equivalent of the SEC east once and the title once thanks to Florida's probation (and no title game), we were rarely a ranked team throughout any season, we rarely went to premier bowls, and went 1-13 against Dooley's Georgia, Bear's Bama and Florida.

2. Majors skirted the edge of recruiting and NCAA issues, getting us close to serious trouble (which Dickey managed to quiet, and kept us out of major problems). Then, in 1989 Majors put Fulmer in control of the offense and recruiting, and both finally found superb consistency. Fulmer was then quickly being offered HC jobs, as Fulmer was to Majors what Malzahn is to Chizik. Most quality coaches on staff hated Majors and would leave Tennessee quickly, with that instability killing our consistency. Majors got Fulmer to turn down those HC jobs by promising him he would take over Tennessee in 93 or so.

3. Come 1992, Majors has a heart attack and Fulmer temporarily takes over the team, and the team plays better with more consistency than it ever did under Majors against quality foes, with big wins as an underdog in big games. Majors rushes back from the hospital, trying to hide who the real source of Tennessee's success was, all the while breaking his word to Fulmer, denigrating the UT President as a "hillbilly," insulting random fans, police officers, and important boosters alike, demanding a big contract and long extension, while embarrassing the program repeatedly along the way before losing on the field to bad teams (a true Johnny Majors' signature was not letting a season go by without some loss to some terrible team on the schedule, and usually more than once.)

4. Fulmer received the East Carolina offer and decided it was time to bolt, and much of the staff planned on going with him, due to their like of Fulmer as well as their hatred of Majors.

5. Majors then insulted a bunch of folks on multiple occasions, and gave Dickey the reasons needed to fire him and keep Fulmer instead. Majors went on to Pitt where, sans Fulmer or Sherrill, he performed abysmally as both a coach and a recruiter. He spent the next two decades calling Tennessee administrators "hillbillies" and trashing the program on Alabama talk radio, where he remains a favorite of Bama fans (the routine and regular whippings we received from Bama under his watch helped as well.) Majors' supporters would continue a campaign to blame Fulmer for Majors' firing and would instigate various "fire Fulmer" movements for years as well as rewriting history over and over again to where many of the younger Tennessee fans who didn't live through that era don't know much of our own modern history prior to Fulmer.
 
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#58
#58
I'm suprised to see you posting on a old thread like this. What you stated vegas is pretty much the story I heard from numerous older fans. I know one thing, my dad HATED TN football while Majors was here. I member he woulndn't even let me the Notre Dame game back in,.... Maybe 89, 90. Not sure. After Fulmer took over he would at least sit and watch it. After we won the NC in 98, he was the first person I thought of, "how bout them vols" sadly he passed away in 96 and I couldn't rub it in.
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#59
#59
Here is the Fulmer version of the story - as told by Fulmer to my dad and other alumni on a golf trip during the summer of '92. Fulmer replaced Majors on this trip to Scotland because of Johnny's heart problems:

Fulmer said that a few years prior to '92, Majors had signed a new contract and told Phil it would be his last. He promised that he and Dickey would make sure Phil became head coach. Fulmer turned down several head jobs in the late 80s and early 90s (including Arkansas, I know).

As mentioned in earlier posts, Majors was demanding a new contract heading into the '92 season. Fulmer felt betrayed by Majors and told the alumni on this golf trip that if Johnny got a new contract, he would leave UT for a head job somewhere else.

No doubt he was applying that same kind of pressure to Dickey and others. No doubt that whole situation was much uglier than it needed to be. But imagine what UT football would be if Fulmer had left after the '92 season.

Boy... Vicki must really have it going on!! You'd never see me turning down one!
 
#60
#60
Majors' heart condition caused him to miss the first 3 games of the 92 season,a win over Georgia @ Athens and a home win in the rain vs Fla..this caused Majors to jump out of his sickbed fully healed and try to take the reins of the team back..this caused a rift in the staff and amongst the players, who immediately after Majors came lost 3 straight games to Arkansas 25-24, eventuall NC Alabama 17-10 and then the loss at USC 24-23,when ANY of the 3 would have won the SECE for the team...this was compounded by Majors demands for more pay ,as he was at the time in the middle of the pack in SEC coaches..a tirade at the team hotel in Columbia in front of Joe Johnson,Doug Dickey and a couple other giant boosters sealed the deal on Johnny..it was also thought that at the time Fulmer was undermining Johnny with the AD and boosters, but I would be surprised if the deal was done as soon as he showed his ass in Columbia...Majors was nevver a player's coach..Phil was..and that was that~~~

pretty good description. Majors did return to coaching without clearing with his doctor and/or the Athletic Director. All were surprised.

Majors had been complaining about pay scale for sometime and demanding a higher salary. The indicident described in Columbia I think occurred back here in Tennessee in mid-week. Not the night prior to USC game. Was at a booster fund raiser. Majors former team mate was getting the brunt of his wrath that night. Very loud and very public.

The LSU game was a key turning point for the staff and players and led to the 3 game losing streak.

Majors went a little nuts because he had to settle for field goal right before the half instead of the team getting a TD. He berated the offensive staff as soon as they hit the locker room. Several staff members left the locker room with threats to quit. Fulmer talked them back in. UT went on to beat LSU 20-0 but the next month was not a pretty time in UT history.

