Of course, the word around here is that UT might hire Cutcliffe or Fedora

[Jethro]

Fedora would be a good hire but I doubt that he would leave UNC after 1 year.  Sure, UT is a better job but it is also a much harder job.  Fedora, right now, is probably about 2/3 of the way towards competing for the ACC Championship Game on a regular basis.  It would take several years to get UT to that level IMO.  Plus, leaving UNC after 1 year would be Kiffin like.  I suspect this rumor is promulgated by the ABC crowd (Anybody But Carolina) and the usual crowd of hatas.

Cutcliffe supposedly doesn't want to leave Dook since he has them bowl eligible for the first time since the Benjamin Harrison Administration.  I still believe that hiring Cut would be a return to the Fulmerian days of yore.

I'd be enthusiastic about Chuckie if there is any validity to that rumor.  Usually, when names like that are floated, they end up getting a huge raise to stay in their current position.  Beamer played UNC like that several times before they caught on.

Chizik, Petrino, Tubby  ugh

[WoodstockVol]

Fedora would be a good hire but I doubt that he would leave UNC after 1 year.  Sure, UT is a better job but it is also a much harder job.  Fedora, right now, is probably about 2/3 of the way towards competing for the ACC Championship Game on a regular basis.  It would take several years to get UT to that level IMO.  Plus, leaving UNC after 1 year would be Kiffin like.  I suspect this rumor is promulgated by the ABC crowd (Anybody But Carolina) and the usual crowd of hatas.

Cutcliffe supposedly doesn't want to leave Dook since he has them bowl eligible for the first time since the Benjamin Harrison Administration.  I still believe that hiring Cut would be a return to the Fulmerian days of yore.

I'd be enthusiastic about Chuckie if there is any validity to that rumor.  Usually, when names like that are floated, they end up getting a huge raise to stay in their current position.  Beamer played UNC like that several times before they caught on.

Chizik, Petrino, Tubby  ugh

If Tennessee can't get Jon Gruden or Charlie Strong,I want Mike Riley of Oregon State as Tennessee Coach

[IvoryTusk]

You do realize that Mike Riley is an Alabama alum, correct? 

[WoodstockVol]

You do realize that Mike Riley is an Alabama alum, correct?  

It's happened before Bill Battle played for Alabama and was an assistant for the Bear. David Cutcliffe also went to Alabama

[BanditVol]

It's happened before Bill Battle played for Alabama and was an assistant for the Bear. David Cutcliffe also went to Alabama

So did Ken Donahue

[UTnbama]

If Tennessee can't get Jon Gruden or Charlie Strong,I want Mike Riley of Oregon State as Tennessee Coach

I'd certainly go for that!

[TheRealOrange]

It's happened before Bill Battle played for Alabama and was an assistant for the Bear. David Cutcliffe also went to Alabama

I have seen that referenced before, that Battle was an assistant for Bear Bryant, but I did not recall that and I can't confirm it anywhere.  Wiki says it, but the "coaching career" stats say otherwise.  Most sites list him as a player at bama, assistant at Army and UT, and head coach at UT.  BamaMag.com had a story about him in 2008 that also included assistant time at Oklahoma.



http://alabama.scout.com/2/759632.html -- A member of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's first national championship team in 1961, Bryant followed his playing days by entering the coaching profession as an assistant at the University of Oklahoma. From 1964-1965, he served at the U.S. Military Academy, including work as an assistant football coach. He arrived at the University of Tennessee in 1966 as an assistant to Hall of Fame Coach Doug Dickey, and in 1970, when Dickey left for Florida, Battle, 28 years-old, assumed the head coaching position, becoming the youngest coach at the time, tallying a 59-22-2 record.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Battle
http://cfreference.net/cfr/coaches/bill-battle/456;jsessionid=CFBBEB9B2CEF2B15FF60D6920EA543D3
http://www.fanbase.com/Bill-Battle

[WoodstockVol]

