More Coaching Craziness

   Let's put it in perspective at Auburn. The school selected a coach (Gene Chizik of Iowa State) with a career record of 5-19. He replaces Tommy Tuberville -- 85-40 with the Tigers, including a perfect season just four years ago -- who (a.) was fired (2.) was forced out, or (3.) resigned.

   Chizik, a former Auburn coordinator, may be qualified, but this has to be a tough sell, especially to the Tuberville supporters, some of whom organized a march directed at the school president.

   What do you think of the hire?

   Tuberville owes it to the Auburn family to clarify the circumstances under which he departed. The university maintains he quit. He has stayed silent on the matter. Time to open up, Tub.

   Which of the three possibilities listed above do you buy regarding Tuberville?

   A rare moment of sanity regarding SEC coaches touched Tennessee when the school decided not to pay Phil Fulmer a salary as an assistant to the president. The earnings would have been pocket change to Fulmer, who will receive a $6 million buyout. Better late than never, somebody noted that the appearance of further fattening Phil's bank account looked awful.

   Do you agree with the decision?

   He will now serve voluntary duty.

 

'Tis The Season For Coaching Craziness

   It's the time of year when most SEC news is generated by the old guys wearing headphones on the sidelines.

   --Auburn's insistence that its head coach resigned -- and was not fired -- was denied by Tuberville. Not Tommy, but Olive -- his mother. 

   She claims to have it on good authority that her son was forced out. Tommy has not commented, a wise move given his intent to continue working for the university. Still, somebody needs to clear this up.

   Which account do you believe?

   This just in: Georgia assistant Rodney Garner interviewed Monday for the Auburn gig. 

   --It's par for the course that colleges will try to cherry-pick the coaching staff of a BCS finalist, which is happening at Florida. Mississippi State has shown interest in offensive coordinator Dan Mullen. Another Dan, assistant head coach McCarney, was linked to New Mexico, but it filled the position Monday with someone else.

   Shouldn't defensive coordinator Charlie Strong be generating interest? Not only does he have an impressive resume, but colleges inspired to do the right thing would get bonus points by hiring Strong and reversing the decline in black head coaches, now at three nationwide.

   Is Strong ready to serve as head coach?

   --Two former Gators coaches kept Florida from a No. 1 ranking in the USA Today coaches poll. Steve Spurrier and Ron Zook listed UF second behind Oklahoma. Had either reversed his vote, the Gators would have wound up on top.

   Spurrier's affection for Florida is well-established. Should he have helped out the ol' alma mater?

  --Phil Fulmer will answer the next two months to Tennessee's university president as a special assistant. His salary: $12,500 per month, plus benefits.

   His duties will include assisting the college planning for $48 million in budget cuts. Fulmer may be the right guy, but is anybody cringing at a guy getting paid $6 million not to coach by the school's athletics department advising them on saving money?

   Anyone bothered by this?   

   Regarding the competition for the biggest bust this season, the leader in the schlub-house is . . . . Tennessee. In fact, this bust now rivals Pamela Anderson's.

    Phil Fulmer and staff evidently checked out Monday when the coach's forced resignation was announced. The Vols were favored over Wyoming by nearly four touchdowns; in a normal year, it would have been 40-plus. But all of the players who hailed Fulmer last week did nothing but validate the decision made by UT brass.

   The silver lining: Relatively few Orange backers saw it. The building was two-thirds full -- for homecoming.

   Auburn gave Tennessee a run for the biggest-bust money at its own homecoming. The Tigers found themselves in a third-quarter tie before drawing away. The grumbling faithful reminded themselves that, hey, their team had not won since September.

   Tommy Tuberville, nearly sacked by the school a few years back, has to wonder if he will be joining Fulmer in the unemployment line.

   Which team gets your Biggest Bust award (presented by Pamela Sue)?

   This news flash, courtesy of the Knoxville Sun: Butch Davis of North Carolina is No. 1 on the Vols' wish list.

 

   

Hold Your Fire: Coaching Moves Too Early?

   Tennessee is among four major colleges that have declared their intentions to replace the head football coach after the season. Athletics directors, under pressure from alumni, should ask themselves if it's better to resit and wait until the uniforms are stored for the winter before announcing the dismissals.

