From @Brent_Hubbs, @Austin_Price, @Jesse_Simonton...
Tennessee athletics director Phillip Fulmer hit the ground running Saturday morning on his first official day on the job.
Fulmer was in the office early and spent the day on the phone. He started on his search for Tennessee's new head coach and tried to keep the 2018 class intact, too.
For Fulmer, it's Day 1 of a new coaching search. Because John Currie didn't use a search firm, there's not a portfolio of notes on the search if you will. With Currie working mostly alone in the search — even before he fired Butch Jones — Fulmer is basically starting at ground zero on vetting out his candidates.
At this point, sources tell Volquest that Fulmer doesn't have a pecking order and is simply getting together a pool of candidates that he likes — as Fulmer wants to see who has interest back with guys like Justin Fuente, Gary Patterson, Willie Taggart, even Doug Marrone and others.
One coach who everyone knows is interested is former LSU head coach Les Miles. Sources tell Volquest that Fulmer and Miles have had a conversation. The length and the nature of the call is unknown at this time.
Fulmer also called coaches he knows to ask them about other coaches he might be interested in for the vacancy.
Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is a name that continues to be mentioned around Tennessee’s opening, but it's clear in talking to people that Steele isn't a given for the job and isn't the presumed leader either. It will also be interesting to see if Fulmer circles back around to candidates like SMU’s Chad Morris or if he vets out a coach like Mike Novell himself. Then, obviously Tee Martin.
Fulmer has taken the NCAA recruiting test and can go on the road recruiting in he chooses. On Saturday, Fulmer didn't make any visits but he did recruit working the phones to talk to commitments, as well as key targets for the Vols 2018 class.
In terms of phone calls, Fulmer started with the BIG guy Cade Mays, who has been deer hunting this weekend in west Tennessee. Fulmer spoke with him on Friday night, and from all indications, the chat went very well. Although Mays publicly eliminated Tennessee from his Top 3 recently, the Vols remain a big factor in his recruitment. Mays told us that Fulmer assured him that he would do everything he could to make sure he ends up back with Tennessee. As we reported earlier in the week, Miles could be a “game changer” for Mays.
Staying with the offensive line, Fulmer also touched base with 4-star Memphis OL Jerome Carvin — as the lack of depth is a concern for this class which makes both he and Mays super important.
While on a visit at Wake Forest, 4-star wideout Alontae Taylor heard from Fulmer for a brief conversation. Taylor told Volquest that Fulmer said he expected a hire to be made before his official visit next weekend.
Meanwhile, there’s been some scuttle surrounding both of Tennessee’s 4-star quarterbacks the last few days.
Like Mays and Taylor, Adrian Martinez received a call from Fulmer on Saturday. The call went well — but another call also made as big an impression on Martinez on Saturday. Not long after winning the AAC Championship, future Nebraska head coach Scott Frost personally called Martinez and offered him a scholarship.
The move and timing definitely left an impact on Martinez, and he’s likely to take an OV to Lincoln now sometime before the early signing period. Martinez is also scheduled to OV to Missouri next weekend, as the Tigers are one of several SEC schools who’ll continue to heavily recruit the California quarterback. Martinez loves Knoxville and Tennessee and it remains his preferred school. But with all the uncertainty surrounding the program and coaching search, he’s definitely keeping his options open.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay Tech quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has heard from one of Tennessee’s top rivals. Penix remains pledged to the Vols, but has heard from Florida’s staff, including HC Dan Mullen, this week. Penix does not currently hold an offer from the UF but he’s scheduled to take an official visit to Gainesville next weekend.
Unlike Martinez, Penix still has an OV available for Tennessee and intends on making that trip at an unknown date.
Tennessee athletics director Phillip Fulmer hit the ground running Saturday morning on his first official day on the job.
Fulmer was in the office early and spent the day on the phone. He started on his search for Tennessee's new head coach and tried to keep the 2018 class intact, too.
For Fulmer, it's Day 1 of a new coaching search. Because John Currie didn't use a search firm, there's not a portfolio of notes on the search if you will. With Currie working mostly alone in the search — even before he fired Butch Jones — Fulmer is basically starting at ground zero on vetting out his candidates.
At this point, sources tell Volquest that Fulmer doesn't have a pecking order and is simply getting together a pool of candidates that he likes — as Fulmer wants to see who has interest back with guys like Justin Fuente, Gary Patterson, Willie Taggart, even Doug Marrone and others.
One coach who everyone knows is interested is former LSU head coach Les Miles. Sources tell Volquest that Fulmer and Miles have had a conversation. The length and the nature of the call is unknown at this time.
Fulmer also called coaches he knows to ask them about other coaches he might be interested in for the vacancy.
Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is a name that continues to be mentioned around Tennessee’s opening, but it's clear in talking to people that Steele isn't a given for the job and isn't the presumed leader either. It will also be interesting to see if Fulmer circles back around to candidates like SMU’s Chad Morris or if he vets out a coach like Mike Novell himself. Then, obviously Tee Martin.
Fulmer has taken the NCAA recruiting test and can go on the road recruiting in he chooses. On Saturday, Fulmer didn't make any visits but he did recruit working the phones to talk to commitments, as well as key targets for the Vols 2018 class.
In terms of phone calls, Fulmer started with the BIG guy Cade Mays, who has been deer hunting this weekend in west Tennessee. Fulmer spoke with him on Friday night, and from all indications, the chat went very well. Although Mays publicly eliminated Tennessee from his Top 3 recently, the Vols remain a big factor in his recruitment. Mays told us that Fulmer assured him that he would do everything he could to make sure he ends up back with Tennessee. As we reported earlier in the week, Miles could be a “game changer” for Mays.
Staying with the offensive line, Fulmer also touched base with 4-star Memphis OL Jerome Carvin — as the lack of depth is a concern for this class which makes both he and Mays super important.
While on a visit at Wake Forest, 4-star wideout Alontae Taylor heard from Fulmer for a brief conversation. Taylor told Volquest that Fulmer said he expected a hire to be made before his official visit next weekend.
Meanwhile, there’s been some scuttle surrounding both of Tennessee’s 4-star quarterbacks the last few days.
Like Mays and Taylor, Adrian Martinez received a call from Fulmer on Saturday. The call went well — but another call also made as big an impression on Martinez on Saturday. Not long after winning the AAC Championship, future Nebraska head coach Scott Frost personally called Martinez and offered him a scholarship.
The move and timing definitely left an impact on Martinez, and he’s likely to take an OV to Lincoln now sometime before the early signing period. Martinez is also scheduled to OV to Missouri next weekend, as the Tigers are one of several SEC schools who’ll continue to heavily recruit the California quarterback. Martinez loves Knoxville and Tennessee and it remains his preferred school. But with all the uncertainty surrounding the program and coaching search, he’s definitely keeping his options open.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay Tech quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has heard from one of Tennessee’s top rivals. Penix remains pledged to the Vols, but has heard from Florida’s staff, including HC Dan Mullen, this week. Penix does not currently hold an offer from the UF but he’s scheduled to take an official visit to Gainesville next weekend.
Unlike Martinez, Penix still has an OV available for Tennessee and intends on making that trip at an unknown date.
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