Our Track Record (long but interesting)

[vavolunteer]

So, here are some coaches, who at one time or another, have had their heads called for on a spit by many or all in Volnation.

Derek Dooley – Complete idiot. Wasted three years talking about bamboo and Romel. Complete narcicist. Set the program back an additional three years on top of his wasted ones. Now riding Dez Bryant’s jock with Cowboys
Jim Chaney – Moved to Arkansas with Bielema. Most would say not much success in SEC thus far.
Justin Wilcox – Went to Washington. Now at USC. Had opportunities to become a head coach. Pretty successful career.
Charlie Baggett – Retired after dealing with Dooley. Considered a WR coach legend when he came. Disrespected by DaRick Rogers and Dooley while here. As I recall, fans were split on his abilities.
Harry Hiestand – Went to Notre Dame and is still there. Many were calling for his head on stick when he left. Been successful at Notre Dame.
Eric Russell – Left and went to Mike Leach’s staff at Wash. State. Most were not sorry to see him go. Many blamed him for declining special teams stats. Was touted as a special teams guru when hired. Many believed he was leaving sinking ship when he bolted. Success as Wash. State has been mixed.
Lance Thompson – Left UT and went back to bama when we got Sunseri. Saban nailed us on this one. We got screwed. Another Dooley hiring mistake. Fans were split when he left. Many called him a traitor to go back to bama and thought we were getting the better end of the deal with Sunseri. He’s been a success since returning to bama.
Sal Sunseri – fired with Dooley staff. Now linebackers coach at FSU. Complete failure as DC. Pretty good linebackers for bama and fsu though.
Charlie Coiner – created a tech company called 1st Down Tech. in Texas. Had an impressive resume before coming to UT. Not really sure what he could have done here. Totally neutered by Dooley.
Jay Graham – left UT to become running backs coach at FSU. Loved while he was here. Pretty much scorned since he left. Seen great success at FSU.
Sam Pittman – fired with Dooley staff. Went to Arkansas with Chaney. Almost no one wanted him to leave. Seems to be showing successful coaching with developing hog running game.
Phil Fulmer – Hasn’t held coaching position since UT fired him. Controversial to this day. But, when he was canned by Hamilton, the vast majority of fans wanted it. But everyone agreed that Hamilton badly mishandled the firing. In hindsight, pretty much everyone agrees this firing never should have happened (the way it did) and all but destroyed the program.
John Chavis – Went to LSU when Fulmer was fired. Still there. Loved/Hated, depends who you talk to. But, you can’t deny his success since going to LSU.
Dave Clawson – fired when Kiffin came in. Moved around some. Now head coach at Wake Forest.
Randy Sanders – Left UT and went to UK. Now co-OC/QB coach at FSU.

I didn't include Kiffin cuz everyone called for his head after he left, not while he was coach.

My point being, we, as fans, don't have a real good record of evaluating coaches' abilities. We could have a debate about every coach listed. But looking at this list and then realizing we have boneheads out there saying Butch should be on a hotseat almost makes me laugh. As much as I was upset by the playcalling and execution this last game, I guess there may be more there than I (we) know about or understand.

Moral of the story (at least for me): Let's keep in perspective where we've been, where we are, and where we're going.
:hi:

 

[DownTheField]

So you're admitting you were wrong?

 

[bUTchLookin4Dimez]

What about Cutcliffe? Didn't everyone think he was an idiot too?

 

[vavolunteer]

I'm saying that many times when we call for a head's "head on a platter" as some are doing now for our OC and OL coach, it's a very emotional response. And, yes, I complained a great deal about the play calling this weekend.

If we're gonna give four years, let's give him four years and quit calling for coaches' firings. It's a free world, people can say what they want, and on Volnation, they tend to. I just think alot of it doesn't help our cause. And, in the end, that's what we want to do. Right?

 

[vavolunteer]

What about Cutcliffe? Didn't everyone think he was an idiot too?

