Phillip Fulmer

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MadtownGopher

MadtownGopher

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One of my friends who graduated from Tennessee said word out of Knoxville is that Phillip Fulmer is definitely a candidate. If he was about 5 years younger I could probably be down with this move.

Here is his Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Fulmer


What do you guys think, would he be a decent hire?
 

He was north of the Mason-Dixon line for 4 years back in the mid 70's and is 60 years old. I would much rather have Belotti for some reason.
 

<img src="http://www.ctcsports.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/jamboree.png">
 

MadtownGopher said:
One of my friends who graduated from Tennessee said word out of Knoxville is that Phillip Fulmer is definitely a candidate. If he was about 5 years younger I could probably be down with this move.

Here is his Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Fulmer


What do you guys think, would he be a decent hire?
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That would be great I think. I don't think the age of the coach matters too much. Our program is pretty much dead. To get a great coach with notoriety (whether or not he's young) is the most important thing. I think it'd be easier to get a bigtime coach once the program has some national respect. So, if Phillip Fullmer was interested, I'd say yes! If he restores the program pretty quickly, but retires, we are in better shape than we would be if we possibly hire a young coach who might not have the experience we need!
 



In many ways this would be exactly the 'Tubby Smith' hire that Maturi is talking about replicating.
 

As long as we don't play South Carolina, it might be OK. As they used to say at UF, 'Spurrier is so far inside Fat Phil's head, he can read the Denny's menu.'
 


ruralgopher said:
In many ways this would be exactly the 'Tubby Smith' hire that Maturi is talking about replicating.
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Well, I'd agree in as much as the Tubby part. That's about where the comparison stops.
 




Khaliq said:
Well, I'd agree in as much as the Tubby part. That's about where the comparison stops.
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National Championship on his resume, very successful in the SEC (obviously more difficult in football than basketball), victim of super high (unrealistic?) expectatations...
 

NO!

All he knows is the South, the gee-golly awh shucks routine won't work very well up there. He needs to stay down here and rumors are that he'll end up at Vanderbilt.

If we look South, it needs to be at Gary Patterson. I think he and Troy Calhoun are the best names out there that we might have a shot at.
 

ruralgopher said:
National Championship on his resume, very successful in the SEC (obviously more difficult in football than basketball), victim of super high (unrealistic?) expectatations...
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I don't really have major concerns about him only being in the South, you could have said the same thing about Tubby. However, Tubby had also proven himself at UGa and Tulsa, so you knew Minnesota would not shock him. Phil's never coached outside the friendly confines of an established SEC power, so it's not as certain what he can do.

Bottom-line is I'd rather have Richt or Belotti if we're going after an established coach. But I'd certainly put Phil in my top 10.
 



Y'all familiar with the Fulmer cup out of curiosity?
 


I laugh at how you guys all shun a lot of potential candidates. Especially formerly/currently successful ones.

And you all bitch about the Wacker, Mason, Brewster eras.

Pick one and stick with it.
 


Formo said:
I laugh at how you guys all shun a lot of potential candidates. Especially formerly/currently successful ones.

And you all bitch about the Wacker, Mason, Brewster eras.

Pick one and stick with it.
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Everyone wants whats best for the program. We all have different opinions regarding it.
 

I hate Tennessee but never had a problem with Fulmer. I think he deserves some consideration.
 

He could be another Warmath - great record and a fine coach, but his age (60) would be a problem. Not all coaches have the energy longevity of Bobby Bowden and Joe Pa.
 

Formo said:
I laugh at how you guys all shun a lot of potential candidates. Especially formerly/currently successful ones.

And you all bitch about the Wacker, Mason, Brewster eras.

Pick one and stick with it.
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Thank you. I'm laughing along with you, because the best advice Maturi can get right now is to wait a week or two, consult this board to find out what the consensus opinion is regarding a new coach, and then do something different.
 

maxwellsmart said:
Thank you. I'm laughing along with you, because the best advice Maturi can get right now is to wait a week or two, consult this board to find out what the consensus opinion is regarding a new coach, and then do something different.
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I think most talk radio callers would agree with you.

