Fulmer coach in waiting (article)

Since we are playing back to the future here, let's fire Pruitt and bring back Fulmer to be the head coach. He gets a chance to prove he still has what it takes to coach in the SEC. Let him finish up his career as head coach.

At that point, let's bring Kiffin back to settle his stated regret and atone for bolting in the dark of night. Both guys get a redo on the past.

The football gods are appeased and the curse is lifted. A new and brighter era of UT football begins.
 
Do I believe Fulmer hired Pruitt knowing he would fail? Of course not. Because that might cost Fulmer his job as well. Do I believe Fulmer politicked his way into the AD role? Absolutely. Do I believe Fulmer would come back tomorrow as HC? In a NY minute.
I don't think he wants to come back and actually be the head coach. Too much work and he's 69 years old. Do you think he actually wants to be out on the road recruiting, dealing with the media everyday, etc.?

I think he would have to have a HC who he thinks he can control and exert influence over, but ultimately he'd like to be remembered as being the guy who hired the HC that turned the program around, because his legacy at present is kind of mixed.
 
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I don't think he wants to come back and actually be the head coach. Too much work and he's 69 years old. Do you think he actually wants to be out on the road recruiting, dealing with the media everyday, etc.?

I think he would have to have a HC who he thinks he can control and exert influence over, but ultimately he'd like to be remembered as being the guy who hired the HC that turned the program around, because his legacy at present is kind of mixed.
I think he actually does. I can see him looking over at Mac Brown and thinking "I can do that." But I absolutely don't believe he had this conspiracy when he hired Pruitt to hire a guy he knew would lose. That's crazy.

I agree with your 2nd paragraph that when he took the job, that was the goal. Become AD, hire the coach to turn us around, ride off in the sunset. His legacy would be set. But I think now that he knows there's a chance Pruitt isn't the guy, he'd looooooove to be the guy who turned it around.
 
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I think he actually does. I can see him looking over at Mac Brown and thinking "I can do that." But I absolutely don't believe he had this conspiracy when he hired Pruitt to hire a guy he knew would lose. That's crazy.

I agree with your 2nd paragraph that when he took the job, that was the goal. Become AD, hire the coach to turn us around, ride off in the sunset. His legacy would be set. But I think now that he knows there's a chance Pruitt isn't the guy, he'd looooooove to be the guy who turned it around.
Perhaps; I hadn't thought of that specific angle. They are almost exactly the same age, and Brown is returning to a school where he had coached before, but there are also some key differences there. Brown has only been removed from coaching since 2013, and he's only a decade removed from a BCS NCG appearance. Phil is not only further removed from his coaching days, but he's waay removed from his glory days.

I do agree that Fulmer would have to be absolutely insane to hire a guy he knew would lose. If that was the plan, then how does Phil know in advance that they also won't fire him if Pruitt doesn't work out? Phil knows as well as anyone that there are elements up there that would love to see him no longer be the AD, and Pruitt struggling would be a great justification for those elements to use to fire both Pruitt and Fulmer.

I think people are just taking Phil's conniving nature too far...he absolutely did angle his way into getting the AD job that he wanted to begin with, but he picked Pruitt because thought he was the best guy available.
 
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I forgive Phil Fulmer for leading us to the First BCS National Championship, after Peyton went to NFL. Why would we want Tee Martin coaching either? Giving our Legendary VFLs another shot at moreTennessee Glory is a completely out of the question. We should definitely be happy with a Bama graduate who got a Natty as a scrub under Satan. Ummm....wait, wtf?
 
I don't think he wants to come back and actually be the head coach. Too much work and he's 69 years old. Do you think he actually wants to be out on the road recruiting, dealing with the media everyday, etc.?

I think he would have to have a HC who he thinks he can control and exert influence over, but ultimately he'd like to be remembered as being the guy who hired the HC that turned the program around, because his legacy at present is kind of mixed.