I have seen that referenced before, that Battle was an assistant for Bear Bryant, but I did not recall that and I can't confirm it anywhere.  Wiki says it, but the "coaching career" stats say otherwise.  Most sites list him as a player at bama, assistant at Army and UT, and head coach at UT.  BamaMag.com had a story about him in 2008 that also included assistant time at Oklahoma.



http://alabama.scout.com/2/759632.html -- A member of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's first national championship team in 1961, Bryant followed his playing days by entering the coaching profession as an assistant at the University of Oklahoma. From 1964-1965, he served at the U.S. Military Academy, including work as an assistant football coach. He arrived at the University of Tennessee in 1966 as an assistant to Hall of Fame Coach Doug Dickey, and in 1970, when Dickey left for Florida, Battle, 28 years-old, assumed the head coaching position, becoming the youngest coach at the time, tallying a 59-22-2 record.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Battle
http://cfreference.net/cfr/coaches/bill-battle/456;jsessionid=CFBBEB9B2CEF2B15FF60D6920EA543D3
http://www.fanbase.com/Bill-Battle

Bill didn't have a bad record

[Creek Walker]

Bill didn't have a bad record

Battle's biggest problem was he just wasn't a good recruiter. He started out with the program Dickey had built up and had three straight 10-win seasons to start. By the end the program had fallen so far that it took Majors a while to get it built back up.

[WoodstockVol]

Battle's biggest problem was he just wasn't a good recruiter. He started out with the program Dickey had built up and had three straight 10-win seasons to start. By the end the program had fallen so far that it took Majors a while to get it built back up.

Yep,until 1983

[BanditVol]

By the end the program had fallen so far that it took Majors a while to get it built back up.

Part of the problem was that it was Majors building it up.  Like him or not, and I never really did.  He was too inconsistent for me, and we all know at least partially why    , but he did build the program into a perpetual top 25 team, year in, year out, that almost always competed for the SEC...at least from 89 on, anyway.

Favorite son or no, he wouldn't get the time nowadays.

[WoodstockVol]

Part of the problem was that it was Majors building it up.  Like him or not, and I never really did.  He was too inconsistent for me, and we all know at least partially why    , but he did build the program into a perpetual top 25 team, year in, year out, that almost always competed for the SEC...at least from 89 on, anyway.

Favorite son or no, he wouldn't get the time nowadays.

With the way college football fans aren't patient Today,with the internet and all. Johnny Majors probably would have been fired  in 1982(His records were 4-7 in 77,5-5-1 in 78,7-5 in 79,5-6 in 80,8-4 in 81 and 6-5-1 in 82).

[TheRealOrange]

Part of the problem was that it was Majors building it up.  Like him or not, and I never really did.  He was too inconsistent for me, and we all know at least partially why    , but he did build the program into a perpetual top 25 team, year in, year out, that almost always competed for the SEC...at least from 89 on, anyway.

Favorite son or no, he wouldn't get the time nowadays.

....almost always competed for the SEC...at least from 89 on, anyway.  So for a whole 4 years of his 16 years as head coach at UT he "almost always" competed for the SEC.  Wow!     In his tenure, the Vols won 2 outright SEC titles ('85 and '90) and tied for one ('89; easily his best team).  Except for the one-loss '89 team, he never had a season with fewer than 3 losses/ties.  His teams generally drove me crazy, but there were some spectacular moments (bama '82 and Miami in the Sugar Bowl leap to mind).   

[WoodstockVol]

....almost always competed for the SEC...at least from 89 on, anyway.  So for a whole 4 years of his 16 years as head coach at UT he "almost always" competed for the SEC.  Wow!     In his tenure, the Vols won 2 outright SEC titles ('85 and '90) and tied for one ('89; easily his best team).  Except for the one-loss '89 team, he never had a season with fewer than 3 losses/ties.  His teams generally drove me crazy, but there were some spectacular moments (bama '82 and Miami in the Sugar Bowl leap to mind).   

The 85 and 89 Auburn games are two of My favorites

[TheRealOrange]

The 85 and 89 Auburn games are two of My favorites

I was at both.  The '85 Auburn game was great and was the day before I left Knoxville for active duty in the Army.  The '89 game was my second year with season tickets (first full season after active duty).  Great season. 

