Is Mid-Year Coaching Change at UT Pending?

Hello Tennessee Volunteer and SEC football fans.

It is pretty clear that my prediction of a UT upset of Georgia was more wishful thinking than anything else. Also it is pretty clear that Georgia is much better than Tennessee. The Vols did not give this one away, they we were just whipped.

During this 26 to 14 whipping, which was much worse than the score, the Tennessee defense could not stop the Georgia run, and only Georgia could stop Georgia's passing (with interceptions in the Red Zone). On the other hand, Georgia outcoached UT, being able to stop the run, often keeping an extra defensive back in the box, and daring the young QB Nick Stephens to pass to win, even after Stephens connected on a well thrown 60 yarder.

So, at 2-4, and 0-3 in the SEC, where does this leave the Tennessee football program and Phil Fulmer's future with the Vols?

Athletic Director Mike Hamilton has reportedly stated that he would not rule out a coaching change at mid-season, even though the Tennessee model is to evaluate all coaches at the end of the season. He stated there is a contingency fund with enough money to handle the buy outs for the coaches. Mr. Hamilton ruled out an intervention from the AD level of an "Auburn Style" replacement of the Offensive Coordinator. Auburn's move was rumored have been made in mid-season, at least in part because of a riff between offensive coordinator Tony Franklin and other Auburn coaches. Hamilton said one of the few reasons he might intervene would be dissension on the team, but did not mention any dissension. He went on to say that he was aware of some apathy among the fan base, and that apathy can kill a program. When asked about a possible 6-6 record, he said that obviously the goal at Tennessee is not a 500 season. Perhaps more revealing than anything else he said, was that some boosters have come to him (but not too many), with the talk of replacing Fulmer before donations from large boosters are affected. The UT football program provides 80% of the UT Athletic Department funding.

What is obvious to most fans who follow UT is that the football program has been slipping since the Peyton Manning years, ever so close to the middle of the pack in the SEC. Manning's influence on recruiting cannot be underestimated. As John Pennington, who writes for the Knoxville New-Sentinel points out, the class of 2002 made their official visits to UT during Manning's last year. Since that time, the Vols have had two 3 loss seasons, Two 4 loss seasons, one 5 loss season, and who knows how many games they will loose this year.

Phillip Fulmer is a fighter. He will not give up, and reportedly the moral on the team is still good. In his defense, to loose a good offensive coordinator like David Cutcliffe, and a pro-caliber QB like Eric Ainge, install a new offense with a new coordinator and young QB, have a recruiting class that was below UT standards because of turnover among the coaches when Cutlciffe left, is enough to cause any coach problems. It hardly seems fair to fire a coach who has done so well over the years under these circumstances. But who said the big business of college football had to be fair?

During this week's Phillip Fulmer show and review of the Georgia game on television, Coach Fulmer looked very tired and sad, as one might expect. Florida Coach Evan Myer during his television show the week Florida lost to Mississippi, seemed unable to manage even a small smile. The impact of a single loss, much less a potential loosing season is devastating to the coaches at these high profile football schools.

Coach Phillip Fulmer's future at UT will be determined by how well he can motivate this team and correct the demonstrated deficiencies as the season progresses. A loss to Mississippi State on Saturday might well be enough for AD Hamilton to intervene. After all, a few years back losses to Sylvester Croom and MSU were the final straws for Ron Zook at Florida and Mike Shula at Alabama, and recently contributed to Ole Miss bringing in Houston Nutt to right the wayward Rebel ship.

I'm rooting for Fulmer. Go Vols.

UT Offense Sputters to 13-9 Win Over Northern Illinois

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer made an anticipated quarterback change, going with redshirt sophomore Nick Stephens over struggling Jonathan Crompton in Saturday's game against Northern Illinois. Stephens, from Flower Mound Texas, near Tatum (East Texas), managed the game well, tossing a perfect 54 yard TD pass, going 10 of 17 for 156 yards, with one interception and one fumble as he was hit hard from the blindside.

