Firing Philip Fulmer was the worst mistake a major program has ever made

[ajvol01]

This.

Fulmer rode in on Johnny Majors' coattails. Majors already had built up Pittsburgh, and won a NC with the program he restored.

Fulmer was, and is, a wheel-sucker.

Jesus. Some of our fans...

No idea what a wheel-sucker is, but the man surpassed Majors at Tennessee.

 

[Mini Cooper]

No idea what a wheel-sucker is, but the man surpassed Majors at Tennessee.

And, it's clear that you neither got the inference from my post; nor the post I was responding.

Majors BUILT the program Fulmer surpassed him with.

All this eye-rolling over that no-account grifter. Give me a break.

The only coach that ought to be complaining, and still harbors a hell of a lot of resentment, is Majors, for the way this university kicked him when he was down.

 

[VolRoger]

No idea what a wheel-sucker is, but the man surpassed Majors at Tennessee.

This statement I agree with. Majors couldn't beat Bama. To me Fulmers greatest accomplishment is his record against the Tide. That's why Bama fans love him so.😁

 

[lostsheep]

I'm not so sure firing Fulmer was the worst mistake. I'd argue that not hiring Cutcliffe after the Kiffin fiasco is largely responsible for where we are today. JMO.

 

[NCFisher]

And, it's clear that you neither got the inference from my post; nor the post I was responding.

Majors BUILT the program Fulmer surpassed him with.

All this eye-rolling over that no-account grifter. Give me a break.

The only coach that ought to be complaining, and still harbors a hell of a lot of resentment, is Majors, for the way this university kicked him when he was down.

That "no-account grifter" was running the offense and the O-line. And may have done some recruiting for Majors. To slander Fulmer that way is to legitimize those who say Majors' contribution to the program was to not pass out drunk in public very often. Neither has to be torn down to recognize both their contributions.

 

[Mini Cooper]

This statement I agree with. Majors couldn't beat Bama. To me Fulmers greatest accomplishment is his record against the Tide. That's why Bama fans love him so.😁

I'd fully expect even Fulmer to post wins against such luminous coaching from the likes of: Dubose, Francione, Price, Shula, and Kines.

When Saban got hired, the charade was over. Fulmer had to face the equivalent of two coaches he would struggle against, and his record against Spurrier was already abysmal.

 

[arkyvol]

The best Majors did was to take the Vols to a higher level of mediocrity.

 

[TruVolFann]

Fulmer was slippin boys but I think he earned a few more years. With that said I think the hires after Filmed was the greatest mistake.

 

[Mini Cooper]

That "no-account grifter" was running the offense and the O-line. And may have done some recruiting for Majors. To slander Fulmer that way is to legitimize those who say Majors' contribution to the program was to not pass out drunk in public very often. Neither has to be torn down to recognize both their contributions.

You never heard me say that Fulmer couldn't recruit. Nor did you hear me say that Fulmer wasn't a good coach.

What you did read, if you were paying attention, was that Fulmer never built the program he was so successful with. I don't care if Majors was drunk in public, as long as he built a great program, and that is exactly what he did.

He was fired for having heart problems, and for an administration and boosters that eventually showed its true colors, by spinning us afoul of the NCAA.

If you want to fire people, fire them. Not Jones.

 

[TruVolFann]

You never heard me say that Fulmer couldn't recruit. Nor did you hear me say that Fulmer wasn't a good coach.

What you did read, if you were paying attention, was that Fulmer never built the program he was so successful with. I don't care if Majors was drunk in public, as long as he built a great program, and that is exactly what he did.

He was fired for having heart problems, and for an administration and boosters that eventually showed its true colors, by spinning us afoul of the NCAA.

If you want to fire people, fire them. Not Jones.

I know its not popular but I'm with you on UT doing Majors wrong and what people never mention is Fulmer pushed for it which was wrong.
As far as majors building it yes he got it going but Filmed was on his staff and is credited as well plus Fuller won title with the players he recruited so he took it to the next level

 

[NashVol11]

You never heard me say that Fulmer couldn't recruit. Nor did you hear me say that Fulmer wasn't a good coach.

What you did read, if you were paying attention, was that Fulmer never built the program he was so successful with. I don't care if Majors was drunk in public, as long as he built a great program, and that is exactly what he did.

He was fired for having heart problems, and for an administration and boosters that eventually showed its true colors, by spinning us afoul of the NCAA.

If you want to fire people, fire them. Not Jones.

Nah, definitely fire Jones too.

 

[114VOL]

No idea what a wheel-sucker is, but the man surpassed Majors at Tennessee.

IN some ways, yes he did. In others he didn't even come close. Majors had to completely rebuild the team. Fulmer never did it. He took over with the cupboard FULLY stocked. After 2001, we were never a national contender and it slowly drifted into mediocrity. As far as surpassing Majors.....not so fast. Majors won 3 SEC championships in his last 7 years...two in his last 4. Majors had 2 national top 5s and 4 top tens in his last seven years. Fulmer had no SEC championships or top ten finishes in his last 7 years. Two of his worst seasons the team was preseason top 5

 

[TruVolFann]

This statement I agree with. Majors couldn't beat Bama. To me Fulmers greatest accomplishment is his record against the Tide. That's why Bama fans love him so.😁

But fulmer couldn't beat Fla

 

[BigorangeBoy]

The Fulmer of the mid to late 90s was a different beast than the Fulmer who was at the helm in the mid2000s. Coaching, preparation, discipline all took a hit - and recruiting slid as well. Coaches bickered, and he did nothing to control it. The statement that he had equity said a lot, not in a positive way.

When he was younger and more motivated, there was not a better OL Coach in the game. And he was a very good recruiter as well. Too bad he didn't hold his assistants to the same standards

 

[TN_Transplant]

Hindsight is 20/20, but yes. In hindsight, we would have most likely had a 10 win season under Fulmer by now.