[WoodstockVol]

I was at both.  The '85 Auburn game was great and was the day before I left Knoxville for active duty in the Army.  The '89 game was my second year with season tickets (first full season after active duty).  Great season. 

I remember the great Sports Illustrated cover with Tony Robinson throwing against Auburn. I was in High School and brought the issue to school and looked at it all day. I was probably the only Tennessee fan in My school,they were all Georgia or Auburn fans

[TheRealOrange]

Battle's biggest problem was he just wasn't a good recruiter. He started out with the program Dickey had built up and had three straight 10-win seasons to start. By the end the program had fallen so far that it took Majors a while to get it built back up.

Three 10+ seasons to start (better than Dickey ever did at UT).  Battle's first season in 1970 the Vols actually won 11 games.   

[BanditVol]

....almost always competed for the SEC...at least from 89 on, anyway.  So for a whole 4 years of his 16 years as head coach at UT he "almost always" competed for the SEC.  Wow!     In his tenure, the Vols won 2 outright SEC titles ('85 and '90) and tied for one ('89; easily his best team).  Except for the one-loss '89 team, he never had a season with fewer than 3 losses/ties.  His teams generally drove me crazy, but there were some spectacular moments (bama '82 and Miami in the Sugar Bowl leap to mind).   

Well, you might not want to count 92, come to think of it, because Fulmer beat UF and uga before Majors came back and lost to bammer, USCe, and Arkansas.  And Arkansas had lost to CITADEL on their home field.   

In spite of which, if we make the two point conversion against USCe, we make the inaugural SECCG with a rematch to a bammer team we only lost to by 7.  So we were definitely "in the mix" in 91-92, but Majors probably doesn't get credit for 92.

You don't have to convince me that he wasn't "all that".  I was glad to see him go.  Just trying to give him credit for what he DID accomplish, which wasn't totally shabby.

BTW...that 85 Auburn game was my first UT game as a frosh.  Nice start, to say the least.   

[Creek Walker]

If Majors wasn't fired in '92, who knows what ultimately happens. He was terribly inconsistent in the '80s, but that '89-'91 stretch can hold its own against any 3-year stretch in the history of UT football. The problem was Majors made the wrong people mad, they were looking for an opportunity to fire him, and they found it in '92. Here's a question: how much of that turmoil in '92 was due to what was happening behind the scenes? We'll probably never know, but I'll guarantee you that it was partially to blame. When Fulmer got the team off to a great start, a line had been drawn in the sand, regardless of the success Majors had had the previous three seasons. There was no excuse for the Arkansas and South Carolina losses; Arky wasn't very good and South Carolina was terrible. But if Majors doesn't have heart surgery to start that season, the '92 team is probably another 10-win season for him and who knows what happens after that.

[murfvol]

That Fulmer good was a pretty stinking good OC.

[TheRealOrange]

If Majors wasn't fired in '92, who knows what ultimately happens. He was terribly inconsistent in the '80s, but that '89-'91 stretch can hold its own against any 3-year stretch in the history of UT football. The problem was Majors made the wrong people mad, they were looking for an opportunity to fire him, and they found it in '92. Here's a question: how much of that turmoil in '92 was due to what was happening behind the scenes? We'll probably never know, but I'll guarantee you that it was partially to blame. When Fulmer got the team off to a great start, a line had been drawn in the sand, regardless of the success Majors had had the previous three seasons. There was no excuse for the Arkansas and South Carolina losses; Arky wasn't very good and South Carolina was terrible. But if Majors doesn't have heart surgery to start that season, the '92 team is probably another 10-win season for him and who knows what happens after that.

