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Who or what was the demise of fulmer?


SacFalcFan

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The absence of David Cutcliffe cannot be overlooked. You saw different UT Teams on offiense when he was the OC. That helped tons. Also, as is already stated, you cannot sustain the 1990's type success forever. Also, some coaching has lacked in that the recruits talent was not developed to its full potential. So, its really a combination of things. The record this season kind of seals the deal. Knoxville needed a fresh approach and now they will have it.

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Losing Cutcliffe was huge, but just as bad was his continued loyalty to John Chavis, who, prior to this season, hasn't had a decent defense in 8 years...However, I think Fulmer's biggest downfall had to do with his lack of aggressiveness these last 8-9 years. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't overly aggressive even during the 90s (even in 98), but he's been especially predictable and conservative since 2000. Factor in younger, more aggressive coaches showing up on the scene, and it's a recipe for disaster that took nearly a decade of simmering before it finally boiled over.

I like Fulmer and he'll always be a great coach to me, but his time has been coming for awhile now. The idea that he was going to be like Paterno or Bowden was far fetched to begin with. As HC he gave us 17 years, most of which were great, 1 of which was perfect. He still holds the distinction of being the last SEC coach to ever go undefeated for a season and win the NC, as well as coaching the Vols to inaugural BCS Championship.

;)

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1) Richt (and Garner) at Georgia and the recruiting they've done

2) Losing Cutcliffe

3) Not coming up with enough wins in big spots. He did win a NC and nobody can ever take that from him but the SEC (moreso than the other conferences I think) is a "What have you done for me lately" conference. I still look back to the SECCG in 2001 as one of the most devastating losses to the program and while they had good years after that...they never came quite as close to getting another NC. Had he won the conference last year I think he'd have been alright but they gave one away to LSU and this year they just didn't have Cutcliffe and it showed and that sealed his fate.

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I do think that's an interesting question. If Ainge doesn't throw that interception and we beat LSU, I don't think Fulmer survives a 3-6 start but it's a lot closer.

See I would disagree. Not that Vols fans would have been happy overall but I do think the AD wouldn't have been able to fire a guy that just won the conference championship a year before.

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See I would disagree. Not that Vols fans would have been happy overall but I do think the AD wouldn't have been able to fire a guy that just won the conference championship a year before.

I agree...had we won the conference title last season, they wouldn't have forced him out this year. However, even that hypothetical situation tends to shine a light on Fulmer's last 6 or 7 years at UT...doing "just enough" to appease the masses and keep the grumbling down to a low hiss. We made it to the SEC title game, and as you and others have routinely pointed, it was enough to get him an extension, but not a pay raise. That was a not so subtle message to him that this season had to be good...we had to be competitive. We weren't. He's done. Again, I'll always respect Coach Fulmer and what he did for us during his tenure as our HC. He brought us huge success...unfortunately, with that success came the unquenchable thirst for more. He took us back to prominence as a national powerhouse program again. If this were Miss. State, Vandy, Ole Miss, UK, or even Arkansas, than we wouldn't be having this conversation because of the 2nd losing season in a coach's 17 year career. He helped to bring a great amount of success and prominence to UT, and as a result, he became a victim to that success. Life ain't fair... ;)

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well many have said mark richt.. ut wasn't able to get the players from Georgia after richt came to Athens as they were before.. mark saw what ut did in 1998 and knew he had to keep the majority of guys instate and he has done a very good job of doing that overall.

Richt came and took Rodney Garner.

Fulmer's loyalty cost him his job. He let the Frito Bandito (Chavis) run off Rodney Garner and Trooper Taylor. Taylor had Morgan Burnett locked up to come to UT and Wavy Chavy said no. That is why Trooper got the heck out of dodge while he could. Greg Adkins OL coach too. That guy couldn't coach a pee wee league and he is the OL coach at UT.

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