 

[Mini Cooper]

I know its not popular but I'm with you on UT doing Majors wrong and what people never mention is Fulmer pushed for it which was wrong.
As far as majors building it yes he got it going but Filmed was on his staff and is credited as well plus Fuller won title with the players he recruited so he took it to the next level

Agreed.

All I'm saying is that a program is much more than than what we see on the field. Fulmer was an excellent recruiter, and there's no doubt of that.

But, Majors didn't take any crap from the admin, nor the boosters. He ran a good program. I think it's what got him fired, him not bowling over for these people.

But the fact that Fulmer has never coached again, is telling. Unlike Fulmer, Majors' old school took him back.

 

[NCFisher]

You never heard me say that Fulmer couldn't recruit. Nor did you hear me say that Fulmer wasn't a good coach.

What you did read, if you were paying attention, was that Fulmer never built the program he was so successful with. I don't care if Majors was drunk in public, as long as he built a great program, and that is exactly what he did.

He was fired for having heart problems, and for an administration and boosters that eventually showed its true colors, by spinning us afoul of the NCAA.

If you want to fire people, fire them. Not Jones.

I read that you didn't make that point without denigrating Fulmer. I liked both men, they both put a lot of their life into the program, and have managerial and personal aspects contributing to their replacement.
Both deserve to be well-treated by Vols.

 

[kentucky sucks]

Wow, what a crybaby. We all know the administration caved to the unrelenting pressure of VolNation.

Millennial if I had to guess.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

hindsight is 20/20, but yes. In hindsight, we would have most likely had a 10 win season under fulmer by now.

rofl.

 

[Mini Cooper]

I read that you didn't make that point without denigrating Fulmer. I liked both men, they both put a lot of their life into the program, and have managerial and personal aspects contributing to their replacement.
Both deserve to be well-treated by Vols.

I don't like Fulmer. Sue me.

Twenty-six phone calls to Bill Johnson, while your boss is in the hospital, isn't going to make me a fan of you. It's going to make me think you're a stinker, and it all bore out when it counted, didn't it?

Again, our program is in the shape it's in currently because of the likes of these men, and others. The NCAA doesn't discriminate when it comes to stinkers. And, let's face it, there were, and still are, a lot of stinkers in Tennessee athletics. Jones did well a few weeks ago, getting the NCAA off our case with more Class III violations. It's time to give the man some credit.

It's also likely why Currie hasn't moved to oust the man yet.

 

[ATX_VOL]

Have been a dumpster fire since Fulmer. Nobody in the administration seems to grasp the concept of hiring quality and being defense oriented. It's not rocket science to see why Alabama, Auburn, Georgia (this year) win. For God's Sake fire Butch and move on - QUICKLY

 

[ajvol01]

IN some ways, yes he did. In others he didn't even come close. Majors had to completely rebuild the team. Fulmer never did it. He took over with the cupboard FULLY stocked. After 2001, we were never a national contender and it slowly drifted into mediocrity. As far as surpassing Majors.....not so fast. Majors won 3 SEC championships in his last 7 years...two in his last 4. Majors had 2 national top 5s and 4 top tens in his last seven years. Fulmer had no SEC championships or top ten finishes in his last 7 years. Two of his worst seasons the team was preseason top 5

All the Majors fans that are Fulmer haters seem to forget how frustrating it was during and even after the 9 year rebuild from 77-85.

Lost to Army in 86 finished 6-5 regular season 1 season after Sugar Vols. 0-6 to start 1988 season.

92 Johnny came back too soon and took an undefeated team then lost to Arky and SCar to miss out on the first SEC Championship game.

I don't like the way it was handled, but Majors was his own worst enemy.

 

[NCFisher]

I don't like Fulmer. Sue me.

Twenty-six phone calls to Bill Johnson, while your boss is in the hospital, isn't going to make me a fan of you. It's going to make me think you're a stinker, and it all bore out when it counted, didn't it?

Again, our program is in the shape it's in currently because of the likes of these men, and others. The NCAA doesn't discriminate when it comes to stinkers. And, let's face it, there were, and still are, a lot of stinkers in Tennessee athletics. Jones did well a few weeks ago, getting the NCAA off our case with more Class III violations. It's time to give the man some credit.

It's also likely why Currie hasn't moved to oust the man yet.

I can't claim to know who called whom and what they talked about, but I know an OC can't fire the head coach and hire himself. The influential felt Fulmer was a critical piece in Majors program, a hot commodity, and that his upside was greater than Majors. That's business. we can't know whether Majors would've emulated Fulmer's success, rebuild or not. Majors might've downturned just as Fulmer did when Cutt left. Majors' offense became better, consistently, with Fulmer.

 

[ajvol01]

Agreed.

All I'm saying is that a program is much more than than what we see on the field. Fulmer was an excellent recruiter, and there's no doubt of that.

But, Majors didn't take any crap from the admin, nor the boosters. He ran a good program. I think it's what got him fired, him not bowling over for these people.

But the fact that Fulmer has never coached again, is telling. Unlike Fulmer, Majors' old school took him back.

Phil didn't have an old school. Smfh

 

[114VOL]

All the Majors fans that are Fulmer haters seem to forget how frustrating it was during and even after the 9 year rebuild from 77-85.

Lost to Army in 86 finished 6-5 regular season 1 season after Sugar Vols. 0-6 to start 1988 season.

92 Johnny came back too soon and took an undefeated team then lost to Arky and SCar to miss out on the first SEC Championship game.

I don't like the way it was handled, but Majors was his own worst enemy.

My post was about comparing their last years as head coach. Majors had the program trending up. Fulmer had it trending down.