Make of that what you will.
 


tjgesquire said:
All he knows is the South, the gee-golly awh shucks routine won't work very well up there. He needs to stay down here and rumors are that he'll end up at Vanderbilt.

Are you kidding me? Not sure if you were around here when Holtz was brought in, but the Southern Gentleman thing was huge, he had the whole State charmed. I remember they even printed off a whole special section of the sports page dedicated to him.
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ruralgopher said:
National Championship on his resume, very successful in the SEC (obviously more difficult in football than basketball), victim of super high (unrealistic?) expectatations...
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He wasn't a "victim of super high (unrealistic?) expectatations." Tennessee fans expect to beat Wyoming on homecoming. He couldn't. They were 5-7 (3-5) his last year at Tennessee. He was fired because just like when our administration fired Mason they knew the cupboard was bare at that point in time and things were going to get worse before they got better.

If we're recycling 60 year old coaches Bellotti is a much better coach to bring to Minnesota. He has been successful at a school with very little in-state talent that wasn't successful (had no reputation) before he got there. He has proven over his career that he is adept at identifying good assistant coaches that go on to be head coaches--Chip Kelly (Oregon), Chris Peterson (Boise State), Jeff Tedford (Cal), Dirk Koetter (ASU/now Jax Jaguars OC). Unlike Fulmer he doesn't have an infamous award (Fulmer Cup) honoring the off field incidents of his players.
 

Guys, I am a Vol fan born and raised very close to Neyland. I have been around the Tennessee program all my life. In my opinion, Phil Fulmer would be a good hire for you. There were a lot of factors that went into his dismissal here, and it had as much to do with University politics as anything. Yes, the program was down, and he was transitioning his offense to a version of the spread (without the personnel) which led to some really ugly football, but there were a lot of factors. Its still a very hot button issue here as to whether he should have been let go or not. But anyway, if you guys get Fulmer, I think you would be fine. He is one of the top recruiters of all time and his list of players drafted to the NFL that were not top shelf recruits shows how he has done at player development. And as far as his former coaches go, he hasnt done that bad either. John Chavis is the best defensive coordinator in the country, Randy Sanders has played a big part in helping turn Kentucky around, and there are others here and there who have done ok. If he winds up there, give it a chance. best of luck to you.
 

I have a friend who once ate a potato from Idaho that says Chris Peterson is a definite candidate for the job.
 

No. Although he knows how to cast a wide net for recruiting (Tennessee has a smaller HS talent pool than MN), he is tired and used up. Or at least he was when he left Knoxville. He has a trophy named after him that goes to the team with the most off-the-field incidents. His contract extension at the end of the 2007 season was a big bone of contention among fans, most of whom wanted to see him go. There are better people out there.
 

grunkiejr said:
He wasn't a "victim of super high (unrealistic?) expectatations."
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OK, but the year before he was fired he went 10-4, 6-2 in conference (T1 in division) and won the outback bowl. I would say to fire a guy one year after that is super high and unrealistic expectations. in his final 10 years (not going all the way back to his Nat'l championship or back to back conf titles) He won 10 games 4 times, and 9 2 more times. Finished the year in the top 25 7times (including 12th the year before firing), top ten twice.
 

ruralgopher said:
In many ways this would be exactly the 'Tubby Smith' hire that Maturi is talking about replicating.
Click to expand...

Khaliq said:
Well, I'd agree in as much as the Tubby part. That's about where the comparison stops.
Click to expand...

ruralgopher said:
National Championship on his resume, very successful in the SEC (obviously more difficult in football than basketball), victim of super high (unrealistic?) expectatations...
Click to expand...

Khaliq said:
Y'all familiar with the Fulmer cup out of curiosity?
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So the 'Fulmer Cup' discredits the similar career accomplishments that he shared with Tubby?
 

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