Ok, here's a quick go at a draft, done in a compliment-sandwich fashion (not really wordsmithed at all):
Dear Coach Fulmer:
We would like to express our deepest appreciation for the total commitment you have given to the University of Tennessee. You have built the football program into a national power, won the school's first national championship in football in almost 50 years, and compiled a record that speaks for itself. Your place is secure as a legend in the history of the Volunteers.
However, given the direction of the program and the performance of the team over the last few years, we feel that it would be in the best interest of our great University if you would hand over the reins to a new leader who, while certainly not able to fill your shoes, will guide the program into a new era of success and a restoration of the pride that comes with Tennessee's winning tradition.
While your overall record and accomplishments during your tenure and Tennessee are outstanding by any measure, the trend of the recent four years indicates that Tennessee is on the wrong path. Since 2005, Tennessee is 14-14 against SEC opponents (.500), 6-13 against AP Top 25 opponents (.316), 3-9 against AP Top 10 opponents (.250), and 1-5 in games against the AP Top 5 (.167). We're certain that this is not what faithful Volunteer fans accept as success, and we hope that these marks fall well below the expectations you place on yourself as coach.
While winning is the most popular measure of a team's success, it certainly isn't the only indicator of the quality of leadership of the program. In recent years, offenses committed by Tennessee football players, who are some of the most visible representatives of the University, have tarnished the reputation of our fine school. These incidents have been occurring at a rate that far exceeds other programs of comparable stature and tradition. Certainly this has resulted in an unfavorable reputation for our program and a negative message about the caliber of young men we want at the University of Tennessee.
Coach Fulmer, we are not questioning your achievements as a coach. We are not questioning your commitment to the University of Tennessee. And we are certainly not questioning your character as a man. What we are asking is that you take an objective look at the direction of this program in recent years and realize that it is time for someone new to take the wheel and steer the Volunteers back onto the path toward pride, tradition, and excellence.
Respectfully,
The Undersigned