The Firing Line: Fulmer Fends Off Critics as Pressure Builds

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer…

Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer can read the Southeastern Conferences standings as well as anyone. And though he claims not to pay much attention, he’s well aware that the calls for his ouster grow louder with each painful loss. During a news conference Tuesday, Fulmer addressed recent speculation about his precarious job security and acknowledged that the Vols’ disappointing season is making his future with the program less certain. “We’re in the age of instant gratification and what have you done lately. I understand that,” Fulmer said. “Hopefully we can give everyone good encouragement about winning and what we’re going to do in the future, with how we play.” UT is 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Southeastern Conference. The Vols have lost to their three main rivals this season — Florida, Georgia and Alabama — and another high-profile showdown comes this weekend when UT travels to South Carolina to face longtime nemesis Steve Spurrier. Fulmer though, insisted, he still has a lot of bite in him. – Tennessean

David Cutlciffe is not coming back to Tennessee: Should Tennessee make a change at head coach, and that is beginning to look more likely by the day, there has been speculation that David Cutcliffe, who served two terms as the Tennessee OC and is now the head coach at Duke (4-3) might return. It’s understandable that Cutcliffe’s name would come up. Here are the numbers: With Cutcliffe calling the plays, Phillip Fulmer’s teams were 85-19. With somebody else calling the plays, the record is 65-31. But it’s not going to happen. Cutcliffe and Fulmer are very close. The only way Cutcliffe comes back is if Fulmer gave his blessing and convinced him that it was for the good of the program. I know this has become a cutthroat business, but there is still a little loyalty left out there. Isn’t there? – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With Tennessee at 3-5 more than halfway through its season, UT coach Phillip Fulmer’s job status is a hot topic. During his teleconference Sunday night in advance of this week’s game at South Carolina (TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Fulmer said he didn’t think his team has been affected by the speculation and attention surrounding him. – Knoxville News-Sentinel

Fulmer’s situation is similar to Tuberville’s in that it started with changing offensive coordinators. Fulmer lost David Cutcliffe to the Duke head job and he went with Dave Clawson, a head coach at Richmond, hardly a football powerhouse. Clawson’s offense has struggled and the Vols have switched quarterbacks in an effort to make things go. But that is the surface stuff that everybody knows and is not necessarily the real problem. The hard truth in Knoxville is that a lot of Tennessee people believe Fulmer has outlived his usefulness. He does have that national championship on his resume, but that is ancient history. The Vols haven’t won a championship of any kind-unless you count representing the SEC East and losing in the SEC Championship Game last season-in this decade.
With no championships, Tennessee’s recruiting has slipped. It especially hurt when three of the top prep players in Tennessee left the state to sign with Alabama last year. A loss this weekend against Fulmer’s old nemesis Steve Spurrier might be enough to sink Fulmer right away. Shoot, a loss to Spurrier might be enough to slide the entire city of Knoxville into the Tennessee River. Stay tuned. – The Randolph Leader

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer spent a lot of time Tuesday dismissing speculation about his job security. Fulmer said at Tennessee’s weekly media day that most of the talk about his job being on the line has been “misinformation,” though he said he doesn’t bother paying attention to much of it. “In the short term here, it’s not where anybody wants it to be, starting with me,” he said. “I’m just going to go to work and do the very, very best that I can for the Tennessee people, the Tennessee family, the administration and whoever.” The Volunteers (3-5, 1-4 SEC) haven’t beaten a ranked opponent this season. Every remaining game, starting with South Carolina on Saturday night, is a must-win if the Vols want a shot at playing in a bowl. – Atlanta Journal-Constitution