From my memory I don't remember anyone thinking Cut was an idiot. To the contrary, most loved and respected him and hated to see him go. I guess there are always a few far out nutjobs (maybe more on Volnation that may not have liked him. But I don't remember anyone calling for his job like they did for Harry Hiestand.

 

[volroadwarrior]

From my memory I don't remember anyone thinking Cut was an idiot. To the contrary, most loved and respected him and hated to see him go. I guess there are always a few far out nutjobs (maybe more on Volnation that may not have liked him. But I don't remember anyone calling for his job like they did for Harry Hiestand.

I remember some of our brilliant posters berating Cut for his "dink and dunk" play calling during the Ainge years. We won a lot of games because of that, but hey, that didn't matter to the bellyachers. They got what they wanted the next year with the Clawfence.

 

[ItsAllVols]

Just be patient, it doesn't matter what the fan base says as long as CBJ keeps recruiting and developing players, look at the SEC East,

USCe maybe be coming down a coaching change (At least a new QB for 2015)
UF if coaching change not this year then it will happen next. (New QB 2015)
Muzzo seems to be average at best, it will be 2 years before they can build (AGE AND EXPERIENCE) (Same QB)
UGA is the only team that could maintain their level but again (New QB)
UK playing well but seems to be a year or 2 away
Vandy, well back to being Vandy

So the years to come we should be very close to the top of the EAST, then lets start by stating you recruit to numbers that will sustain your team from graduation or defection to the NFL, eyes are all on the O-Line right now but its the teams depth that is most concerning because we have been left with EMPTY Shelf's, CBJ is correcting this but it doesn't happen over night. This is not 1998 nor will it every be again, too many other teams recruiting too well for this to happen....time is all CBJ needs and there is going to be BUMPS in the road.

 

[stuvol86]

So FSU gets 3 of our ex coaches and wins a National Championship.... We're definitely cursed.

 

[vavolunteer]

So FSU gets 3 of our ex coaches and wins a National Championship.... We're definitely cursed.

:lolabove:

I have seen several people mention that over the past year. I just think it shows that there are several coaches who've come through here that for one reason or another, didn't meet the fans expectations. But, when they went elsewhere, they were successful.

The biggest one that stands out to me is Justin Wilcox. So many people said he couldn't cut it in the SEC and we were better off letting him go hide in the Pac 12. We had one of the highest rated defenses in the country with him. Sunseri comes in and destroys the defense and almost the whole program. I would imagine his defense here would have been even better if he had worked for a decent head coach.

 

[YankeeVol]

:lolabove:

I have seen several people mention that over the past year. I just think it shows that there are several coaches who've come through here that for one reason or another, didn't meet the fans expectations. But, when they went elsewhere, they were successful.

The biggest one that stands out to me is Justin Wilcox. So many people said he couldn't cut it in the SEC and we were better off letting him go hide in the Pac 12. We had one of the highest rated defenses in the country with him. Sunseri comes in and destroys the defense and almost the whole program. I would imagine his defense here would have been even better if he had worked for a decent head coach.

Meeting a "fans" expectations doesn't make someone a successful or unsuccessful coach.

 

[FLVOL_79]

The common denominator is? The fans. We should be fired.

 

[ksgovols]

The common denominator is? The fans. We should be fired.

I agree with this post. If not fired, then made to attend seminars on the nuances of football.

Collectively this is the same group that screamed for Brandon Stewart over Peyton Manning in 94 and said Fulmer was only doing his ole buddy Archie a favor instead of doing what was right for UT football. The radio talk shows were filled with anti-Peyton callers from UT most of that year.

Ditto on the spread offense that we are running now. We the fans practically forced Hamilton to force Fulmer into hiring Clawson and running the spread, recruited Taj Boyd and Bryce Petty to run it and then...............canned Fulmer and Clawson after one year of installing spread components. Then.......did a do over and hired a pro set guy who told our spread qb's to go elsewhere. Now we're coming back around to this spread idea and we fans want to get a fullback for Hurd and pound that rock from the I! What?

