The downfall of Tennessee football started in 1992

[Mightyvol]

I think it happened a little earlier after the 98 NC season. Fulmer felt like he had reached the mtn top and didn't have to recruit anymore and got lazy. We were still good thru 2001 because his last 2 good recruiting classes were still cycling thru. After they were gone the talent level had dropped off due to his lazy recruiting. JMO

CPF lost Coach Cutt, the real engine of CPF's success.

 

[WVU05UT09]

The OP got real close but didn’t say what ultimately needs to be said—if Tennessee is unwilling to hire and operate like the Alabama’s of the conference we need to leave. Not to mention we have a huge disadvantage with Florida and Georgia being in states with exploding population growth and larger minority populations. If I were chancellor I would have been on the phone with the ACC years ago.

 

[volcop1]

What happened in 1998

 

[EZE]

This is the dumbest post ever on this site (and that is an accomplishment). Won the Natty in 98....

That is all that needs to be said.

BUT, the downfall was in the mid 00s.

 

[EZE]

The OP got real close but didn’t say what ultimately needs to be said—if Tennessee is unwilling to hire and operate like the Alabama’s of the conference we need to leave. Not to mention we have a huge disadvantage with Florida and Georgia being in states with exploding population growth and larger minority populations. If I were chancellor I would have been on the phone with the ACC years ago.

All of those schools muddled through until they decided they were tired of losing. Remember DuBose and Goff, anyone?

Money talks and BS walks. And right now, we’re walking right into another coach search.

 

[Chad F]

Mike Hamilton got this program into the express lane toward the basement. Dave Hart established satisfaction with mediocrity. Currie showed that even incompetent morons can get hired.

Phil Fulmer, our current AD, loves Tennessee, but I don’t know what’s going to happen going forward. After losing to GA State and BYU last season and now these last two weeks of not only ZERO progress but an embarrassing regression, how can anyone be optimistic in the least?

 

[99gator]

I don't know if there is any sort of rule for this, but I don't know how a "downfall" can occur a few years prior to a national title.

 

[Majors]

Downfall was Richt to Georgia, Saban to LSU, Tubbs at Auburn, Holtz to USC and our coast to coast recruiting closing boarders.

 

[bpalmer28]

I don’t think we’ll ever get back to where we were but we should never lose to Kentucky by 27, ever.

 

[WVU05UT09]

All of those schools muddled through until they decided they were tired of losing. Remember DuBose and Goff, anyone?

Money talks and BS walks. And right now, we’re walking right into another coach search.

They did and because of those structural advantages I referenced they can bounce back quickly. UGA could field an awesome team with players from metro Atlanta alone. We don’t have that luxury.

We have “Tennessee” problems but there are other demographic problems that pose much larger roadblocks to any return to elite status. This doesn’t just apply to Tennessee. Arkansas, Missouri would be better off competitively in the Big 12.

 

[EZE]

They did and because of those structural advantages I referenced they can bounce back quickly. UGA could field an awesome team with players from metro Atlanta alone. We don’t have that luxury.

We have “Tennessee” problems but there are other demographic problems that pose much larger roadblocks to any return to elite status. This doesn’t just apply to Tennessee. Arkansas, Missouri would be better off competitively in the Big 12.

Alabama has no such problems and they are in a similar position. Coaches matter. And we shop at Dollar General.

 

[WVU05UT09]

Alabama has no such problems and they are in a similar position. Coaches matter. And we shop at Dollar General.

Alabama is a great example of what you have to do when you aren't in one of these recruiting hot beds. Bear Bryant always said in his day that if UF got its act together (they were a mess in 80s) they would be a force. Alabama knows the threat these schools are and in turn do everything (including paying top $ for coaches) to ensure they stay close or near the top.

Watch Auburn--Auburn isn't going to f around with Guz Mahlzan if they fall apart.

Tennessee is cheap. They are unwilling to act like Alabama/Auburn.

 

[EZE]

Alabama is a great example of what you have to do when you aren't in one of these recruiting hot beds. Bear Bryant always said in his day that if UF got its act together (they were a mess in 80s) they would be a force. Alabama knows the threat these schools are and in turn do everything (including paying top $ for coaches) to ensure they stay close or near the top.

Watch Auburn--Auburn isn't going to f around with Guz Mahlzan if they fall apart.

Tennessee is cheap. They are unwilling to act like Alabama/Auburn.

So true, sadly. Yet, it ends up costing more in the long run with buyouts.

 

[SpookyAction]

Downfall was Richt to Georgia, Saban to LSU, Tubbs at Auburn, Holtz to USC and our coast to coast recruiting closing boarders.

You misspelled Spurrier.

 

[SpookyAction]

Posts #57-64 have some good points.
Malzahn has been on the hotseat since the Natty Game in 2013.
I have to admit, I am surprised that so many talented kids choose to go to Auburn year after year, but they have overachieved since Tuberville came to town.

 

[DougAtkins91]

So... Tennessee lost the day of the division split.

