Frustrated Fulmer

[Guffey]

By Bruce Feldman

Think Phil Fulmer wasn't a bit disappointed at how this season's recruiting run turned out? Big Phil really vented about prospects getting caught up in the recruiting game and didn't mince words this weekend: "There's guys that just lie to you -- flat lie to you," he told the AP. "That goes back to upbringing."

Among the almost-Vols that, I gather, had Big Phil a bit annoyed: TE Michael Goggans, who had verbally committed to Tennessee in August, instead chose to stay near his Alexander City, Ala., home and signed with Auburn; LBs Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley, from Stone Mountain, Ga., who both signed with LSU; DT Aleric Mullins (signed with North Carolina); and safety Greg Davis (signed with West Virginia.)

"It's the generation now out there," Fulmer told the AP. "It's not everywhere, but it's out there. There are a few out there that make it a show. … You might come or you might not, but just be honest. I don't begrudge anyone for not choosing our school. We're not going to get every recruit, but just be honest."

My three cents: I buy that it goes back to upbringing to some degree, but I think the problem is becoming a little more complex than that. One coaching buddy of mine says it's pretty obvious watching kids change over the course of the year as they get recruited. "Good kids from good families start acting like idiots," the coach said. "You don't know how much I want to say, 'If you lay out four hats in front of you, you can take ours and stick it....' But it happens a lot now, and even mom and dad who seem pretty grounded lose it."

It'd be easy to put this on Fulmer for sounding like he's whining, but I believe he's on to something since this is hardly a Tennessee problem alone. After all, UT didn't miss out because he isn't still a strong recruiter or because his school isn't great. (Visit Knoxville and you're likely to be blown away. Some of the problem I hear stemmed from not just a losing season but the litany of offseason problems the Vols had last winter.) Still, I think this is more a case of bad timing. This kind of thing (kids misleading, whether intentional or not) can and will happen to every school to some degree. Fulmer just happened to catch the first real bad gust of it, I think.

Yes, this seems generational, but I think it all goes back to kids getting caught up in the hype game. They have gotten sucked into an inflated sense of self-worth. (Lord knows ESPN itself has a pretty strong suction capacity, too.) Many of the kids (targets) have dozens of reporters calling them a week, trying to chart their every move. They get conditioned to believe every impulse they have is news, because in a weird, warped way it is. Hate to say it, but I'm convinced this is only going to get worse.

 

[Guffey]

I think most of these brats have never had so much attention in their lives
and that they're hoping some school will offer them material things like cars
or money or something else. That's why they keep you in the running until
the end.


TnSteve

 

[utorangeman1]

Sometimes when you get spoiled by success it seems we dont enjoy things when they dont go your way. Had this been a new UT football head coach getting this same recruiting class here he would have nothing but praise for this recruiting class and show infinite optimism.
Players are not wanting to come to UT if he sends off this negative vibe. I sure would not come here if a coach bithes to the press.

Wow man "04" was the most exciting since "98" . How could you not enjoy the buzz around the program that year ? And capping it off with the Cotton Bowl victory . Wow it was great . :dunno:

 

[WA_Vol]

Wow man "04" was the most exciting since "98" . How could you not enjoy the buzz around the program that year ? And capping it off with the Cotton Bowl victory . Wow it was great . :dunno:

I agree it was a good year. But we didn't crack the top 10 at the end of the year, lets not blow it out of proportion.

 

[milohimself]

It was a great year considering expectations were for a 7 or 8 win season at best

 

[jayisavol]

It was a great year considering expectations were for a 7 or 8 win season at best

OUR program should never expect only 7 or 8 wins thats not the tradition i have come to expect in the
last 35 yrs (this is actually a compliment) for VOL FANS.!

 

[VolBeef88]

OUR program should never expect only 7 or 8 wins thats not the tradition i have come to expect in the
last 35 yrs (this is actually a compliment) for VOL FANS.!

that was not the fans expectations, yet it was what we were projected to win. Finish 3rd in the east and get 7-8 wins. We over achieved. In 05 we underachieved. However I think CPF has made the moves needed to correct things. I think he deserves the respect and the time to correct the ship. He has earned it.

