VOLveeta
Guest
|
|
« on: November 30, 2017, 04:56:51 EST » |
|
Okay, so bear with me.
The greatest era of Tennessee football, at least in my lifetime, was during the Philip Fulmer era. As I recall that was an era with a very consistent staff and a roster comprised of a lot of Tennessee and North Carolina kids. Yes, EVERYTHING was different then but the thing we can't deny is... those who were here loved it here and would have stayed until they were using walkers. And my GOD could they develop players!
The consistency of that era was significant... slowly as Fulmer's success grew, the recruiting region grew thanks to folks like Rodney Garner. BUT... Fulmer was a former player, assistant in the right place at the right time. He raised the bar and brought us national acclaim.
My question is this... are we trying to fit the wrong shaped peg into the wrong hole because we are listening to national pundits, OR worrying about our reputation, OR trying to be like someone else and mirror THEIR success??? Is it time to hit the reset and just look at Tennessee football for what it is... something only WE can truly love and be passionate about? IS the answer being avoided? Is it possible that we need to rethink what might work and focus on Vols... REMEMBERING WHAT WORKED BEFORE?
Is it possible... and PLEASE don't respond without AT LEAST THINKING ABOUT IT... is it possible that we need to look at a Randy Sanders type and even when considering assistants, look at the vast log of former Vols who would CRAWL back to Knoxville for a chance to re-ignite this program? The ONLY people truly willing to put in the hours and commit to re-establishing a program FOR THE PROGRAM'S SAKE, NOT JUST THEIR RESUME'?
What if we accept that we are in for a dismal recruiting season and SERIOUSLY and COMPLETELY rethink this whole process... and look at former Vols, some of the greatest, and assemble a staff of those who love this program the most? Seriously, at this point there is no way we are going to look any worse. We've suffered from the choices of the “geniuses” in the positions of power for years. We've had the pundits insist that Dooley, Kiffin, Jones... were “great hires” and we were labeled “fools” for fighting it. We can't look any worse.
Is it possible that we are looking in the wrong direction, trying to do this the wrong way... is it possible that we need to reassemble orange blood and redefine what makes a winning staff? Is it possible that this is a unique situation that requires a unique team of coaches and priorities?
I'm just asking because at this point I'm really wondering if there is anyone willing to put in the hours to save this ship... who isn't completely in love with being a Vol. Should we try to mirror the success that we enjoyed rather that of others?
Should we just shut down the search and rethink, completely, what formula will bring success to UT? Reaching outside of the family has been nothing but a fail. So? Maybe radical, maybe naive... but the “winning formula” we've embraced for almost 18 years now has only led us to........ THIS.
|