We deserve what we are getting based on our collective whining and armchair quarterbacking prowess. What's sad is that we've had administrators that will listen to us and act on our behalf.

 

[volgr]

Phil Fulmer – Hasn’t held coaching position since UT fired him. Controversial to this day. But, when he was canned by Hamilton, the vast majority of fans wanted it. But everyone agreed that Hamilton badly mishandled the firing. In hindsight, pretty much everyone agrees this firing never should have happened (the way it did) and all but destroyed the program.

LOL, firing Fulmer did not destroy this program. Lane Kiffin up and leaving in the middle of the night and what followed destroyed this program. Firing Fulmer was the right thing to do. You know it was the right thing to do because the man still doesn't have a job.

 

[theFallGuy]

I agree with this post. If not fired, then made to attend seminars on the nuances of football.

Collectively this is the same group that screamed for Brandon Stewart over Peyton Manning in 94 and said Fulmer was only doing his ole buddy Archie a favor instead of doing what was right for UT football. The radio talk shows were filled with anti-Peyton callers from UT most of that year.

Ditto on the spread offense that we are running now. We the fans practically forced Hamilton to force Fulmer into hiring Clawson and running the spread, recruited Taj Boyd and Bryce Petty to run it and then...............canned Fulmer and Clawson after one year of installing spread components. Then.......did a do over and hired a pro set guy who told our spread qb's to go elsewhere. Now we're coming back around to this spread idea and we fans want to get a fullback for Hurd and pound that rock from the I! What?

We deserve what we are getting based on our collective whining and armchair quarterbacking prowess. What's sad is that we've had administrators that will listen to us and act on our behalf.

sadly there's a lot of truth to what you just posted

 

[vavolunteer]

LOL, firing Fulmer did not destroy this program. Lane Kiffin up and leaving in the middle of the night and what followed destroyed this program. Firing Fulmer was the right thing to do. You know it was the right thing to do because the man still doesn't have a job.

I'm not taking a side one way or the other. It's just another example of the fans raging for change. Then, when we get it, not liking the face of what we asked for. The firing of Fulmer started a series of dominos that brought us to where we are today. If it hadn't happened? Would he have dumped Clawson? Would the offense have improved with Tahj Boyd? Would Chief have stayed? Would we be better, the same, or worse off now?

Many believe the game passed Fulmer by. Again, the controversy rages even today. My point is still the same, the Tennessee fan base has developed a reputation for eating its own. Our boosters even ran off our favorite son (to that point) Johnny Majors in 93.

Based on the fundamental and incremental growth process Butch is using, I would say he needs at least 4 years to prove what he can do. Again, I'm not saying I approve or disapprove of this time frame. I merely ask the question, Will our fanbase wait that long?

 

[ksgovols]

The fanbase got us where we are today. Take a bow. It's inevitable in college football in general and the SEC in particular that dynasties and strongholds are cyclical. Joe Dean was lambasted for stating the obvious (at that time) that the old SEC had 6 'Haves' and 4 "Have Nots". The "Have Nots" were Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The 4 schools added since that time would have a hard time historically breaking into that top 6 that constitutes the "Haves". Arkansas and A&M have the strongest argument.

UT made it's hay when LSU and Bama were down. South Carolina was awful and Georgia was Georgia. Doing less with more since 1984.

There's much more parody today. Breaking into the top 25 is a middle of the pack team. There's top 10 SEC teams that won't play in the conference championship game. Butch needs 4 solid recruiting classes to build the depth that's necessary to compete in this conference.

I'm all for purging the fanbase of the wannabes and quick fix types. That's what got us where we are today. Go ahead, cancel your season tickets, throw away your orange and get out of the dad gum way.