Where TN really went wrong

#26
#26
Haslam were just in news saying they support Currie and Schiano. And state they were not involved with the search. Anybody buying this?
 
#27
#27
volzfanz said:
In the late 90’s and early 2000’s TN was on top of the world. That’s not debatable. But not being able to get over the hump with Florida caused many of us to make what may be the biggest mistake of all in firing Fulmer. However, we had a homerun hire to follow. Not just Lane Kiffin, but also Monte. Both NFL guys and a great package of offense and defense. We were ready to rule the world. And then Kiffin left in the middle of the night for USC. So, we scramble and make a desperate hire in Dooley hoping the name alone would translate into winning. Sadly, it did not. In 2012 we took another B level mid-major guy in Butch who, like Dooley, was completely unproven at this level. This sent us into a decade of mediocrity. This is where we went wrong. We again settled for an unproven mid-major coach. TN fans were not going to do this again in Schiano. Then couple that with association, wether guilty or innocent, in the absolute most disgusting event in college football history and you got chaos. The fact that our AD would consider this a good option is beyond me. Especially with no real reports of interviewing Mullen, Frost, Kelley, Cutcliffe or any number of interested or available coaches and you get to where we are now. The media blaming the fan base for balking on a guy that Notee Dame could ball on and be viewed as a school with too much integrity for a hire like that. Ten years of B coaches is enough and this would have only been more of the same. With or without the Sandusky scandal.
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If your goal is to win a National Championship it will be only wishful thinking with any B coaches. They only deliver 7-8 wins per year. That is a fact. But that's OK if that is your only dream. If you want a Championship coach then you must turn your attention to Jimbo Fisher or Mike Leach. We can use 340 million dollars to upgrade our stadium, but cannot use any of this to get a championship coach. Texas A & M can reach out and buy Jimbo Fisher, but we can't. Why? Arkansas can reach out and buy Mike Leach's services, but we can't. Why? It's like building a house. Your house is only as good as it's foundation. We don't have a foundation and I guess we never will.
 
#31
#31
volzfanz said:
Fulmer won the East the previous year. How good does that look now?
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Won it 5 out of the last 11 years and tied for 1st a 6th time. I remember folks saying anyone could do better than Fulmer is doing, anyone can recruit great athletes to UT, anyone could win the East 1 out of every 3 years, blah, blah, blah.

How'd that work out for you?
 
#32
#32
Backwards K said:
Won it 5 out of the last 11 years and tied for 1st a 6th time. I remember folks saying anyone could do better than Fulmer is doing, anyone can recruit great athletes to UT, anyone could win the East 1 out of every 3 years, blah, blah, blah.

How'd that work out for you?
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I swear it wouldn’t bother me to see Fulmer as interim for one year. And it’s not unprecedented.
 
#33
#33
Backwards K said:
Won it 5 out of the last 11 years and tied for 1st a 6th time. I remember folks saying anyone could do better than Fulmer is doing, anyone can recruit great athletes to UT, anyone could win the East 1 out of every 3 years, blah, blah, blah.

How'd that work out for you?
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Loved and appreciate what Fulmer did but the parade was passing by. If UT would have hired a great coach then (ie. Patterson) history would have been different. Fulmer had tons of talent but was owned by Spurrier. Although Fulmer achieved a lot, his teams generally under performed. But the parade of clowns who followed has made him look awesome.
 
#34
#34
VOLINMS said:
Loved and appreciate what Fulmer did but the parade was passing by. If UT would have hired a great coach then (ie. Patterson) history would have been different. Fulmer had tons of talent but was owned by Spurrier. Although Fulmer achieved a lot, his teams generally under performed. But the parade of clowns who followed has made him look awesome.
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They did hire a great coach then. Lane and Monty Kiffin were seen as an absolute grand slam. Didn’t turn out that way. But even I thought it was great at the time. Good for recruiting anytime you are perceived as a path to the NFL
 
#35
#35
Backwards K said:
Won it 5 out of the last 11 years and tied for 1st a 6th time. I remember folks saying anyone could do better than Fulmer is doing, anyone can recruit great athletes to UT, anyone could win the East 1 out of every 3 years, blah, blah, blah.

How'd that work out for you?
Click to expand...

Had 2 more wins than Butch his last 5 years! Won, when he had better talent. Lost, when he was equal in talent… He lived off the early to mid 90’s…
 
#37
#37
volzfanz said:
In the late 90’s and early 2000’s TN was on top of the world. That’s not debatable. But not being able to get over the hump with Florida caused many of us to make what may be the biggest mistake of all in firing Fulmer. However, we had a homerun hire to follow. Not just Lane Kiffin, but also Monte. Both NFL guys and a great package of offense and defense. We were ready to rule the world. And then Kiffin left in the middle of the night for USC. So, we scramble and make a desperate hire in Dooley hoping the name alone would translate into winning. Sadly, it did not. In 2012 we took another B level mid-major guy in Butch who, like Dooley, was completely unproven at this level. This sent us into a decade of mediocrity. This is where we went wrong. We again settled for an unproven mid-major coach. TN fans were not going to do this again in Schiano. Then couple that with association, wether guilty or innocent, in the absolute most disgusting event in college football history and you got chaos. The fact that our AD would consider this a good option is beyond me. Especially with no real reports of interviewing Mullen, Frost, Kelley, Cutcliffe or any number of interested or available coaches and you get to where we are now. The media blaming the fan base for balking on a guy that Notee Dame could ball on and be viewed as a school with too much integrity for a hire like that. Ten years of B coaches is enough and this would have only been more of the same. With or without the Sandusky scandal.
Click to expand...

I agree. Except I think Kiffin was just a bit immature at the time that we hired him. A great football mind and the ability to be a great coach. He needed to grow up some and could have done so at Tennessee but he loved USC for whatever reason.

Has he grown up? Is he a guy we can rely on now? I don't know. He certainly wouldn't be one of my top choices but a guy I could settle for and support for at least a few years.
 
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