We ended up in the East which was pretty weak with the exception of Florida. At the time, people expected Tennessee to dominate the East. There was one problem. Florida had a significantly better coach (Spurrier) than Tennessee (Fulmer) and schooled Tennessee most years. As a result, Florida established itself as an overall better program than Tennessee (something that Tennessee never recovered from).

Skip ahead to 2001 with Mark Richt now at Georgia, Georgia is starting to figure things out. Meanwhile, Tennessee is starting to decline. Not able to keep up with modern football and expecting to school teams like Georgia as they had in the 1990s. Georgia starts to take over the series. As a result, Nationally Georgia starts to turn it around and appear as a better program. Especially by the time Fulmer is fired. Also the SEC West shows improvement. LSU hires Nick Saban who turns their program around. Tommy Tubberville brings new life to Auburn. Alabama would struggle for a few more years but hope was coming as we see in hindsight.

Fulmer is now fired, but Tennessee is unable to recruit a solid coach. Coaches prefer now Alabama, LSU, Georgia, or Florida over Tennessee. All have better programs by now. Tennessee continues to fall behind in the pecky order. Auburn surpasses us as well.

The decline continues as even Arkansas (with Bobby Petrino), South Carolina (with Steve Spurrier), Mississippi State (with Dan Mullin), and Ole Miss (with Hugh Freeze) all hire better coaches than Tennessee and build better programs. (All 4 are now superior to Tennessee over the last 10 years in records). Tennessee no longer waltz into stadiums and wins games. 10 win seasons are gone. Making Bowl games is now even a chore.

There was a critical coaching search in 2017. Florida had been terrible but still beat Tennessee nearly ever year under McElwain and Muschamp. Florida wins the coaching search hiring Dan Mullin. Why would he consider Tennessee? Florida is now a better program. Most of the country would agree. So is Georgia. This is something that wasn't TRUE in 1992 but is now.

Tennessee basically has 3 embarrassing Ls now on its schedule every year (Alabama, Florida, and Georgia). Tennessee must then search for other wins against teams that are more their level such as Missouri, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Tennessee isn't a 10 win program competing for SEC Championships. They are now 3rd (being generous) in the pecking order in the SEC East and somewhere ~9-10 in the SEC overall pecking order.

Florida and Georgia both have better coaching staffs and better athletes. Alabama has a better coaching staff and talent. Tennessee has no hope against that. No hope to ever getting back to being one of the top programs in the SEC. We are like a Minnesota or Nebraska. We were once good but we cannot get the coach or players to compete with the top dogs anymore.

brought down by fans that don’t know Hack, Mack. and Dodd,,Majors, Gordie, Johnson, Reynolds, Kiner, Holloway, Sievers, Streater, Harper, Alatorre, Francis, and the history of Vol football)

 

[orchidvol]

We fired him after Vandy beat the snot out of us. The UK loss the year before was probably the actual beginning.

I agree, Dooley's house of cards started falling with the inexplicable 2011 Kentucky loss. In the final seconds of that loss, I always thought AD Dave Hart should have announced to Dooley that he was fired on the PA system doing his best Vince McMahon impersonation.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I agree, Dooley's house of cards started falling with the inexplicable 2011 Kentucky loss. In the final seconds of that loss, I always thought AD Dave Hart should have announced to Dooley that he was fired on the PA system doing his best Vince McMahon impersonation.

If you believe the stories, Dooley apparently tried to resign and was talked out of it by Hart; or something like that. I've heard for years that Dooley wanted out after that game because he knew he was in over his head and it would end badly.

 

[volbound1700]

I agree, Dooley's house of cards started falling with the inexplicable 2011 Kentucky loss. In the final seconds of that loss, I always thought AD Dave Hart should have announced to Dooley that he was fired on the PA system doing his best Vince McMahon impersonation.

I don't believe in being cruel in firing someone that tried. Dooley was over his head and shouldn't have been hired but we also shouldn't be mean to him for taking the job.

 

[volbound1700]

One problem with your post. You say the East was weak. UT, UF and UGA beat the West like they stole from them, in the 90's.

They were not National Title Contenders like they are now. Georgia today would stop the Georgia in the 1990s nearly every year. Georgia didn't even finish in the top 10 throughout most of the 1990s.

Florida was good. The rest of the SEC East was lousy: South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vandy.

 

[kbear01]

They were not National Title Contenders like they are now. Georgia today would stop the Georgia in the 1990s nearly every year. Georgia didn't even finish in the top 10 throughout most of the 1990s.

Florida was good. The rest of the SEC East was lousy: South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vandy.

So what you are actually saying is the SEC was trash,

 

[Scottt5]

So... Tennessee lost the day of the division split.

We ended up in the East which was pretty weak with the exception of Florida. At the time, people expected Tennessee to dominate the East. There was one problem. Florida had a significantly better coach (Spurrier) than Tennessee (Fulmer) and schooled Tennessee most years. As a result, Florida established itself as an overall better program than Tennessee (something that Tennessee never recovered from).

