While I will agree that we need a recruiter, that is not where Fulmer failed. The sophomores on this team where the #1 recruiting class in the country. The seniors on this team where in the top 5. The freshman class and the junior class wasn't anything in the top 10, but still yet, the recruiting has always been one of Phil's strongest attributes. It's what he has done with them when he gets them here. Of course, you will see the few that shine and could play on any team, but what about the ones that don't shine. Example: They claim Brandon Warren doesn't know the routes. Ahmad Page doesn't do the little things well. What happened to highly touted EJ Abrams Ward from last year? Chris Donald, the #1 prospect in the state of Tennessee two years ago? Danarius Moore? He makes a few big plays for us and then all of a sudden we can't get him on the field. It's never ending. I garauntee you one thing, if ANY of those players were at Bama, Florida or Georgia, they would coach them up. Look at Donta Hightower. Starting as a frosh at Bama and he is nowhere near the player Donalds was coming out of high school. That is Fulmer's downfall.
Fulmer has had terrible assistant coaches, save from Chavis or Cutcliffe. He also won't get rid of them even when they stink. I believe this all stems from his time as an assistant with Majors, when Johnny treated them all like dog doo and they would leave for better jobs at the first chance. Fulmer wanted stability and it worked- for a while.
Only Cutcliffe and Chavis were candidates to move up; Trooper left because he didn't get OC (in hindsight, how much worse could the team be now if HE was given the job? What a blunder!), but outside of that- no one stands out.
The assistants don't make these kids any better than when they arrive. Fulmer is terrified to play true freshmen. That is a major turn-off to recruits.
No where is the drop off any more alarming than in the O-line. They haven't had a player stick in the NFL since Fred Weary, Cosey Coleman, and Scott Wells era; let alone be a high draft pick.
And any speculation on who the HC will be is moot: the search firm is handling everything behind the scenes, will report orally on all interest, and everything will be held in strict confidentiality until after it is done. Only they and Hamilton know the true story. Descretion is their life blood. Our speculation is about as informed as knowing what the weather will be a month from now.
Tony Basillio in Knoxville is saying his sources say Kiffin. He does have an inside in the AD and this guy has been right before on stuff.
Plus the only school where he's played with players he recruited was at Grand Valley. He's got Mark D'Antoni's players now and had some other goober's players at Central Mich.
Plus, I'm one of the only ones that use this site that lives in the Cincinnati metro...he'll be like a deer in the headlights in the SEC...and the Vols will really hit rock bottom.
Anyway, if Notre Dame whacks Charlie Weis after USC destroys the Irish expect Kelly to want to go there and tell Hamilton to let him go ahead because I'm telling you we don't want Brian Kelly.
The decline in coaching came in '98 also. Fulmer thought he and Randy Sanders could coach as good as Cuttcliffe. That was his biggest downfall. His other downfall was when he got Clawson (worse than Sanders) and thought that would turn it around. It cost him his job. If he had hired a competent OC, he might have saved his job. I think he hired Clawson because he didn't feel threatened by him.
Most media outlets in Knoxville are saying the job has been offered to Kiffin although Hamilton has said this is false.
Too many reputable people here are putting their name to it that it is true so I am guessing Hamilton is just trying to let this weekend ride out before any announcements are made.
Why Kiffin? I still think he has Raider baggage and what is his ties to Hamilton?
Is he allowed in the Specialty and defensive team meetings? Do the players have to respect him, because they didn't in Oakland.
Will Hamilton run the show?
Those so-called professionals in Oakland are no comparison to college kids on scholarship. Give him a chance. I think he will do very well no matter what Mark May says!