Well, technically the 1993 season was a 10-win season due to the bama forfeit, but....    1990 and 1991 were 9-2-2 and 9-3.  Those are good seasons, but records as good or better than that were pretty much expected after Fulmer's run from 1995 through 1998 (lost a total of 5 games).  Heck, '99 was a disappointment at 9-3.  And, Battle's first three seasons were better.  If that guy could have recruited, he'd have been a great field coach for the Vols IMO.  And, of course, there all of Coach Neyland's good runs.  I don't think Majors would have won 10 games in 1993 had he coached all of the games.  I'm guessing it would have been his typical 9-3 or worse season.  He had a tendancy to have at least one down season after a couple good ones.  Of course, we'll never know, but he did take a winning team and lost three straight when he came back.  The man was the eptiome of coaching scared all too often.  I just wish Fulmer had never lost his fire for recruiting and hired assistants without feeling he had to be overly loyal and promote from within (whether assistants were ready or not).  The past five seasons sure could have been VERY different. 

[Inspector Vol]

Well, technically the 1993 season was a 10-win season due to the bama forfeit, but....    1990 and 1991 were 9-2-2 and 9-3.  Those are good seasons, but records as good or better than that were pretty much expected after Fulmer's run from 1995 through 1998 (lost a total of 5 games).  Heck, '99 was a disappointment at 9-3.  And, Battle's first three seasons were better.  If that guy could have recruited, he'd have been a great field coach for the Vols IMO.  And, of course, there all of Coach Neyland's good runs.  I don't think Majors would have won 10 games in 1993 had he coached all of the games.  I'm guessing it would have been his typical 9-3 or worse season.  He had a tendancy to have at least one down season after a couple good ones.  Of course, we'll never know, but he did take a winning team and lost three straight when he came back.  The man was the eptiome of coaching scared all too often.  I just wish Fulmer had never lost his fire for recruiting and hired assistants without feeling he had to be overly loyal and promote from within (whether assistants were ready or not).  The past five seasons sure could have been VERY different. 

3 from the corner...........bottom! 

[Creek Walker]

'90 and '91 came a half-decade before Fulmer's run started, so they weren't expected at the time.  That was the best run UT football had experienced in 20 years, since the beginning of the Battle era.

It isn't as though Majors came back and immediately lost three straight. He took a team that was 3-0, won two more over Cincinnati and LSU, and then lost three straight. No, LSU and Cincy wasn't Georgia or Florida, but still...

The Alabama game that season would've probably been a loss regardless of who was coaching. That was a very good team with an awesome defense. There was no excuse for the Arkansas and South Carolina losses but I still have to wonder how much of that was due to the turmoil going on behind the scenes. I think when Fulmer proved he could beat some of those top-notch teams, Majors' knew his days were numbered. It's no wonder he was bitter for so long. (And re: Battle's first three seasons, he never won an SEC championship. Majors won three.)

Anyway, I guess the primary point I was going to make but never did was that we were quick to fire Battle, who had some good seasons early on and never had a losing season, and we were quick to fire Majors, who was coming off back-to-back SEC championships and lost only three games in his final season. So where did our mindset change? I'm too young to remember the end of the Battle era, but I imagine most folks were ready for him to be fired. And I know there was hardly anyone complaining when Majors was fired. Yet right now there is nearly half our fan base that wants to bring Dooley back next season. I don't get it.

[TheRealOrange]

'90 and '91 came a half-decade before Fulmer's run started, so they weren't expected at the time.   That was the best run UT football had experienced in 20 years, since the beginning of the Battle era.

I guess people's perspectives can be different.  1990-91 followed the 11-1 1989 season, and by comparison they were not great.  Good, but certainly not great.

It isn't as though Majors came back and immediately lost three straight. He took a team that was 3-0, won two more over Cincinnati and LSU, and then lost three straight. No, LSU and Cincy wasn't Georgia or Florida, but still...

The Alabama game that season would've probably been a loss regardless of who was coaching. That was a very good team with an awesome defense. There was no excuse for the Arkansas and South Carolina losses but I still have to wonder how much of that was due to the turmoil going on behind the scenes. I think when Fulmer proved he could beat some of those top-notch teams, Majors' knew his days were numbered. It's no wonder he was bitter for so long. (And re: Battle's first three seasons, he never won an SEC championship. Majors won three.)

I'm not so sure about bama in 1992.  That was a 17-10 loss to a bama teamed ranked number 4.  Coaching could have made a difference.  Fulmer tied bama in 1993 (later forfeited by bama) when they were ranked number 2.  Majors always coached timid against bama -- one of his "major" problems IMO.  