I understand Fulmer did let Dickey know what happened in Baton Rouge and that coaches and players were likely to leave after the season if things continued to spin as they were.

I think with all that was happening as discussed above, it led to Majors being removed by Dickey.
 
#61
#61
I hope all those that deems Johnny as a great coach remember that it was 9 seasons before he won a SEC championship or had a team ranked at the of the year. He also benefited that 85 Sugar Bowl/SEC Champ season as a result of Florida being on probation.
In that period he had 1 four win season, 2 five win, 1 six win, 2 seven win, 1 eight win, and 1 nine win season.

Question is if he was a great coach then would you be willing to give Dooley (or even Kif if he had stayed) 9 seasons before winning a SEC championship? Would you give the coach 9 seasons to even be ranked at the end of the season?
 
#62
#62
I have never understood why everyone says CPF stabbed CJM in the back? He was asked to do a job which was interim coach and was a success he beat a good Florida team BAD and really good Georgia team at home.Every UT fan at the time was worried when Majors came back CPF would go coach elsewhere! CJM was a legend but had some serious demons and as the information age was beginning was a scary thing for the UT administration! Could you imagine the ESPN bottom lines if he was still coaching say 5 years later?
 
#63
#63
Fulmer "the great OC"! Funny, when things went bad on Johnny's watch it was his fault but when it went bad under Fulmer it was laid at the feet of Sanders, Clawson etc.
 
#64
#64
CPF couldn't coach his way out of a brown bag if his life was on the line. Everything we had in the 90's is due to Chavis and Cutcliffe. Everything. The minute Cutcliffe left for Ole Miss we went down hill. He came back we suddenly got better. He left again the wheels fell off. If Cutcliffe had of not left CPF would probably still be coach. CPF was a uselss hand clapper.
 
#65
#65
Fulmer "the great OC"! Funny, when things went bad on Johnny's watch it was his fault but when it went bad under Fulmer it was laid at the feet of Sanders, Clawson etc.

Sanders and Clawson didn't serve as the interim coach during Fulmer's losing streaks and win with the same players. That may have a lot to do with it. If Fulmer had disappeared from the team for 3 games and Sanders or Clawson won with a team in which Fulmer struggled, you might have a point.
 
#66
#66
It was a story without heroes. Majors was a drunk and a jackass who pissed off enough important people that they were looking to get rid of him; Fulmer was a backstabber who took advantage of his boss's heart attack to elbow him aside. Not a pretty chapter in Tennessee history.

Can you please provide the non-sugar-coated version?
 
#67
#67
Basically, Majors was recovering from heart surgery, Fulmer was the interim coach and won some games.

Majors took back over and started losing, so EVERYBODY wanted Majors gone and Fulmer as the head coach. Majors was FORCED TO RESIGN and Fulmer took over.


Several years later, FULMER is forced to resign..... and the rest is history. :)
 
#68
#68
It was a story without heroes. Majors was a drunk and a jackass who pissed off enough important people that they were looking to get rid of him; Fulmer was a backstabber who took advantage of his boss's heart attack to elbow him aside. Not a pretty chapter in Tennessee history.

And that is basically all you need to know about this nasty little chapter that still have various factions at each other's throats.
 
#69
#69

There was a rumor that Fulmer went to the AD and told him he had been offered another HC job and that he planned to leave unless he was offered the HC at UT.

In order to keep Fulmer, the AD released Majors. There was also a rumor that Majors was seeking a large sum of money in his new contract as he was the longest tenured HC in the SEC at the time. I think it was around ~800k, a large sum at that time. These are just rumors that have floated around.
 
#72
#72
PEOPLE: Remember one damn thing-- Majors did restore us to the SEC- the 1982 world's fair year win against Alabama- first in many years- and the celebration after- is something I will never FORGET- Ranks up there w/ the NatL. Champ win.--YOU HAD TO BE THERE!
 
#73
#73
Majors' heart condition caused him to miss the first 3 games of the 92 season,a win over Georgia @ Athens and a home win in the rain vs Fla..this caused Majors to jump out of his sickbed fully healed and try to take the reins of the team back..this caused a rift in the staff and amongst the players, who immediately after Majors came lost 3 straight games to Arkansas 25-24, eventuall NC Alabama 17-10 and then the loss at USC 24-23,when ANY of the 3 would have won the SECE for the team...this was compounded by Majors demands for more pay ,as he was at the time in the middle of the pack in SEC coaches..a tirade at the team hotel in Columbia in front of Joe Johnson,Doug Dickey and a couple other giant boosters sealed the deal on Johnny..it was also thought that at the time Fulmer was undermining Johnny with the AD and boosters, but I would be surprised if the deal was done as soon as he showed his ass in Columbia...Majors was nevver a player's coach..Phil was..and that was that~~~

The amazing thing about the wins over Georgia and Florida is that the Vols were heavy underdogs in both games, yet showed a flashy high scoring offense that disappeared upon Majors hasty return.
 
#74
#74
Basically, Majors was recovering from heart surgery, Fulmer was the interim coach and won some games.

Majors took back over and started losing, so EVERYBODY wanted Majors gone and Fulmer as the head coach. Majors was FORCED TO RESIGN and Fulmer took over.


Several years later, FULMER is forced to resign..... and the rest is history. :)

Majors was already on thin ice after a tirade at halftime of the bowl game against Penn State that include some racial comments.
 

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