Phil Fulmer done way more for UT than John Adams ever did. John Adams is a hack reporting LSU Fan. I followed UT Football for nearly 40 years. I remember UT getting their butt kicked my Bama every year. I remember dreaming and wishing UT could beat teams like Bama,Ohio State,Michigan and win a National Title.  Phil Fulmer led UT to a National Title in 1998. That was by far my favorite sporting event ever.


I will admit that I thought Fulmer needed to go. I thought he lost his edge. He lost his fire. But! I always liked him and wanted him to go out a winner.  It disgusts me how bad some UT fans hate Fulmer's guts. I do know this. I know 2 guys who played OL for Fulmer. Todd Upton and David Douglas. I worked with Todd years ago. He told me Fulmer could call him at 3:00 AM and ask him for a favor and he would help him out in a heartbeat. David Douglas thought very highly of Fulmer also.

THIS.  KNS is a complete joke and Adams is the head clown.  The fact that UTs hometown paper would put up with this semi-literate troll is pathetic.  Have you seen his latest hack job devoted entirely to trashing our assistant coaches?   Can only shake my head.... and go back to reading the Chatt paper...

IMO the work of a troll who badly needs to run over to Target and pick up a life....

Not watching but apparently dooley made a comment that tOSU "led all along" for VB and so "not a surprise". Grrrrrrrr... FranklinVol SMASH puny fooley!

This place was bound to go up in smoke..fire hazard!
     -Emperor Nero.

Ugh. That was... not fun. :(

According to UT Sports 6 former Vols named to Pro Bowl, with an amazing FIVE of the them named as starters (and the 6th J. Witten should have been).  That is a record for us folks.       And it tells me that the glory is not THAT far in the past, even though it seems like a million years ago.  Maybe it's just around the corner again.  It sure would feel good feelin' good again....

Happy we are getting a visit, but I would much prefer the last visit weekend before signing day, which will be the weekend of Feb. 2 and 3. 

Signing day is on February 6 this year. 

Agree, but word is that he is taking 3 OVs.  Bama, OSU and us.  We are getting the third visit.  There is a lot of concern that he might never get to us, as he apparently said at one point that he would announce right after the season ended, then changed his mind.  I hope we played a part in getting him to change that plan.  We have a look at it if he makes it to campus, which is more than you could say before DD got fired.

Vonn Bell technically is from Rossville,Georgia

Yup.  I should've said Chattanooga area.

Von Bell '13 S prospect from Chattanooga and Carl Lawson 5 star '13 DE prospect are both reportedly setting official visits to the Hill. January 25th for VB and 11th for Lawson.  This is VERY encouraging if true.  Both consensus 5 star prospects.  VB is supposed to be a long time Vol fan that DD and staff basically did not pursue and Saban and Meyer are atop his leaderboard. Lawson is an Auburn commit I think, but primary recruiter is now on staff here. Strong steps in the right direction if accurate info. 

As per twitter and TOS.  Sorry if old news, still awesome! Huge pickup for team.

I was mainly referring to Chaney and Pittman, but it was kind of a knee jerk best-of-luck to em reaction.  Also i was thinking about the pass first attitude arky has had in recent years.  After thinking about it a little more, isnt Chaney a 180 from the whisky coach's run heavy philosophy? Pittmans line was great at pass blocking and we improved with the run but nowhere near the run game focus BB usually had at whisky.  Also isnt recruiting a question mark for BB? If so, not sure chaney or pittman are noted as dynamic recruiters...

I think this is a spot where chaney can do well.  And agree that new coach at Arkansas (who's name I will not even attempt to spell) is putting together a good staff.

Very disappointing if confirmed.  Tee knows whats best for him and his family though.  It means that we need to find another good recruiter for this staff.  Watching to see what choices are made in this regard...

That's really good to hear.  Im stoked about the Thigpin (sp?) hire also.. Seems like he is a strong recruiter!

Yup. That is common practice and i have no issue with an element of the staff being hired for system continuity. That is important. BUT to assemble a staff that is gonna get us where we need and deserve to be we're gonna need some all star recruiters and some great teachers.  Look this is a top 10 national program in the SEC. This job literally fell out of the sky and crushed DD. jones looks and sounds like a football coach and he has a great track record ...in the MAC and the Big East. That is a big improvement but i have huge heartburn about us getting Peter Principled here. Having ace recruiters that have a track record of winnin the recruiting battles in a big time conference is key to our future success.. The staff is not anywhere close to finished.. We will see..