   Here's an example why:

   Among Georgia high school players who have committed to the Vols, one (Antonio Foster of Valdosta) has switched to Georgia Tech and two others (Toney Williams of Milton and Nigel Mitchell-Thornton of Stephenson) are wavering. This, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since Phil Fulmer learned his fate, effective after the season, Williams already has heard from four SEC teams, plus two from the ACC.

   Is this a fair and legitimate tactic by those schools?

   Had the Vols waited another five weeks, prospects would more likely be locked in, with fewer options. These midseason sacking announcements hurt recruiting, to be sure.

   Should Tennessee have held off until the season was done?  

   

    

Having Their Fill Of Phil

   Let's feel a little sorry for Phil Fulmer. He was loyal to his school. By all accounts, he played by the rules. He was a hard-working, though not innovative, coach.

   But let's not feel a lot sorry for him. He lasted nearly 17 season at Tennessee, longer than anyone not named Paterno or Bowden can expect nowadays. He basked in glory, won championships and got to coach Peyton Manning. And he walks away with a staggering $6 million.

   For that, Volunteer fans should be outraged that athletics director Mike Hamilton awarded Fulmer a long-term extension after last season when he knew the Big Orange Man was falling out of favor. Were I a booster, I would tell Hamilton to figure out how to pay off this bonanza without raising ticket prices the next several seasons. The deal was a terrible decision by the A.D., whose primary decisions involve the employment status of the head football coach.

   Farewell, Phil. You'll be missed.

   

   

What We Learned, No. 4: Hey, Phil, Make Room For Tommy

   It may be unfair to rip on Tommy Tuberville for Auburn's anemic offense (193 yards, one offensive touchdown) while playing a few days after he jettisoned coordinator Tony Franklin.

   I'm going to, anyway. Why not wait, T.T., until the bye next Saturday, which would allow you more time to tweak the sorry-so-far spread? The mid-week staff switcheroo was a disruption that might have titled the scales toward Arkansas.

   There isn't much room on any seat when the rotund Phil Fulmer occupies it, but he'll have to slide over so Tuberville can plop down on the coaching hot seat.

   Does he deserve to be there?

   As for Tennessee, the 24-12 score against Georgia hides the fact that the Volunteers were dominated. (One rushing yard? Oh, my.) As Larry Munson would say, the Bulldogs crushed them with a hobnail boot. Barring a turn-around this year, if The Big Orange Pumpkin is back next season, the only plausible explanation is his costly $6 million buyout.

   Would you contribute to it, Vols fans?  

Expensive Exit Strategy For Anti-Fulmer Camp

   If this is Phil Fulmer's last season at the Tennessee helm, he won't be leaving Volunteer-ily. The school would have to pony up a reported $5.5 mil to buy out the big fella.

  Vol fans: Would you contribute to the cause?

   With a third loss staring him in the face Saturday at Auburn, Fulmer was properly defiant this week. He and his staff "didn't all of a sudden get stupid" after reaching the SEC title game five times. "We know what we're doing."

   Anyone who watched the Florida debacle would question that statement. Losing is one thing; getting a new one ripped is quite another.

   What must Fulmer and the Vols accomplish this season to save his job?

Them's Fightin' Words, Maybe

   Manipulating the media to fir up your team is as old as, well, fire. Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer made certain every player was aware of Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes' comment Monday that the Vols gave up in last year's game. "They quit playing," he said.

   Next day, Spikes' words wound up on a board in UT's practice facility for all to see. Then Fulmer issued a comment atypical of a coach, who generally (in public) dismisses such a remark as a throwaway line from an excitable young man with no malicious intent.

   Fulmer said Spikes probably was parroting the coaches. Then: "If they don't respect us, why are they practicing?"

   To which I ask: If a talented team loses 59-20, what other explanation is valid other than it let up?

   What do you think about bulletin board material? Does it have the impact coaches think?

   The Vols are in deep doo-doo Saturday (3:30 p.m., CBS). Florida's offense has barely awakened, but it is growing healthier and is so deep at positions such as running back, they could run an A and B team.

   The smartest comment uttered this week was by the Vols' Johathan Crompton saying he felt no pressure, noting "Pressure is being over in Iraq, fighting for your country."

   But the sore-ankled quarterback will feel another sort of pressure, from a ravenous Gators pass rush.

   If there is any real pressure, in the sports context, is on Fulmer, who doesn't win enough big games? This one? Real big. 

   Can you envision a Vols' win? Make your case.