After a 16-plus year tenure as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, the relationship between Phillip Fulmer and the Vols is officially over, signaling the end of an era for the SEC’s perennial powerhouse team.
Fulmer’s illustrious career as Vols head coach ended on a sour note after a crushing defeat to SC, 27-6. The once-proud SEC squad now boasts a pitiful 3-6 record, leaving the team one loss away from a guaranteed losing season record.
It’s been a long and exciting ride, one that brought Tennessee back to national prominence, highlighted by an undefeated national championship season in 1998 that was the culmination of a magical four-year stretch that saw the Vols go 45-5.
Fulmer was always regarded as a top recruiter, the man who landed Manning (Peyton), and a conscious coach that showed his players a lot of patience—a tactic that likely played a central role in his fall from grace.
Over the past decade as Fulmer’s fortune has faltered, he has been unable to recruit a reliable QB, he has stuck to his guns stubbornly calling offensive schemes that his detractors called predictable at best, he has relied on a trademark smashmouth defense to try to win games, and he has successfully alienated his core fanbase by committing the unforgivable sin: losing.
As sad as the end of his tenure might look, it is probably in the best interests of the team. The team is still regarded as a prime program, and a change of head coach should give the program a good selling point for prospective recruits that presently were dissuaded by the free-fall the team has been in the past years despite its prominent national profile.
As the Fat One (Fulmer’s nickname) prepares to part ways with the Vols, Nashville is all gossip and talk as the list of prospective coaches is quickly forming.
The names on the table:
Ron Zook
Lane Kiffin
Mike Leach
Butch Davis
Steve Spurrier
Brian Kelly
Will Muschamp
Tim Brewster
Jon Gruden
Personally I am rooting for Jon Gruden. I think the match is perfect both ways. College would give Jon Gruden a chance at coaching a plausible national champion, something he will not be able to do in TB anytime in the near future.
Tennessee would get a proven winner, a household name coming straight from the NFL with a ring, who would immediately attract prospective recruits. It would also be a good match for Tennessee’s playing style to recruit a coach known for his aggressive defensive tactics.
BetSportsWeb.com, a leading online sportsbook based out of Costa Rica, has come up with odds on who will replace Fulmer.
Ron Zook 5/1
Lane Kiffin 10/1
Mike Leach 3/1
Butch Davis 15/1
Steve Spurrier 20/1
Brian Kelly 7/1
Will Muschamp 4/1
Tim Brewster 5/1
Jon Gruden 2/1
Other 1/5
8 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Jeff Kneis 8 months ago
Great article! I agree that Tennessee will need a big name to come in to help recruit. Lane Kiffin could be a great fit, but you never know what the AD is thinking.
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Rory Davis 8 months ago
Nice article Scott...It should be an interested process to say the least.
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Clayton Martin 8 months ago
Good read Scott. However, I have seen Gruden quoted already saying that he is not interested. I mean I would love to have him too but that is simply not a realistic option. We are not going to get Ron Zook, he's a great recruiter but that's ludacris. Butch Davis said today he's not interested. Steve Spurrier is absolutely not interested. And I hope we aren't interested in Mike Leach. There is no way in heck his system could work in the SEC.
My current top 5 (realistic) candidates are:
1. Lane Kiffin
2. Will Muschamp
3. Gary Patterson
4. Brian Kelly
5. Charlie Strong
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Scott Rivers 7 months ago
Yes too bad about Gruden, hear Gary Patterson is a real posibility
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Hoover Jones 7 months ago
The AD has made formal overtures to Zook, Kelly, Muschamp and Gruden. This has been confirmed by The Animal radio WNML-AM
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GatorJon 7 months ago
As a Gator, I strongly suggest you hire Ron Zook, allow him to recruit some quality talent, then after 3 perplexing years trying to figure out why you lose games you shouldn't, hire the best coach available. That is the plan for success!
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O-town Gator 7 months ago
Jon, you hit the nail on the head with that one. Zook may be able to recruit talent, but in no way is he a "master recruiter" as he left gaps on the Florida roster once Urban Meyer took over.. And forget about gettng a coach in Zook who is a good team manager, good gameday strategist, problem solver - one who has his players ready to play on gameday, has them well-conditioned and has control of his program - all we got for 3 years at Florida were his trying to skirt the issue or making excuses in the form of ridiculous cliches when asked why things went wrong, "I'm not Steve Spurrier" X number of times when he was introduced back in 2002, a master micromanager who kept way too tight of a leash on his assistants and didn't allow them room to coach their position players, and somebody who wasted a lot of time - in short, he wanted to try and prove that he was a jack of all trades but in essence he was the master of none. Add to that his escalating an already dicey situation at the Pi Kappa Phi frat house and instigating further trouble by the way he behaved.
I wonder when Illini fans will start saying "Fire Ron Zook"?
If I were a Vol fan I'd want Lane Kiffin or Will Muschamp for my team. Jon gruden won't leave tampa Bay, and no way would I want Zook.
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Scott Rivers 7 months ago
O-Town interesting analysis, I agree that Zook is no good, I still wish we can somehow entice Gruden, I know its a dream, but hey we all need dreams. Lol
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