Here are some things you can blindly ignore or somewhat be understanding of.
1. Attracting Power 5 coaches to go to another Power 5 school is rare.
2. USC settles with Helton... LSU settled for Ogeron... Oregon got Mark Helfrich... the demand for proven winners is large but the supply is limited and risky. Tennessee has gotten some sitting head coaches in Dooley, Butch Jones, Lane Kiffin. Lane Kiffin with a huge bust/ reward went bust here and bust at USC. Dooley and Butch were both low ceiling guys. Very limited potential. Say Brohm for example... well what happens if Louisville or Notre Dame comes open... do we have another coach leaving for his dream job? Too risky. Mike Leach? Is that a fit for Tennessee? David Shaw is rolling at Stanford. Petersen is a west coast guy...
3. Tennessee's coaching tree was splintered when Fulmer left throughout the country. The golden years were under Fulmer. His family tree has assisted in National Championships at FSU and Clemson recently. Now say what you want about Fulmer but he is making the call. I would have to think that with the greatest success at Tennessee under his watch and other former Vols watches he will go in that direction.
4. Who wants to come here? Seriously... who would want to come here?
5. Do you go get an up and comer? Who would that be? Norvell is a big name but the guy has red flags... Alcohol and women. So who is the other sitting head coach that is a slam dunk? There isn't one... it's a huge gamble and what type of staff would come? Most likely a staff that is unproven and a gamble. Let's face it... pulling SEC veterans from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Georgia etc. isn't going to happen coming along with a fresh faced up and comer.
6. What coordinater route do you go if you decide to do that? Pruitt is an Alabama guy... Durkin would be a tough sell.
Realistically...
7. Clemson route with either of these guys I could actually see. Chad Morris seems like a fit to me. However I think he may be in play with his offense at Oregon if that opens up. Chad is a head coach but even then look at his record... similar to Butch Jones. Once again it's a gamble... Brent Venables... I think this is actually also realistic and a direction Fulmer could go. I think he would do well here. ***Note both of these guys are Clemson guys that really were foundational in getting Dabo where he needed to be... (which I also think Tee Martin with the right guys could be) so I think the Clemson route makes sense to me. Tennessee is envious of Clemson and you have two guys that have some of those blue prints. Let's face it. In the South only Alabama and Clemson are the only things consistent year to year. And Fulmer is not going to lean towards an Alabama way of doing it. Clemson also has a phenomenal culture which I would think appeals to Fulmer. ***also note Fulmer could combine some Tennessee guys with Clemson guys and merge the blue prints of the 90's. Also you would splinter Clemson coaching staff. You would wound Clemson. Which is important.
8. The Supply... what Tennessee options are there? This goes back to point 3. You have Doug Marrone who would be a slam dunk. He will get a phone call and Fulmer could hold down the fort until his season is over and probably start building a staff for him... would be tricky. Gruden... he gets a phone call. Cutcliffe... getting the band back together may be more realistic now but he will get a phone call. Those are the 1st 3 phone calls. All would give you the best shot at turning this thing into an instant national powerhouse much like what Harbaugh has done at Michigan. With Cutcliffe I think it looks different but it would look more like Jimbo at FSU. Took a little bit but everyone knew it was coming. So who is next if you want to go the Tennessee route. Keep in mind the family was splintered and there is a strong desire to see a reunion on the hill. So the cupboard is bare. It's risky at this point. But it's way less risky then all of the other options. I can't emphasize this enough. No one is leaving for another dream job. No one is flaming out like Sark, Freeze, Lane, etc. *** Kevin Steele and Tee Martin is up next. The fanbase is united now. So heres the next question... Is the Tennesse coaching tree united? It will be if Kevin or Tee is named. There is a strong desire to get former Vols back here to rally. Fulmer would take some of these younger guys under his wing like Tee etc. just like Doug Dickey did with Fulmer. With Tee and Kevin they would have elite staffs. I can't emphasize this enough and it's frustrating how short sighted everyone is. Everyone is so focused on putting all their eggs behind 1 man. The head coach. But the staff that could be assembled by Tee or Kevin would be the best staff in the country. Better yet it would be a staff that would stick together. Clemson coaching tree is about to be splintered. Saban loses coaches every year like clock work. I just think Kevin is above Tee on that pecking order. Tee would be OC of Kevin is named Head Football Coach. I don't think Kevin leaves Auburn to be D.C. For Tee Martin. Less risk with Kevin. But here's the hang up. Everyone only looks at the head coach and is not looking at this for what it most likely is. I promise you this. If Tee comes Tennessee will recruit top 5 every year. Tennessee would be ferocious with recruiting and Fulmer and Austin Thomas will play a massive effort in this.
A proven winning homecoming of Vols.
Fulmer is about to build an army of people like what Alabama has to support his coaches. It will be more than just Austin Thomas. An Army of A.Thomas's.
