For the second straight year Phil Fulmer is given an extension by Tenn but no raise. Here is why IMHO: Phil's won-loss vs: 2-4 vs. Richt 0-2 vs. Meyer 1-1 vs. Miles 3-3 vs. Tuberville (1-3 @ Auburn) 1-2 vs. Saban 4-8 vs. Spurrier (@ Fla and USC) That is 11-20 vs. these coaches. Heck he was lucky not be 1-2 vs. Ron Zook. I am going to say that if I was a Tenn fan in light of the stats above and in consideration of the supposed great recruiting Tenn has had that I would be thinking Fulmer is closer to Zook these days than he is Spurrier or Meyer or Richt. That national title in '98 is going on 9 seasons ago and I believe it was the last SEC title as well. Mind you if true in-game coaching mediocrity has befallen Phil I am happy that he chooses to stick around and UT chooses to keep him....much like I feel about Bobby Bowden at FSU whose better days have definitely passed him by. In any event if I were a Tenn fan I would be casting glances at what was available out there in the college football coaching circles especially if this winning percentage against the top coaches doesn't improve or it gets worse.
Before TT scorches me over this post I do want to say that Tenn is one of the top programs in college football and they deserve more if Phil's best days are behind him. Can you imagine what one of the rising coaching stars like Rodriguez of WVa could do at Tenn?
I think it's way to early to cross Fumer off as a coach. He's gotten top notch recruiting class 2 of the last 3 years and has a history as a winner.
It's a state school. There may be some kind of state-controlled limitation of his salary. It's one possibility of many. Of course, performance is another.
Don't cry for Phil Fulmer he's making plenty of money. No doubt the program hit bottom 2 years ago, and last year was an improvement and recruiting is good right now for the Vols. Fulmer like a lot of coaches is hurt when he loses key assistants, he was hurt with the loss of David Cutliffe and the offense slowly spiraled downward, till it hit bottom in 2005. They have consistently been a very tough team on defense, but when the offense gives you no help, well... Now that Cutliffe is back I expect that Tenn will return to being a consistent contender for the top 10.
Terry beat me to it. Since 1999, Randy Sanders coached the offense down the tubes. We got rid of him and got Cut back last year. Look at the difference an OC makes with the results between 2005 and 2006. Phil is safe at Tennessee. Sorry MCG, nice try. Fulmer and Cut together again!
Fulmer has a winning percentage of 77% playing OOC games at elite locations all over the country. With Cutcliffe back, that percentage will start to climb back up. Name me a coach that has been in div 1 palying against top competition for more than 5 years that can boast that kind of record. If you can name 9 others, that would make Fulmer a member of the elite 10 coaches. Yes... we will keep Fulmer. 8)
MCG, then I guess we can't call Spurrier a winner either, he doesn't have a winning record against Bobby Bowden.
Spurrier had 5 official SEC titles, 1 unofficial in 1990, 2 other SEC East titles, won the National Championship, played for it one other time and of course is 8-4 vs. Fulmer. Say the two are equal if you want Bill. That's your right to your own opinion.. :shock: Tom, looking at who Fulmer has beaten in OOC games in his career I can't see what you are seeing. In bowl games he is 2-5 since the NC and he is 0-2 vs. Nebraska, 0-2 vs. Paterno but he is 1-0 vs. Bowden and Carr. In regular season games I don't see the elite wins you are talking about...over elite coaches that is with the exception of his great win last season vs. Tedford of Cal....if Tedford turns out to be the genious people think he is. In any event adding the OOC record vs. the elite OOC coaches is obviously not going to improve his winning percentage vs. these kinds of coaches.
Sid, I realize that Tom or other Tenn fans (whoever they may be) may not agree with this but I am just trying to initiate a little lively debate. Not calling anyone names....flaming his team or his coach....these are some observations someone made on a Gator message board and I think there is some legitimacy to it. This "everyone is always right and beautiful" shangri-la that some want to create around here is not real world. Again.....I was only talking about Fulmer....not Spurrier but of course Spurrier is thrown at me as a missive that I am forced to defend against. Please note this is from me: "I do want to say that Tenn is one of the top programs in college football and they deserve more if Phil's best days are behind him."
I though MCG was comparing PF's in-conference record? True, SOS has a losing record against BB ...... but does he against any active SEC coaches? And, I wonder how many coaches who've faced a Bowden-coached FSU team more that twice have a winning record against BB? Spurrier has a .390 record against BB largely on his 0-5-1 record @ FSU. I believe the only teams to defeat FSU in Tallahassee during the period from 1990 to 2001 were two undefeated Miami teams (both MNC teams) and NCState in 2001 when FSU went 8-4.
As you have so noted before Gaterz more times than not my posts are distorted in response and the factual substance of those posts is often ignored and twisted to suit a different angle. I think 11-20 vs. the SEC's coaching elite is cold hard simple truth. The OOC record given the facts and actual wins do not bring relief to Fulmer either. His bowl record the last 7 is 2-5 and he has only two SEC East titles and no SEC titles since 1998. However.....he is a winner on par with Spurrier now we are told. But hey...he's not our coach so why not keep him around! :lol: 8)
MCG Up til now I have stayed away from your comments. But when you state in a post "Not calling anyone names...flaming his team or his coach..." Bull! That is exactly what you are doing. I know that 1999 was quite a time ago, but I still remember basking in the glow of our football team and their accomplishments at this time of the year. I certainly wasn't looking for ways to start arguments and constantly berating others coaches and their respective teams. Back off Bucko Cindy
MCG wrote: As Cindy said: As usual, you try to find something... anything, with which to poke, pick, or prod Tennessee fans. Not going to bother me though. I consider the source realizing that you two get your jollies off of irritating others so I'm not going to be the source of your fun. Bill and Terry, Bringing Gonzo back may be the right thing to do. There is no way he is as bad as these two! :roll:
Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum strike again. Some comments before I lock this topic also. First if what you were really interested in was lively coment then pointing out another very successful coach, Spurrier, who had a losing record against another coach would seem to be legitimate comments. Second, if what you were really interested in were lively debate one might think you would have enough commen sense to not keep picking on certain teams. And your track record is to find anything negative about Tennessee that you can to post. I do have to admit that after we beat Ohio State you did switch to finding anything negative about the Buckeye's that you could. Thirdly if what you wanted was realistic analysis you might have added a couple of comments about Fulmer where it came to Spurrier, first that during the time Fulmer was playing the Gators while Spurrier was coach there the Gators had one of the best runs in the SEC that any team had ever had. They won 4 consective SEC Championships, won 20 or so straight SEC games and were in the hunt for the National Championship every year. Fourth you might also have mentioned that Fulmer is 2-1 aginst Spurrier the last three years. Fifth, you guys can keep playing negative tag team f you want to but you may end up getting your topics locked again and again. Like this one has just been. Gator Bill