🏈 Would UT football be where it is today if they hadn't fired Fulmer?

[TerryP]

I was listening to one of the sports radio shows in the last few days and heard one of the hosts saying it was the fatal flaw that put the Vol football program where it is today. He was making an analogy about firing coaches to early.

It's not the first time I've heard people suggest this—and I still can't fully agree.

There's a good chance it wouldn't have taken the nose-dive it has—to that I can't argue against. However, I thought it was time when the did let him go. Most of that was based on his record against top 25 teams. As I recall, his winning percentage against top 25 teams following the year they won the BCS title was around .333.

Looking back—and setting aside the deserved dislike of Fulmer—do you think it was the right move for the UT administration?

 

[jdpas29]

They would have been a lot better off if they had kept Fill-up Fullmore. As much as i detest the great pumpkin and all he represents, he was a better coach than they gave him credit for.

 

[rammerjammer]

I think it was the right thing to let him go. Look at the other UT (Texas) Will they nose-dive under Strong? I'm inclined not to think so, but that is a different conversation entirely.

I think that Fulmer had hit a wall after 17 ish years at UT. Look at Bowden and Paterno. They had similar instances through their career. CFB is cyclical. With an impatient society, we are not as willing to wait through the lean years for the coach to get his legs back, so to speak. Would Tennessee be down had they kept Fulmer, I think so, his last few years were an average of mediocrity.

Bear experienced similar situations in 69 and 70. Then he rolled out the wish-bone and the rest is history. I had a workmate that graduated from UA in 82 and he said that there were rumblings that the game had passed coach Bryant and that he was too old at that point. Fulmer and Mack Brown both were given ample time to have a few crappy seasons and then get back to the level that everyone expects. I want to say 3-4 years for both of them. It didn't happen. This is a what have you done for me lately cut throat business. They are payed well and expected to perform. I know you can't win them all, but I just want to be in contention. I think that, deep down, is what most fan bases want. I believe that is why you hear chatter about the Mark Richts and Bob Stoops of being on the hot seat, but ultimately they are in the conversation year in and year out. As difficult an arena as CFB has become, realistically I think that is what you hope for. To be mentioned and to be a contender.

 

[TheChief]

Yep. Recruiting and coaching were abysmal- had and his staff included. He wasn't working. They maybe should have let him go a bit earlier, and the team might have still had some talent when another coach took over. At any rate, I'm certainly glad it happened.

 

[riz]

No. I don't. I understand why they did it, and I lol'd when they did, but I don't think they'd be nearly as down as they are now.

 

[bamaraider]

I think it was the right move to let him go. Fans weren't showing up, and the ones who did wore paper bags on their head. Most of you already mentioned recruiting. It was the right move to let him go; however, the coach they got to replace him was definitely the wrong move. :rolf:

 

[psychojoe]

The most telling thing about his last season was that before our game with them in Knoxville, their fans were outside the stadium, giving away their tickets to our fans who had come up in hope of scoring a ticket. Not just staying away, but giving away their tickets to the enemy. Even luxury box ticket. That is how far he had fallen in the eyes of his fans.

I remember a message board comment that I saw on national signing day in 2008. They thought they were still in the mix for some of the top prospects, but had whiffed on all of them. As the day wound down one of them posted "It's like it is closing time in a bar, you have not hooked up, and all that is left are the ugly girls."

I don't see how he could have stayed on, with recruiting failures and losing the fan base.

 

[ElephantStomp]

He lost to Wyoming in Knoxville!!!! If you're Tennessee isn't that rock bottom? Even as bad as Tennessee has been since firing him I believe they'd still whip Wyoming, so to me they're actually better than they were his last year.

I'm more inclined to believe the decisions made after letting Fatty go has more to do with their rapid decline than the actual firing. Kiffin wasn't the right guy for the job obviously, but even after Kiffin left their decision making was a head scratcher to say the least. I think the Butch Jones hire is a good one and I believe he's going to have them where they want to be within reason, I don't see them competing with Alabama unless we all of a sudden go on a death spiral and stop recruiting.

 

[TerryP]

He lost to Wyoming in Knoxville!!!! If you're Tennessee isn't that rock bottom? Even as bad as Tennessee has been since firing him I believe they'd still whip Wyoming, so to me they're actually better than they were his last year.

A worse loss than Michigan dropping the game to App. State, IMO. Out of the four wins Wyoming had that year, one was against an FCS team and the other two teams combined for six wins on the season. When you look at those six wins, you see a lot of teams that were 2-10; like the Wyoming win that season over San Diego St.

Horrible, horrible loss for the Vols.

@psychojoe Several people I know that attended that game in Knoxville claim there were more Bama fans in the stadium than UT fans.

 

[psychojoe]

Terry, I remember thinking out loud at work about going to that game and having an acquaintance of the UT persuasion call me aside and say that if I decided to go, he had reservations in Pigeon Forge for that weekend that he was not going to use and I could have them. Mind you, not only was that a huge football weekend, but it was also peak tourist season for the Smokies.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

His time was up, his recruiting dropped off, the players were just running the motions as was the coach. What really suprised me was Chavez second chance at LSU, all in all he has done well there and I thought his time was up.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Where would they be with Lane Kiffin?

 

[ElephantStomp]

A worse loss than Michigan dropping the game to App. State, IMO. Out of the four wins Wyoming had that year, one was against an FCS team and the other two teams combined for six wins on the season. When you look at those six wins, you see a lot of teams that were 2-10; like the Wyoming win that season over San Diego St.

Horrible, horrible loss for the Vols.

@psychojoe Several people I know that attended that game in Knoxville claim there were more Bama fans in the stadium than UT fans.

I agree with you . That Wyoming team was horrible even more so than normal. App St was a good team the year they beat Michigan and I think that team would've given any team in college a run for their money.

I have a couple friends that are UT grads and they believe that loss is the worst since they've been alive (they're both 43).

 

[TerryP]

I agree with you . That Wyoming team was horrible even more so than normal. App St was a good team the year they beat Michigan and I think that team would've given any team in college a run for their money.

I have a couple friends that are UT grads and they believe that loss is the worst since they've been alive (they're both 43).

Losing to Kentucky (2010,) or back to back loses to Vandy ('12, '13) is embarrassing. That Wyoming loss was not only embarrassing, but also had a strong shot of humiliation on the side.

I had to stop for a minute and think—can you tell me what conference Wyoming is a member?

How many here can?

Spoiler

It's the Mountain West

 

[TerryP]

Where would they be with Lane Kiffin?

Loaded with talent.

It's debatable if they could have won the East by now. I do think they'd have had a couple of seasons where they split the games against UF and UofSC or UGA.