So now we wait.
1. Attracting Power 5 coaches to go to another Power 5 school is rare.
2. USC settles with Helton... LSU settled for Ogeron... Oregon got Mark Helfrich... the demand for proven winners is large but the supply is limited and risky. Tennessee has gotten some sitting head coaches in Dooley, Butch Jones, Lane Kiffin. Lane Kiffin with a huge bust/ reward went bust here and bust at USC. Dooley and Butch were both low ceiling guys. Very limited potential. Say Brohm for example... well what happens if Louisville or Notre Dame comes open... do we have another coach leaving for his dream job? Too risky. Mike Leach? Is that a fit for Tennessee? David Shaw is rolling at Stanford. Petersen is a west coast guy...
3. Tennessee's coaching tree was splintered when Fulmer left throughout the country. The golden years were under Fulmer. His family tree has assisted in National Championships at FSU and Clemson recently. Now say what you want about Fulmer but he is making the call. I would have to think that with the greatest success at Tennessee under his watch and other former Vols watches he will go in that direction.
4. Who wants to come here? Seriously... who would want to come here?
5. Do you go get an up and comer? Who would that be? Norvell is a big name but the guy has red flags... Alcohol and women. So who is the other sitting head coach that is a slam dunk? There isn't one... it's a huge gamble and what type of staff would come? Most likely a staff that is unproven and a gamble. Let's face it... pulling SEC veterans from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Georgia etc. isn't going to happen coming along with a fresh faced up and comer.
6. What coordinater route do you go if you decide to do that? Pruitt is an Alabama guy... Durkin would be a tough sell.
Realistically...
7. Clemson route with either of these guys I could actually see. Chad Morris seems like a fit to me. However I think he may be in play with his offense at Oregon if that opens up. Chad is a head coach but even then look at his record... similar to Butch Jones. Once again it's a gamble... Brent Venables... I think this is actually also realistic and a direction Fulmer could go. I think he would do well here. ***Note both of these guys are Clemson guys that really were foundational in getting Dabo where he needed to be... (which I also think Tee Martin with the right guys could be) so I think the Clemson route makes sense to me. Tennessee is envious of Clemson and you have two guys that have some of those blue prints. Let's face it. In the South only Alabama and Clemson are the only things consistent year to year. And Fulmer is not going to lean towards an Alabama way of doing it. Clemson also has a phenomenal culture which I would think appeals to Fulmer. ***also note Fulmer could combine some Tennessee guys with Clemson guys and merge the blue prints of the 90's. Also you would splinter Clemson coaching staff. You would wound Clemson. Which is important.
8. The Supply... what Tennessee options are there? This goes back to point 3. You have Doug Marrone who would be a slam dunk. He will get a phone call and Fulmer could hold down the fort until his season is over and probably start building a staff for him... would be tricky. Gruden... he gets a phone call. Cutcliffe... getting the band back together may be more realistic now but he will get a phone call. Those are the 1st 3 phone calls. All would give you the best shot at turning this thing into an instant national powerhouse much like what Harbaugh has done at Michigan. With Cutcliffe I think it looks different but it would look more like Jimbo at FSU. Took a little bit but everyone knew it was coming. So who is next if you want to go the Tennessee route. Keep in mind the family was splintered and there is a strong desire to see a reunion on the hill. So the cupboard is bare. It's risky at this point. But it's way less risky then all of the other options. I can't emphasize this enough. No one is leaving for another dream job. No one is flaming out like Sark, Freeze, Lane, etc. *** Kevin Steele and Tee Martin is up next. The fanbase is united now. So heres the next question... Is the Tennesse coaching tree united? It will be if Kevin or Tee is named. There is a strong desire to get former Vols back here to rally. Fulmer would take some of these younger guys under his wing like Tee etc. just like Doug Dickey did with Fulmer. With Tee and Kevin they would have elite staffs. I can't emphasize this enough and it's frustrating how short sighted everyone is. Everyone is so focused on putting all their eggs behind 1 man. The head coach. But the staff that could be assembled by Tee or Kevin would be the best staff in the country. Better yet it would be a staff that would stick together. Clemson coaching tree is about to be splintered. Saban loses coaches every year like clock work. I just think Kevin is above Tee on that pecking order. Tee would be OC of Kevin is named Head Football Coach. I don't think Kevin leaves Auburn to be D.C. For Tee Martin. Less risk with Kevin. But here's the hang up. Everyone only looks at the head coach and is not looking at this for what it most likely is. I promise you this. If Tee comes Tennessee will recruit top 5 every year. Tennessee would be ferocious with recruiting and Fulmer and Austin Thomas will play a massive effort in this.
A proven winning homecoming of Vols.
Fulmer is about to build an army of people like what Alabama has to support his coaches. It will be more than just Austin Thomas. An Army of A.Thomas's.
So now we wait.
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