 

[milohimself]

that was not the fans expectations, yet it was what we were projected to win. Finish 3rd in the east and get 7-8 wins. We over achieved. In 05 we underachieved. However I think CPF has made the moves needed to correct things. I think he deserves the respect and the time to correct the ship. He has earned it.

Common sense is not allowed here! FIRE FULMER!

 

[VolBeef88]

Common sense is not allowed here! FIRE FULMER!

You know it is bad when a left coaster is making more sense than the red staters! Way to go Milo!

 

[volbreaker]

i agree with Fulmer. I dont know if he should have said it in public.

You should have heard them rippin' him in Alabama as I drove through last night. Mind you, that's no measuring stick' but it was embarassing because of the "behind the scenes involvement with their program

 

[VolBeef88]

You should have heard them rippin' him in Alabama as I drove through last night. Mind you, that's no measuring stick' but it was embarassing because of the "behind the scenes involvement with their program

When bammers are saying bad things then you know your doing the right thing. :lol:

 

[gobravesvols16]

I seem to remember a QB a few years ago that went as far as putting on a Tennessee cap on national TV only to sign with another school so its not something that has just started happening.

 

[RealVol]

Fulmer has "stolen" his share as well. Quit whining & for goodness sakes start coaching! That usually makes recruiting sooooooo much easier!

You'd think he's know that by now.

How about this for a change....let's go out there and COACH like HECK!

 

[MachiaVolli]

Fulmer has "stolen" his share as well. Quit whining & for goodness sakes start coaching! That usually makes recruiting sooooooo much easier!

You'd think he's know that by now.

How about this for a change....let's go out there and COACH like HECK!

Here we are with our Men's basketball team 17-3, a shot at the SEC regular season title, a NCAA tourney appearance and on the cusp of being ranked in the top 10 and all you want to do is harp on Fulmer some more. RealAnnoying.

 

[RealVol]

So sorry.
I thought this thread was involved about Fulmer's whinning...
But since YOU brought up the results of what good/maybe great COACHING does.
I'm glad you're beginning to see my point.
Just imagine if Coach Pearl had the caliber talent Fulmer does!!!!

Yes, I'm waiting for someone to give me that Fulmer 10 years record thing.
In today's sports landscape, it really doesn't matter what Fulmer did in 1998.
Unfortunately, UT's RECENT performance is what really counts.
Just ask many of the top flight recruits we lost this year.

Attempting to keep it REAL! Thanks for your help.

 

[smokedog#3]

amen real vol, preach it brother.

 

[RealVol]

Hey contrary to what most think here. I do not dislike Fulmer. I do very much feel he's proven to be just a very average Coach in recent seasons. In my opinion that is totally unacceptable at The University of Tennessee.

EVERYTHING & I mean everything else most fb programs can only dream of UT has! The weak link since 1998 has obviously been UT's lame Coaching attitude & a narrow offensive scheme that was "old" years ago.

Let's hope there are MAJOR changes in 06. As I've said before simply disconnect Fulmer's microphone during the game, wouldn't hurt.

 

[bleedingorange]

Hey contrary to what most think here. I do not dislike Fulmer. I do very much feel he's proven to be just a very average Coach in recent seasons. In my opinion that is totally unacceptable at The University of Tennessee.

EVERYTHING & I mean everything else most fb programs can only dream of UT has! The weak link since 1998 has obviously been UT's lame Coaching attitude & a narrow offensive scheme that was "old" years ago.

Let's hope there are MAJOR changes in 06. As I've said before simply disconnect Fulmer's microphone during the game, wouldn't hurt.

Or he could just keep his butt in the locker room until the game is over :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

[jayisavol]

Hey contrary to what most think here. I do not dislike Fulmer. I do very much feel he's proven to be just a very average Coach in recent seasons. In my opinion that is totally unacceptable at The University of Tennessee.

EVERYTHING & I mean everything else most fb programs can only dream of UT has! The weak link since 1998 has obviously been UT's lame Coaching attitude & a narrow offensive scheme that was "old" years ago.

Let's hope there are MAJOR changes in 06. As I've said before simply disconnect Fulmer's microphone during the game, wouldn't hurt.

