Coach Fulmer,
I just wanted to wish you congratulations on your new position at our beloved University. I was a student at UT in 2007 when your Vols won out to secure a trip to Atlanta against LSU.
In this tumultuous time, I know that your experience, leadership, and passion for the tradition of winning at Tennessee will bring stability and unity back to Knoxville. I hope that the fan base will rally behind the coach of your choosing.
That being said, I would be remiss if I didnt suggest, likely as countless others have, that Coach Gruden be considered. His knowledge of the game, his success at the highest level of football, and his fire would immediately put Tennessee squarely back in the national spotlight. I know that the vast majority of fans would turn out in droves for Jon Grudens return to the Hill.
I am but one fan, but I know many others agree with me, and it is on their behalf that I ask that you consider, if I may borrow a common phrase, making Coach Gruden say no. Other programs have shown recently that they are willing to pay a premium for an elite coaching staff: OSU with Coach Meyer, obviously Alabama with Coach Saban, and most recently Texas A&M with Coach Fisher and UCLA with Coach Kelly. This is the price of winning football, and I hope Tennessee will not let these programs overshadow us because we are unwilling to open our pocketbooks.
I will hope and pray that your decision returns Tennessee to the prominence that you built in the 90s and 2000s.
Best Regards, and Welcome Home,
M*** C*******
Class of 2010