My sister talked to a former Vol's wife...

#1
KoachKrab127

KoachKrab127

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#1
about Fulmer. This guy played during the mid 2000s, and he said Fulmer picked favorites, and he REALLY divided the locker room. The goal of the players was not to get better in order to play, it was to get on Fulmer's good side so he would let them play. This explains the lack of hard work from the team...

Anyone that wasn't one of "Phil's phavorites" was either treated like dirt or ignored, the same for anyone that was injured...never any support for the guys with injuries. They were a waste of his time.

Fulmer often based his favoritisms on connections to the UT alumni/family, and of course, seniority. He often used the phrase, "If you stay, you'll play."

This can really attribute to Fulmer's not using the best players he has. Really stupid if you ask me...

I remember Hancock saying during the end of Spring, right after he won the "most improved player" award, "Well, I thought I played really well in practice last year...I worked real hard and made plays during scrimmages, but come game time, I didn't get to play." I guess he wasn't in the "in crowd" with Fulmer, but for some reason, Austin Rogers and Josh Briscoe were.
 
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#6
#6
Another thing, you know when people wouldn't play because Fulmer said, "He doesn't know the offense."

Well, that was just an excuse. What he was REALLY saying was, "He's not in my clique."
 
#7
#7
KoachKrab127 said:
about Fulmer. This guy played during the mid 2000s, and he said Fulmer picked favorites, and he REALLY divided the locker room. The goal of the players was not to get better in order to play, it was to get on Fulmer's good side so he would let them play. This explains the lack of hard work from the team...

Anyone that wasn't one of "Phil's phavorites" was either treated like dirt or ignored, the same for anyone that was injured...never any support for the guys with injuries. They were a waste of his time.

Fulmer often based his favoritisms on connections to the UT alumni/family, and of course, seniority. He often used the phrase, "If you stay, you'll play."

This can really attribute to Fulmer's not using the best players he has. Really stupid if you ask me...

I remember Hancock saying during the end of Spring, right after he won the "most improved player" award, "Well, I thought I played really well in practice last year...I worked real hard and made plays during scrimmages, but come game time, I didn't get to play." I guess he wasn't in the "in crowd" with Fulmer, but for some reason, Austin Rogers and Josh Briscoe were.
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I dont know if you remember this but trooper taylor said when he was here that Hancock was gonna be a play maker, but yet he never got to see the field last year. Pretty sad that Hancock is that talented and didnt play.
 
#8
#8
I know a former player on the Nat championship team who was a tight end and wore number 96. That should give it away. We went to rival high schools. He said the same thing. Said Fulmer had his favorites and was a jerk.
 
#10
#10
foreverorange said:
I know a former player on the Nat championship team who was a tight end and wore number 96. That should give it away. We went to rival high schools. He said the same thing. Said Fulmer had his favorites and was a jerk.
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Wow...even back then? I was thinking this was something that happened late in Fulmer's career because he was getting complacent.

I guess he was just better at coaching back then.
 
#11
#11
If the Skoal Patrol and the kids who grew up watching Phil as the only coach at UT read this their heads will explode.
 
#14
#14
GmanTN said:
If the Skoal Patrol and the kids who grew up watching Phil as the only coach at UT read this their heads will explode.
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lmao :lolabove:

Yeah the fulmerites were content on us losing seven games a year. It still blows my mind to hear anyone take up for Fulmer.
 
#15
#15
foreverorange said:
I know a former player on the Nat championship team who was a tight end and wore number 96. That should give it away. We went to rival high schools. He said the same thing. Said Fulmer had his favorites and was a jerk.
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Finlayson right? I remember him wearing 90-something and being used more like an o-lineman than TE.
 
#16
#16
I've heard those same comments from numerous ex-players about their college coaches. The favorites are the starters, and many players who don't start will attribute it to favortism then their actual performance. It might be true, but it's a common complaint about any coaching.
 
#17
#17
I've heard several stories like this from former players. Especially the second tier guys. First couple of times I kinda wrote it off as sour grapes.
 
#18
#18
I don't think this is news to anyone honestly. Anyone who has watched UT over the years could see for themselves favorites played over the most talented.
 
#19
#19
Really wish people could move on to the Lane Kiffin era and get over this Fulmer fascination.
 
#22
#22
I'm curious to say though what kiffin does. I'm thinking he will but he has this big thing about playing younger players. I know we wont get Prater but I'll use him as an example since he's a stud and may start at SC. If teague, nuke, rodgers, jones, moore, warren all have good to great years and a guy like prater comes in how would he be used. If he was only a little better than the other guys would he play over them or not. Honestly if the talent gap isn't that far then experience is a factor for ex. nuke dropping a punt probably because of nerves of seeing close to 100,000 fans for the first time. I'm not suggesting I lean towards either way cause I'm not sure myself, just curious to see what kiffin does. Hopefully he does the right thing..... whatever that is.
 
#23
#23
I have a friend who was the starting Center for UT in the early 90's and played under Majors and Fulmer.

He said the same things about Fulmer you guys are saying and then some, and he really doesn't have a high opinion of him at all. He said he should have been fired years ago, and he wouldn't sign the petition being pushed by all the pro-Fulmer guys last year.

Apparently there were two sides to Fulmer, and you had to be on the inside to see the other (non-public) one.
 
#25
#25
Snakebrown13 said:
I have a friend who was the starting Center for UT in the early 90's and played under Majors and Fulmer.

He said the same things about Fulmer you guys are saying and then some, and he really doesn't have a high opinion of him at all. He said he should have been fired years ago, and he wouldn't sign the petition being pushed by all the pro-Fulmer guys last year.

Apparently there were two sides to Fulmer, and you had to be on the inside to see the other (non-public) one.
Click to expand...

Well said!
 
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