Unfortunately, the Vol offense as a whole continues to be much less productive than fans and coaches expect from what was billed in preseason as an explosive offensive. Although RB Arian Foster ran for 75 yards, UT managed only 225 yards of total offense. Big plays have been sadly lacking so far this season.

The defense continues to play well, and are ranked 5th in the nation in total yards allowed. Compare that to the Tennessee offense ranking of 97th. The question marks this year were supposed to have been with the defense. Northern Illinois, a decent mid-major team which scored more than 30 points against Minnesota, managed only 195 total yards and 3 field goals.

Needless to say, if the offense continues to sputter and is unable to move the ball effectively as the Vols enter the heart of their SEC schedule, it is doubtful the defense will be able to carry the team.

Tennessee needs to find a way to get the ball into the hands of some of the playmakers and better athletes on the team. Expect the Vols to play three running backs against Georgia, Arian Foster, Montario Hardesty and Lennon Creer, and to get the ball more to big tight end Brandon Warren, a transfer from Florida State with lots of potential. Don't be surprised to see offensive coordinator Dave Clawson figure a way to get the best athlete on the team, Defensive Back Eric Berry (from Georgia), some playing time with the offense. Also, one would expect more direct snaps to Gerald Jones in the so-called G-Gun package. Jones is a receiver who played QB in high schools and can throw and run. For the most part, the receivers have been disappointing this year. A good showing from this underachieving group is essential if the Vols are to have a chance to beat Georgia in Athens this weekend.

One can only imagine the pressure Coach Fulmer is feeling, with the 2-3 start and the self destruction the Vols have shown so often this year. Some remarks by retired Tennessee coach Johnny Majors did not help. Majors was asked about the Vols while a recent guest speaker at the Huntsville Alabama Quarterback Club. Majors stated he was not about to get into what was going on the Knoxville right now, but reportedly did say that Defensive Coordinator John Chavis has carried Phil Fulmer for the past 10 years, and that it was not surprising that Fulmer did well in his first years at Tennessee becuase of the "good program we left him."

Tennessee has too much talent to be 2-3 at this point in the season. Fulmer has developed a reputation for failing to get his teams ready to play up to potential early in the season, and then
getting them on track just in time save the season. ie, thumping Georgia in Knoxville last year.
It is that time again........Against conventional wisdom, I predict UT will upset Georgia this weekend, on the leg of Britton Colquitt, who is back from a 5 game suspension. UT 27, GA 24.
GO VOLS.

Thanks

QB Change at UT?

Coach Phillip Fulmer has stated he will give Nick Stevens an equal number of snaps with Jon Crompton in this week's practice. Under pressure from the media and the fans, he has made it no secret that he is not at all happy with the 8 for 23 passing by Crompton in the 14-12 loss to Auburn, and that he will be giving others a chance. Crompton's passing has been the worst of any QB during the Phillip Fulmer era at Tennessee. Other than Nick Stevens, some fans are urging that BJ Coleman also be considered.

While there is no doubt that Crompton did not live up to expectations in the Auburn and Florida games, it is fair to say that the loss at UCLA should not be attributed to him alone. He hit several key passes in a frantic drive to tie the game in the 4th quarter that took less than a minute.

If it happens, a mid-season change at QB for Tennessee will not be unprecedented. It has happened several times over the past 20 years. Casey Clauson, who passed for 9577 yards at Tennessee, second only to Peyton Manning, started out as a 3rd stringer before moving up win the starting job in 2000.

Expect both Crompton and Stephens to play in Saturday's game against Northern Illinois.
While Northern Illinois is catching UT at a tough time, and some expect the score to be ugly,
I am sure that Coach Fulmer is reminding the team that Northern Illinois opened the season at Alabama a few years ago, and upset the Crimson Tide. The Vols can't afford to be looking forward to Georgia next week.

Thanks for checking in!