:bow: :bow: :bow:

 

[BHAMVOLFAN]

I agree that this problem is only going to get worse as the coverage of recruiting gets better. Take a guy like Tim Hawthorne. He approached his decision as if teams would be lucky to get his commitment. That has to come in some part from an inflated ego stemming from the recruiting process.
I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to hanging on every story of these recruits and who they might chose. I actually almost paid for a subscription to Rivals last year. What stopped me was seeing so many prima donnas born from the recruiting process. It irritates me so much to see these kids put hats in front of them and then chose, especially in some of the extremely disrespectful ways that so of them do it.
I think Fulmer had a unusual amount of disappointments this year in recruiting and he expressed things in public that he would normally only say behind closed doors. I'm sure he regrets airing it out in public. I for one feel his pain and I'm ready to put this whole year behind and wait as patiently as possible for nex tyear.

BINGO!

 

[WA_Vol]

I read UT has 9 players at the NFL combine. The only teams with more are USC and Texas. Draw your own conclusions.

 

[OldVol]

I wish Fulmer had not handled his losses with this rhetoric, but let's be honest about this, every major recruiter in the business has at one point or another wanted to say the very same things, and more, but Phil just came to that breaking point after a frustrating season.

Now, will it hurt him in the future. No way.

UT has too much to offer for some little snipet from the past to get in the way of future recruits.

Also, as someone else here pointed out, I'm glad he's frustrated, disappointed, and angry.

If you're complacent with the status quo it's not likely to change and the status quo at UT must change.

 

[holdemvol]

Hey contrary to what most think here. I do not dislike Fulmer. I do very much feel he's proven to be just a very average Coach in recent seasons. In my opinion that is totally unacceptable at The University of Tennessee.

EVERYTHING & I mean everything else most fb programs can only dream of UT has! The weak link since 1998 has obviously been UT's lame Coaching attitude & a narrow offensive scheme that was "old" years ago.

Let's hope there are MAJOR changes in 06. As I've said before simply disconnect Fulmer's microphone during the game, wouldn't hurt.

I do not disagree that AT TIMES the staff has seemed average at best, but I also think they should be given credit where it is due. 04 was a prime example....with what the staff had to work with I think they did a stellar job. As for the "narrow" and "old" offensive scheme, I just don't buy that. The problem last year had absolutely nothing to do with scheme, and everything to do with discipline and execution. The responsibility does fall on Fulmer and co. for the lack of discipline and execution, but no scheme in the world would have changed the results we saw in 05. UT attempted to go deep and open things up quite a bit last year, but unless your offense executes the plays that are called it does not matter what you call. GA has pretty much been the cream of the crop in the east the last few seasons, yet they run a very similair offense to UT. Richt runs on third and long, plays it safe quite a bit and does all of the things the anti-Fulmer crowd complain about but because his players are disciplined, they win. Again, it is up to Fulmer to right the ship but the problem is not scheme.

 

[smokedog#3]

the scheme is part of the problem. when you run the same plays out of the same formation game in and game out good teams will finally key in on that. a perfect example is in 04 playing ole miss. fulmer called that lame a-- screen play that he runs atleast 3 times a game and it was picked off for a touchdown. everybody watching the game knew that play was coming. he lines one wide reciever up on the line and one 5 yards away from him 3 yards from the line of scrimmage. the play hasn't worked against a good team in 5 years, but he keeps running it. our offense has been a joke for years. people can point out the 04 season, but lets face it if we didn't dominate the line of scrimmage we would have only won 6 or 7 games. a good coach finds a way to score when the offense isn't clicking, fulmer is not a good coach. he waits for the other team to make a mistake and that is the reason for 5 games won this year. Cut will help next year, but that offense is messed up terribly and i'm not as optomistic as most that he will turn it around. he should have hired a better offensive coordinator 3 years ago, but fulmer did nothing he hasn't won anything in 8 years. odds are he won't win anything this year, unless Cut can bail him out. if that happens, Cut should be the head coach and fulmer should be the offensive coordinator.

 

[GAVol]

but lets face it if we didn't dominate the line of scrimmage we would have only won 6 or 7 games.

Huh?? Minimizing a good year and the coach's ability because the offensive line was too good? I've seen a lot of criticisms of Fulmer, but that's a new one. :huh: