Blog Sources Say Vols' Phillip Fulmer Is Going to Get the Axe

After a bit of a thumping at the hands of rival Alabama, reports are now starting to surface from "sources" that Tennessee has decided to let the long-time Volunteer coach Phillip Fulmer go at the close of this season.

The blog 3rd Saturday In Blogtober, alluding to highly-placed sources, writes this:

Very reliable sources have informed 3SIB that Vols head coach Phillip Fulmer WILL NOT be retained at the end of the season. Likely, an announcement won't be made until after the Kentucky game.

Also, the source has confirmed to me that several assistants from the old guard will not be retained, though the names were not divulged. The remaining coaches' futures will be determined at a later date. The source would not go further into detail.

As with any report of this type, care must be taken before jumping to any conclusions, but in the world of rumors, this one is not that far out there.

Despite leading the Volunteers to a National Championship back in 1998 and sporting a 150-50 record as head coach, things have been going downhill lately and, in what is truly the kiss of death for a coach, fans have toned down the anger and just stopped showing up.

While rumors like these are frequent occurrences during the season and often turn out to be complete garbage, anyone who has been reading 3rd Saturday in Blogtober knows that nothing like this would get posted lightly.

There will be more as it becomes available, of course, but for now this is the first purported "insider report" to suggest that what we've all suspected for a while is, in fact, the case: that Tennessee will be less interested in historical records and more interested in the answer to the question "What have you done for us lately?" (The answer, of course, being "Not a whole hell of a lot.")

The biggest question looming for the Vols, if Fulmer gets canned, who do you replace the man with?

Update (9:55am): Dr. Saturday points us to a two-sourced article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel stating that another loss would doom Fulmer. Slightly different from the report above but note this: "Fulmer would not be guaranteed to save his job if the Vols go 7-5 this season."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-28-2008 @ 7:25AM

Jayson said...

As a UT fan and alum, I do not like to see anyone get fired, but something needs to change. (I did not even want to see Randy Sanders fired) UT has been in the top 10-15 every year in recruiting and the team is not finishing in the top 10-15. Sorry Coach, but I think it's your time to exit stage left.

10-28-2008 @ 8:15AM

Chris F. said...

Cincinnati's Brian Kelly, Missouri's Gary Pinkel, University of South Florida's Jim Leavitt, Boise State's Chris Petersen and Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen are some potential coaches of interest.

A distant possibility would be Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, who was a graduate assistant in Knoxville in 1986-87 and whose wife is a former Tennessee cheerleader. But a distant possibility nonetheless.

10-28-2008 @ 9:11AM

Ron said...

How sad. I am a Penn ST graduate and a few years ago everyone was calling for Joe's resignation. Phillip Fulmer has done a lot for Tennessee football. Wake up people! What a shame if you allow a quality coach like him to get away. Maybe he can come to Penn State when Joe retires. SEC is a tough conference and to think that young men between the ages of 18-22 in front of 100,000+ fans won't make mistakes is a bit unrealistic. Fans complain about losing, Fans complain about "thugs", Fans complain about graduation rates.... I could go on, but what would be the point. If he does go, it will be a sad day in Knoxville.

10-28-2008 @ 9:49AM

edwin said...

He does need to go, he has served his term.

What about Skip Holtz as a coach?

I think we they loose to USC saturday... Say it then. LET HIM GO....YOUR KILLING THE FANS

10-28-2008 @ 10:40AM

Jason said...

Phil apparently has forgotten how he got his job in the first place. His predecessor, Johnny Majors, embraced mediocrity for many years until the fans and alums finally said ENOUGH! He needs to make sure his buddy Chavis is under one of his arms when he leaves. Phil's last 4-5 seasons have been a case study in "Majors Ball"- completely predictable play calling, no innovation in offensive alignments and sets, and mediocre defense despite having some of the nation's best talent as players.
Majors taught Phil that "they don't remember how you started, they remember how you finish each season." For years now the KY and VANDY games of that month have masked his ineptitude. But this year he will be lucky to sweep even those two.

Bye Phil. Make sure Chavis leaves with you. Perhaps you boys can go halfsies on a U-Haul.

Whoever hires you should learn to be content with "3 yards and a cloud of dust" as your offensive strategy. And whoever hires Chavis will learn a term coined at Neyland called "third and Chavis". It means third and long but the offense will convert the first down.

10-28-2008 @ 10:49AM

Robert said...

Especially after the gamecocks beat them this saturday!

10-28-2008 @ 11:29AM

Nick @ SECjunky.com said...

