Phillip Fulmer
Encyclopedia
Phillip Fulmer is a TV college football analyst and the former head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers football
team, who compiled a 152–52 record from 1992–2008 as head coach, but was fired during a 5–7 season in 2008. He is best known for coaching the Volunteers in the first ever BCS National Championship Game
in 1998, defeating Florida State University
. Fulmer was the Volunteers' 20th head football coach.
where he attended Franklin County High School
. Fulmer enrolled at the University of Tennessee as a student in 1968. He promptly joined the football team as an offensive guard. While playing for the Volunteers, Fulmer garnered All-Southeastern Conference honors at offensive guard. Fulmer helped Tennessee to a 30–5 record from 1969–1971, where he played for coaches Doug Dickey
(who returned to UT as athletic director and hired Fulmer as the Volunteers' coach) and Bill Battle
. The Volunteers captured the SEC
championship with a 9–2 record in 1969, went 11–1 and won the Sugar Bowl
in 1970, and finished as Liberty Bowl
champions with a 10–2 record in 1971 with great joy.
coach and defensive coordinator
for the Vols freshman team in 1973 before moving to Wichita State University
the following season. He spent five years at Wichita State, where he coached the offensive line in 1974 and 1977–1978 and served as linebacker coach in 1975–1976. He followed those years with a one-season stint at Vanderbilt
, serving as an aide to Commodores head coach George MacIntyre
.
.
In Fulmer's early career Tennessee won two Southeastern Conference
championships, in 1997
and 1998
, and a national championship in 1998. The Vols made three other SEC Championship game appearances in 2001, 2004, and 2007 losing all three. Despite his decline over the last several years of his career, Fulmer's winning percentage was still among the top in the country for coaches who had over ten years' experience.
Fulmer helped return Tennessee to national prominence from 1993 to 1998, when he won the first ever BCS National Championship Game
. The Vols appeared in three consecutive Bowl Alliance
or BCS
games from 1997 to 1999. They posted 10 or more wins from 1995 to 1998, with Peyton Manning
at quarterback for from 1995 through 1997. The senior class of the 1998 team compiled a record of 45–5, losing only to Florida (three times), Nebraska
and Memphis
.
Fulmer had a reputation as an ace recruiter, leading many analysts to praise him as one of the game's top head coach recruiters. Until 2008, Fulmer had only had one losing season at Tennessee: in 2005, Fulmer's pre-season third-ranked Volunteers went 5–6, losing to in-state SEC rival Vanderbilt
for the first time in his 14-year tenure. The losing season also kept Tennessee out of a bowl game
for the first time since 1988, a streak of 16 years which was the third-longest in the NCAA. Fulmer never lost to the University of Kentucky
, winning 17 straight games.
After a slow start in 2008, Fulmer came under increased scrutiny from Tennessee fans, leaving skepticism about how long he would remain Tennessee's head football coach despite having just received a contract extension after the 2007 season. UT athletic director Mike Hamilton finally notified Fulmer of his dismissal on November 2, 2008. The next day, he agreed to step down as head coach following the season. That week the Vols suffered a loss at the hands of Wyoming, a 26 point underdog. Fulmer completed his long tenure at the University of Tennessee with a 28-10 win over Kentucky
on November 29, 2008.
Lane Kiffin
was hired by Mike Hamilton to succeed Fulmer as the head coach of the Tennessee Vols. Kiffin left gloriously in January 2010 to become head coach of the University of Southern California, and Derek Dooley was named head coach the same month.
. After UConn head coach Randy Edsall left for Maryland in January 2011, sources confirmed that Fulmer expressed interest in the coaching vacancy at Connecticut. After Mike Hamilton stepped down as University of Tennessee athletic director, Fulmer has been frequently brought up by Tennessee fans as a potential replacement, but has said that he doesn't consider himself a likely candidate.
Fulmer appeared as himself in the 2009 feature film The Blind Side
.
of Ruston
, Louisiana
, a former football coach at Louisiana Tech University
, and a nephew of football great Joe Ferguson
, who played for the University of Arkansas
and the Buffalo Bills
.
* The first three games of the season and the 1993 Hall of Fame Bowl
are credited to Fulmer.
The other eight games in between are credited to Johnny Majors
.
^ Fulmer's 1993 Tennessee team finished 9-2-1 (6-1-1) but the tie against Alabama was later credited as a win via forfeit.
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
team, who compiled a 152–52 record from 1992–2008 as head coach, but was fired during a 5–7 season in 2008. He is best known for coaching the Volunteers in the first ever BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
in 1998, defeating Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. Fulmer was the Volunteers' 20th head football coach.
Before coaching
Fulmer was born in Winchester, TennesseeWinchester, Tennessee
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
where he attended Franklin County High School
Franklin County High School (Tennessee)
Franklin County High School is a high school located at 833 Bypass Road in Winchester, Tennessee. It is operated by the Franklin County School District.-Administrators:*Principal - Greg Mantooth*Assistant Principals**Lisa Crabtree**Floyd Blackwell...
. Fulmer enrolled at the University of Tennessee as a student in 1968. He promptly joined the football team as an offensive guard. While playing for the Volunteers, Fulmer garnered All-Southeastern Conference honors at offensive guard. Fulmer helped Tennessee to a 30–5 record from 1969–1971, where he played for coaches Doug Dickey
Doug Dickey
Douglas Adair "Doug" Dickey is a former American college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where he played college football...
(who returned to UT as athletic director and hired Fulmer as the Volunteers' coach) and Bill Battle
Bill Battle
-External links:*...
. The Volunteers captured the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
championship with a 9–2 record in 1969, went 11–1 and won the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
in 1970, and finished as Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
champions with a 10–2 record in 1971 with great joy.