Tell a competitor that he's too old and the first instinct is to dive right in and prove you wrong. Guys like Snyder, Fulmer and Brown never lose that fire. Just use the word "can't" around them and watch them react.
 
Garbage ...first of all Barry Alvarez was not fired as coach of Wisconsin. He stepped down from coaching and accepted the AD job. Big difference......the article is GAR-BAGE. ...
 
Fulmers best year ever can be attributed mainly to Chavis.

He could probably get Chavis back from Arkansas. Cutcliffe would be more difficult. However, Fulmer's teams were always the best with this three headed monster. Randy Sanders is another option although his offenses were frustrating at times.
 
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I don't believe the rumors but here is the thing about Fulmer. He would be able to recruit and sell the program. He could also get other legendary coaches to return.

I think Fulmer is a great AD, I just think that he hired a coach that doesn't understand a rebuild. Pruitt would probably be a good coach at an established program with existing talent such as taking over Georgia, LSU, or Alabama but Tennessee so far hasn't been a good fit for him. Another big issue is the QB situation which needs to be resolved quickly.
 
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It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see this happen. Fulmer has wanted to return to coaching since the day he resigned, he just never got a taker. Now he can hire himself.
You are correct, sir. And Fulmer was 58 or 59 when he was dumped by UT. I remember an interview he did. He stated he was interested in continuing to coach but only at a school where he would have a chance to win a NC. Very telling that nobody came calling.
 
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Barry Alvarez has stepped in twice at Wisconsin. First was when Bielama left and again when Anderson left.

I am all for it if itā€™s temporary. What do we have to lose? If Pruitt is let go we need a moratorium on hiring Saban assistants.

I don't think it will be temporary.
 
You are correct, sir. And Fulmer was 58 or 59 when he was dumped by UT. I remember an interview he did. He stated he was interested in continuing to coach but only at a school where he would have a chance to win a NC. Very telling that nobody came calling.

Well, he would want a ready made lineup. Major built the program up to a respectable level. Fulmer didn't build one up from ashes.
 
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He could probably get Chavis back from Arkansas. Cutcliffe would be more difficult. However, Fulmer's teams were always the best with this three headed monster. Randy Sanders is another option although his offenses were frustrating at times.
I could see him keeping the Chaney and Tee. I think he'd bring Chavis back too.
 
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Adam's is so terrible that everyone hates him. Probably his own family too.

Fulmer will never be coach here again nor does he want to IMO...he is set.

Where do yall tards keep coming up with Tee as our coach or even interim coach? Can you not distinguish between a player and an overweight coach??

Speaking of overweight...if CJP ever gets fired....Chaney will be the interim. If the offense does well enough he might even be our next coach. He is all VOL and very respected as a coordinator in the SEC.

Tee martin has never even actually been an offensive coordinator guys...ever. he was "passing game coordinator " and WR coach at USC...and they werent great. He IS a good to great recruiter and apparently a good WR coach.

Yall delusional homers that keep projecting TM as our next head coach are living in a weirdo reality that will never and should never become real. Ever.

Makes me wonder why yall would ever even THINK that for a guy who has never been a successful coordinator or a head coach ANYWHERE much less the SEC. WEIRD
 
Tell a competitor that he's too old and the first instinct is to dive right in and prove you wrong. Guys like Snyder, Fulmer and Brown never lose that fire. Just use the word "can't" around them and watch them react.
Fulmer very clearly lost his fire during the second half of his tenure, particularly the 2005-08 period. Richt and Urban ate his lunch on the recruiting trail and he went a combined 8-13 (.381) against Florida, Georgia, and Alabama from 2002-08. He was losing almost 2 out of every 3 games to those schools over a period of 7 seasons. That just isn't good enough at Tennessee.
 
A lot of media is taking this idea and running with it.

Someone on 104.5 The Zone was saying that Fulmer wants to pass Nelyand for most wins (that its very important to him).
 

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