I hope this is true

10-28-2008 @ 12:37PM

tmercks said...

I am a lifelong Tennesean, Vol fan, and Graduate of UT, living about 20 miles from the campus. Losing David Cutcliffe (and his system, Trooper Taylor (recruiting) and others should be considered factors for this year's performance. Also, introducing Rick Clausen and his new offense. I certainly hope the University reconsiders and gives Phil and Rick a chance to rebuild. I think it is UT's best hope. It is a tough place to work when you can be fired for not winning the SEC - EVERY year. Besides, I remember Bill Battle, Johnny Majors, and Doug Dickey (sic). We really don't want another mess like those guys, and we're not going to get a pro coach - who in their right mind would come to UT to coach with those pressures?

10-28-2008 @ 12:49PM

Joe the Fan said...

I hear Tony Franklin is looking for work. Do you think Cutcliffe is dumb enough to come back to UTK and face perennial mid SEC East finishes?

Please fire Phil, and replace him with a mediocre coach.

ROLL TIDE

10-28-2008 @ 3:42PM

larry allen said...

no dont fire thisman,his staff is in toughest confernce in the country. you have to get the best player in the country. these days very hard to do.

10-28-2008 @ 5:30PM

Phillip said...

Hey Tenn, Tommy Bowden needs a job and he likes to wear orange!

10-28-2008 @ 5:49PM

chester said...

Rich Rod is probably starting to get tired of Michigan he would be a nice coach and his starting price is FOUR MILLION, which I'm sure thaey would stand in line to pay at Ann Arbor.

Good Luck

10-29-2008 @ 10:26PM

gshort3011 said...

I am at a loss as to why this fellow wasn't fired a long ago.

10-31-2008 @ 12:07PM

JERRY said...

The issues with veteran coaches is simple:
1. Have they become stagnant after being in one place for many years
2. Has the game passed them by
3. What measures has the AD taken in past years to assist the coach to rebuild and revatalize the program
4.After several years of fair-poor seasons what is best for the school and its football program.

In this case the criticism of Tenn. football and coaching staff is several years old, the opening loss to UCLA was embarassing, and the program is not making progress. In fact it appears to be in reverse. Change for changes sake is not always good, but if the AD has a successor in mind that has a proven track record of success then make the change. But to fire a veteran coach and hire a whiner, immature and inexperienced coach like Kiffin would be a mistake. So, I favor replacing the current coach with experience and success but no Callahans, Turners, and Kiffins need apply.

11-01-2008 @ 10:12PM

Sam What Am said...

For some reason, the UT football program seems to be getting worse year by year. I think the reason is Elmer Fudd, and his staff.
Phil Fulmer has done a lot for UT, but UT has done a lot for Fulmer, as well.
South Carolina is destroying Tennessee

11-02-2008 @ 12:13PM

gmoney said...

1-8 against top 10 teams at home since 2000! being paid 2.65 million dollars this year! still trying to play a style of football that just does not work in college football today! take chavis with him when he goes,chavis will not blitz ,i would pay good money to see just one defensive back block somebody at the line of scrimmage,the safety at times plays to deep to be any help to the other db's! what has crompton been doing for the last three years he has been at tennessee?how many times have we heard fulmer talk about why a certain good player did not get into a game? his pat answer is always that "we probably should have gotten him into the game" it's time for a change for everybody,including fulmer! i wish him nothing but the best!

11-03-2008 @ 7:00PM

GREG said...

IT'S A SAID DAY FOR TENN FOOTBALL. COACH FULMER HAS LIVED HIS LIFE FOR TENN. FOOTBALL AND SHOULD BE TREATED WITH THE HIGHEST RESPECT. HIS BLOOD FLOWS ORANGE LIKE ANY OTHER VOL FAN. I WISH HIM ALL THE LUCK IN THE FUTURE. I HOPE HAMILTON IS SMART ENOUGH TO PICK SOMEONE THAT HAS TENN FOOTBALL AND ITS HISTORY FOR WINNING AT HEART LIKE AL WILSON I KNOW WOULD BE. HE WOULD BE AT LEAST A GREAT DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR AND MAYBE HEAD COACH.

11-03-2008 @ 7:43PM

Rusty from UGA said...

I know TN has been having some trouble the last few years with the team and it seem as if Fulmer has lost some control of the team BUT the man has an incredible record and has kept most of the SEC teams in check. I am unsure what is happening behind the scenes at TN but isn't this is first losing season in sometime?? I would hope with his history and his record that it would take more than one bad season to want to fire a coach? I wish him the best!