WHAT’S NEXT?
Tennessee turnover continues; Fulmer hopes for a ‘10-year coach’
“I know we need stability and continuity at Tennessee.” – Phillip Fulmer
The Nick Saban era at Alabama began in January 2007 and has yielded six college football national championships.
At the opposite Southeastern Conference stability extreme is Tennessee, which will trot out a sixth coach to challenge Saban’s Crimson Tide later this year when the Volunteers visit Bryant-Denny Stadium. No SEC program will have produced more turnover during this stretch, with the latest round resulting in Monday’s termination of Jeremy Pruitt that actually becomes effective this afternoon at 5.
Tennessee’s recent revolving door follows a much-revered time in which the late Johnny Majors or current athletic director Phillip Fulmer served as coach from 1977 to 2008, with that consistent success highlighted by five SEC titles in the 1985-98 window.
“I know we need stability and continuity at Tennessee,” Fulmer said Monday, “and our next football coach needs to be on our sideline for 10 years or more. I am confident that we will find that coach.”
Pruitt lasted three years before getting fired along with outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton and inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer. Felton, who spent one season in that role for the Vols, was the outside linebackers coach for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2017.
Tennessee’s timing of hiring a new head coach and assembling a staff is less than stellar.
When former Vols coach Lane Kiffin left for Southern California after only 14 months on the job in mid January 2010, the ensuing search was awkward and did not result in Tennessee’s top targets accepting the position. The Vols instead hired Louisiana Tech’s Derek Dooley, who went 15-21 with a trio of
seven-loss seasons from 201012.
Alabama suffered from this as well, with the May 2003 firing of Mike Price for his visiting a topless bar in Florida resulting in the unexpected need to hire Mike Shula, who went 26-24 during his four seasons in Tuscaloosa and 0-4 in the Iron Bowl.
Tennessee’s next coach not only inherits a program that went 3-7 this past season and is 78-82 since 2008 but one that could be facing significant sanctions on the NCAA front. University chancellor Donde Plowman said an internal investigation that was accompanied by a law firm that specializes in NCAA infractions cases has revealed a significant number of Level I and Level II violations, which are the most egregious kind.
Fulmer announced Monday that he would be stepping aside to make room for a new AD and a new coach to work in tandem, so Tennessee’s next athletic director will be charged with hiring Pruitt’s successor in his first few days and seek revenue for a program that has endured eight losing seasons in the past 13 years.
“As dark as this day is, there is a light,” Fulmer said, “and I ask our great alumni and fans to be supportive and lift up this program as we fight through these difficult times.”
In the days ahead, which may or may not turn into the weeks ahead, Vols defensive assistant Kevin Steele will assume the reins. Steele was Auburn’s defensive coordinator this time last month and made a push to be head coach when Gus Malzahn was fired exactly one month ago today.
“We have a path forward, and Phillip and I agreed that defensive assistant coach Kevin Steele should be named acting head coach,” Plowman said. “He has the right experience, having been a former head coach at Baylor. He is widely considered a top recruiter. Coach Steele has deep Volunteer roots, having played here and having coached here in the past, and we will give him the support he needs to keep the program moving forward towards success.”
Said Fulmer: “This is a fresh start, and I really appreciate
Kevin Steele stepping in and helping.”
MORRIS A SOONER
Former five-star offensive
lineman Wanya Morris, who made seven starts for the Vols this past season as a sophomore before entering the NCAA transfer portal, announced
Monday that he was heading to Oklahoma.