Anyway, I guess the primary point I was going to make but never did was that we were quick to fire Battle, who had some good seasons early on and never had a losing season, and we were quick to fire Majors, who was coming off back-to-back SEC championships and lost only three games in his final season. So where did our mindset change? I'm too young to remember the end of the Battle era, but I imagine most folks were ready for him to be fired. And I know there was hardly anyone complaining when Majors was fired. Yet right now there is nearly half our fan base that wants to bring Dooley back next season. I don't get it.

I am not sure the mindset changed, really, especially since two different ADs were involved.  Woodruff was quick to fire Battle because he regretted hiring someone who was only 28 years old and saw an opening to hire Majors, a favorite son of Vols football, who just happened to be coming off a national championship at Pitt.  Dickey was quick to fire Majors (assuming 16 years is quick) because he saw a coach at or nearing the end of his career and who had some significant personality issues (some say drinking caused this; I wouldn't know) and he saw great potential in Fulmer after he took over on an interim basis.  Plus, Dickey knew Fulmer and Fulmer was another Vols guy.  Then there are some like me who think Dooley is in over his head right now and will probably never be an SEC caliber head coach, but I would not be overly disappointed if he came back for one more season if that meant a better coaching search and chance to make meaningful change.  Dooley has the athletes to win games, but they look like thay lack real coaching, and I am extremely disappointed in the defense.  It's pathetic.  Anyway, unless Hart can bring in someone truly worth the money, I don't think one more season is a program killer, especially if Dooley can recruit decently.  The program has been through worse (like Battle's last couple and Majors' first few seasons).  But, there is a lot more public involvement now due to information availability (internet, more TV, more radio, etc.).  So, it always seems worse than the past because we hear about it constantly, regardless of reality.

[Cobbvol]

With Battle, the talent off dramatically and by the time his 1976 team finished 6-5 it was obvious a change was required. Majors just finished an undefeated season and there was no doubt he was the guy to come to Knoxville. He was the “Gruden” of that time.

Major's first team in 1977 featured a 225 lb DT named John Chavis so that kinda gives the perspective of the lack of talent. It took him 4-5 years to get the talent pool on the team up to compete against the SEC competition. Along the way, we lost to teams such as Rutgers, Ole Miss, KY, Virginia, Duke, and Vanderbilt until around 1983 when the program started to solidify.

In 1992, Fulmer stepped in when Majors had his heart issue and proceeded to win the first 4 games of the season.  Majors came back the Monday before the LSU game and UT won in Baton Rouge. Then came the “slide” which included bad losses to two really weak teams (an Arkansas team that lost to the Citadel in its opening game & South Carolina).

Johnny’s downfall had nothing to do with the losing streak, it had to do with insubordination.  The three losses certainly made it a convenient time for Dickey to make the announcement that the contract with Majors would not be extended.  So, Majors was not fired ... his contract, which was through the 1992 season simply was not renewed.

Dickey began contract negotiations with Majors following the 1991 season and offered a 5 year extension.  Johnny would not agree to the extension unless he was the “highest paid coach in the conference”.  The negotiations were tabled – at the request of Majors – until the fall.  Dickey instructed Majors not to discuss his contract or the negotiations with the media or alumni.  Majors then made it a point to discuss this during each of the speeches he gave to Alumni groups over the late spring and summer months.  Dickey actually met with Johnny in late June to again instruct him to not discuss this matter, and the following week, Johnny brought it up at an Alumni outing in Memphis.  It was clear to Dickey at this point that Johnny believed himself to be more powerful than his boss and if you know anything about Dickey, his ego and management style would never allow this to continue.   

With Battle, the talent level was declining so it was obvious of the trajectory of the program and that a change was required. Dooley is improving the talent level versus from where it was at. Granted, the wins against more talented teams have not come about yet, but IMO the direction of the program yields another year for Dooley. We will have our first senior class with the same HC since 2008 next year and if it doesn’t work out next season for him the other coaches will see he had 4 years to perform.