Skip ahead to 2001 with Mark Richt now at Georgia, Georgia is starting to figure things out. Meanwhile, Tennessee is starting to decline. Not able to keep up with modern football and expecting to school teams like Georgia as they had in the 1990s. Georgia starts to take over the series. As a result, Nationally Georgia starts to turn it around and appear as a better program. Especially by the time Fulmer is fired. Also the SEC West shows improvement. LSU hires Nick Saban who turns their program around. Tommy Tubberville brings new life to Auburn. Alabama would struggle for a few more years but hope was coming as we see in hindsight.

Fulmer is now fired, but Tennessee is unable to recruit a solid coach. Coaches prefer now Alabama, LSU, Georgia, or Florida over Tennessee. All have better programs by now. Tennessee continues to fall behind in the pecky order. Auburn surpasses us as well.

The decline continues as even Arkansas (with Bobby Petrino), South Carolina (with Steve Spurrier), Mississippi State (with Dan Mullin), and Ole Miss (with Hugh Freeze) all hire better coaches than Tennessee and build better programs. (All 4 are now superior to Tennessee over the last 10 years in records). Tennessee no longer waltz into stadiums and wins games. 10 win seasons are gone. Making Bowl games is now even a chore.

There was a critical coaching search in 2017. Florida had been terrible but still beat Tennessee nearly ever year under McElwain and Muschamp. Florida wins the coaching search hiring Dan Mullin. Why would he consider Tennessee? Florida is now a better program. Most of the country would agree. So is Georgia. This is something that wasn't TRUE in 1992 but is now.

Tennessee basically has 3 embarrassing Ls now on its schedule every year (Alabama, Florida, and Georgia). Tennessee must then search for other wins against teams that are more their level such as Missouri, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Tennessee isn't a 10 win program competing for SEC Championships. They are now 3rd (being generous) in the pecking order in the SEC East and somewhere ~9-10 in the SEC overall pecking order.

Florida and Georgia both have better coaching staffs and better athletes. Alabama has a better coaching staff and talent. Tennessee has no hope against that. No hope to ever getting back to being one of the top programs in the SEC. We are like a Minnesota or Nebraska. We were once good but we cannot get the coach or players to compete with the top dogs anymore.

It is what it is, we are what we are!

 

[BowlBrother85]

So... Tennessee lost the day of the division split.

We ended up in the East which was pretty weak with the exception of Florida. At the time, people expected Tennessee to dominate the East. There was one problem. Florida had a significantly better coach (Spurrier) than Tennessee (Fulmer) and schooled Tennessee most years. As a result, Florida established itself as an overall better program than Tennessee (something that Tennessee never recovered from).

Skip ahead to 2001 with Mark Richt now at Georgia, Georgia is starting to figure things out. Meanwhile, Tennessee is starting to decline. Not able to keep up with modern football and expecting to school teams like Georgia as they had in the 1990s. Georgia starts to take over the series. As a result, Nationally Georgia starts to turn it around and appear as a better program. Especially by the time Fulmer is fired. Also the SEC West shows improvement. LSU hires Nick Saban who turns their program around. Tommy Tubberville brings new life to Auburn. Alabama would struggle for a few more years but hope was coming as we see in hindsight.

Fulmer is now fired, but Tennessee is unable to recruit a solid coach. Coaches prefer now Alabama, LSU, Georgia, or Florida over Tennessee. All have better programs by now. Tennessee continues to fall behind in the pecky order. Auburn surpasses us as well.

The decline continues as even Arkansas (with Bobby Petrino), South Carolina (with Steve Spurrier), Mississippi State (with Dan Mullin), and Ole Miss (with Hugh Freeze) all hire better coaches than Tennessee and build better programs. (All 4 are now superior to Tennessee over the last 10 years in records). Tennessee no longer waltz into stadiums and wins games. 10 win seasons are gone. Making Bowl games is now even a chore.

There was a critical coaching search in 2017. Florida had been terrible but still beat Tennessee nearly ever year under McElwain and Muschamp. Florida wins the coaching search hiring Dan Mullin. Why would he consider Tennessee? Florida is now a better program. Most of the country would agree. So is Georgia. This is something that wasn't TRUE in 1992 but is now.

Tennessee basically has 3 embarrassing Ls now on its schedule every year (Alabama, Florida, and Georgia). Tennessee must then search for other wins against teams that are more their level such as Missouri, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Tennessee isn't a 10 win program competing for SEC Championships. They are now 3rd (being generous) in the pecking order in the SEC East and somewhere ~9-10 in the SEC overall pecking order.

Florida and Georgia both have better coaching staffs and better athletes. Alabama has a better coaching staff and talent. Tennessee has no hope against that. No hope to ever getting back to being one of the top programs in the SEC. We are like a Minnesota or Nebraska. We were once good but we cannot get the coach or players to compete with the top dogs anymore.

Damn, this is a dumb post and a useless thread.