Early coaching career
Fulmer served as linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
coach and defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Vols freshman team in 1973 before moving to Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
the following season. He spent five years at Wichita State, where he coached the offensive line in 1974 and 1977–1978 and served as linebacker coach in 1975–1976. He followed those years with a one-season stint at Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, serving as an aide to Commodores head coach George MacIntyre
George MacIntyre
-External links:...
.
University of Tennessee
Fulmer served 13 years as a Vols assistant coach beginning in 1980 before becoming the 20th head football coach at Tennessee, after the decision to replace then-coach Johnny MajorsJohnny Majors
Johnny Majors is a former American football player and coach. A standout halfback at the University of Tennessee, he was an All-American in 1956 and a two-time winner of the Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player award, in 1955 and 1956. He finished second to Paul Hornung in voting for...
.
In Fulmer's early career Tennessee won two Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
championships, in 1997
1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
and 1998
1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL...
, and a national championship in 1998. The Vols made three other SEC Championship game appearances in 2001, 2004, and 2007 losing all three. Despite his decline over the last several years of his career, Fulmer's winning percentage was still among the top in the country for coaches who had over ten years' experience.
Fulmer helped return Tennessee to national prominence from 1993 to 1998, when he won the first ever BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
. The Vols appeared in three consecutive Bowl Alliance
Bowl Alliance
The Bowl Alliance was an agreement among college football bowl games for the purpose of trying to match the top two teams in a national championship bowl game and to provide quality bowl game matchups for the champions of its member conferences...
or BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
games from 1997 to 1999. They posted 10 or more wins from 1995 to 1998, with Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
at quarterback for from 1995 through 1997. The senior class of the 1998 team compiled a record of 45–5, losing only to Florida (three times), Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
and Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
.
Fulmer had a reputation as an ace recruiter, leading many analysts to praise him as one of the game's top head coach recruiters. Until 2008, Fulmer had only had one losing season at Tennessee: in 2005, Fulmer's pre-season third-ranked Volunteers went 5–6, losing to in-state SEC rival Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
for the first time in his 14-year tenure. The losing season also kept Tennessee out of a bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
for the first time since 1988, a streak of 16 years which was the third-longest in the NCAA. Fulmer never lost to the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, winning 17 straight games.
After a slow start in 2008, Fulmer came under increased scrutiny from Tennessee fans, leaving skepticism about how long he would remain Tennessee's head football coach despite having just received a contract extension after the 2007 season. UT athletic director Mike Hamilton finally notified Fulmer of his dismissal on November 2, 2008. The next day, he agreed to step down as head coach following the season. That week the Vols suffered a loss at the hands of Wyoming, a 26 point underdog. Fulmer completed his long tenure at the University of Tennessee with a 28-10 win over Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
on November 29, 2008.
Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
was hired by Mike Hamilton to succeed Fulmer as the head coach of the Tennessee Vols. Kiffin left gloriously in January 2010 to become head coach of the University of Southern California, and Derek Dooley was named head coach the same month.
After Tennessee
Fulmer can currently be found as a sports analyst on CBS's SEC Postgame Show, as well as various programming on the CBS College Sports Network. Fulmer also believes he will coach again in the future. He is looking to establish himself at a well-established school. "Somebody that's committed to winning championships and being the best that they can be, with a chance to compete in a conference that's nationally recognized. I'm not going to go walk into a door somewhere that you have no chance to be successful." Fulmer was a strong candidate for the University of Louisville head coaching job. He stated in many interviews that he was interested in the job and also has had a phone interview with Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich. However the job was eventually offered to Charlie StrongCharlie Strong
Charlie R. Strong is an American college football coach and former player. Strong is a native of Arkansas and graduated from the University of Central Arkansas, where he played college football...
. After UConn head coach Randy Edsall left for Maryland in January 2011, sources confirmed that Fulmer expressed interest in the coaching vacancy at Connecticut. After Mike Hamilton stepped down as University of Tennessee athletic director, Fulmer has been frequently brought up by Tennessee fans as a potential replacement, but has said that he doesn't consider himself a likely candidate.
Fulmer appeared as himself in the 2009 feature film The Blind Side
The Blind Side (film)
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film. It is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL...
.
Family
Fulmer and his wife Vicky have three daughters: Courtney, Brittany, and Allison. Son Phillip Jr. is from a previous marriage. Fulmer is also a new grandfather. Fulmers's first grandchild (from his second child Courtney and her husband, former Tennessee linebacker Robert Peace) made his first appearance at the "Vol Walk" at Neyland Stadium on September 13, 2008. Robert Peace is the son of Joe Raymond PeaceJoe Raymond Peace
Joseph Raymond Peace, Jr. is the former Louisiana Tech University head football coach of eight seasons from 1988-1995. He ushered the Tech football program into NCAA Division I-A football in 1989.Peace is an alumnus of Louisiana Tech...
of Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, a former football coach at Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, and a nephew of football great Joe Ferguson
Joe Ferguson
Joseph Carlton Ferguson, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the NFL. Ferguson played college football at the University of Arkansas, where he still holds the school's single game record for most completions and in that same season was named the Southwest Conference's Offensive...
, who played for the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
and the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Head coaching record
1993 Hall of Fame Bowl
The 1993 edition to the Hall of Fame Bowl featured the 16th ranked , and the 17th ranked Tennessee Vols. It was the seventh edition to the Hall of Fame Bowl...
are credited to Fulmer.
The other eight games in between are credited to Johnny Majors
Johnny Majors
Johnny Majors is a former American football player and coach. A standout halfback at the University of Tennessee, he was an All-American in 1956 and a two-time winner of the Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player award, in 1955 and 1956. He finished second to Paul Hornung in voting for...
.