This is still cookin so no way to tell yet.  But i will say that i was underwhelmed with the potential staff list Hubbs was circulating - as per TOS.  Way way too light on proven recruiters. If that were the final list it would not be the staff promised in jones' presser...

I think he brings his DC with him.

Being on the scene in a big east town, can u give us any insight into the DC? Particularly interested in his ability as a recruiter?

Oh we got a few..they just have vertigo from being dropped out in space and asked 2 play jack linebacker.. Lol

The presser was irrelevant to me.  I'm in full on show me mode.  BUT, do agree he was likeable.  He also seemed like the knida guy that would insist on physical play and discipline.... Maybe it was the throwback haircut.

Yes, I have heard this also.

So maybe what you are saying is it doesn't matter if he stays in school or not, he might not hack the classes over the summer or whatever.

Well that's what coaches and tutors are for.  The new HC needs to convince him to enroll in January just to cover his bets, and the tutors need to kick in, get him as easy a schedule as possible, and make sure he passes the min.

We got Travis Henry through school.  It can't be that hard.   

Don't get me wrong.  I would LOVE to see CP back.  Especially in light of rumored APR difficulties, every little bit helps and CP is a magician on the field. Would make a huge difference..... Just not optimistic.

In reading the Feldman article over at CBS he states that we have committed to giving jones money for a staff in the "top six of the SEC".  Is that good enough?  I am not sure it is.  Like was said below, for me to get on board this train I am gonna HAVE to see a good staff put together.  Would prefer it was orange flavored with Tee and Coach Graham, but it MUST, MUST (MUST!) be heavy on recruiters.

I'm not sure we even would've seen CP at a bowl game, much less next year.

I will only say this once, then I will support Jones 100% and root for success with my usual overly optimistic spin.

This is just a WAG.  My guess is that Jones will have winning seasons and go to second tier bowls.  His best record will be 9 or 10 wins in a better than second tier bowl, but not BCS.  We will at least come close to making the SECCG and might even make it in that same year.  Then  in a rebuilding year a season or two later he will be let go and we will move on to the next coach.

Prediction over, won't mention it again.

Hope he does much better than that, but what I outline above is acceptable to me and much better than the last 5 years.  MUCH better.  

This  pretty much matches up with my expectations.  We will move from a bottom tier SEC team (where we have been last 2 years) to a 2nd teir team. That is imporvement.

I'm not going to complain about the hire upfront. There is lots that can be said about the way Hart handled this and, frankly, I'm okay with him and Cheek being canned tomorrow. But I'll give Jones the chance to win...what choice do we have?

The first thing he has to do is go out and hire a good staff that includes some UT alums like Graham and Tee, as well as some guys who know how to recruit the SEC.

The second thing he has to do is improve our standing in this year's recruiting class, preferably by securing a Top 15 class.

The third thing he has to do is beat UGA, USC or UF next year.

I am pretty clearly on record with this hire as a fail, given our current circumstances, and have said jones is guilty until proven innocent with me.  If he does those three things I will definitely take notice.  I think there is less than 10% chance of that happening.

Sure.  And he is definitely not a home run. I get that.  Just don't think him losing to Dooley is that relevant. 

I don't really disagree.  That was a little ad hominem because I am hot and feel very strongly that this hire is much less than what the situation called for at this time, and moreover represents a failure in leadership.  Maybe it will work out but my patient and supportive fan phase is now officially over.  It sucks for him, but this new coach is guilty until proven innocent for me.  Maybe it'll work out.  hope so.  Otherwise I want to see some heads rolling.

Who is, by definition, much much better than Dooley. Also, had we not been devastated by injuries in 2011, Dooley would probably have won a couple more games. And still be our coach.  Which, when you think about it, the injuries might just be a blessing in disguise.   

Yes. Let's not misunderstand one another.  I am not arguing that Butch Jones is Dooley II.  His track record is superior.  It does not follow that this is a good hire.