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Sanders' UT Future Discussed
He could step down, but nothing finalized
By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE With Tennessee's offense in its worst funk of the Phillip Fulmer era, Randy Sanders could be on his way out as offensive coordinator.
A source within the UT football program told The Tennessean yesterday that Fulmer and Sanders have had ongoing discussions centering around Sanders giving up his coordinator duties.
The source emphasized that nothing had been finalized, and it was unclear whether Sanders would step aside immediately or finish out the season.
Sanders first spoke to Fulmer late Saturday about the possibility of resigning following Tennessee's 16-15 loss to South Carolina. They talked again yesterday.
Sanders conceded in the aftermath of the bitter loss to the Gamecocks that the wear and tear of this season was taking its toll.
"It's hard for me personally and hard for everybody on the football team, all the coaches and everybody involved with the program," Sanders said. "Obviously, fans have a lot of stake, but nobody has more at stake than we do.
"It's what we live and what we do. When you're not successful, it hurts hurts a lot."
The Vols, who've lost three consecutive games for the first time since 1992, have dipped to 108th nationally out of 117 Division I-A teams in scoring offense (16.1 points). They're also 101st in passing efficiency (101.8) and 99th in total offense (315 yards).
In their last three games, the Vols (3-4, 2-4) have driven for just one meaningful touchdown their only score against the Gamecocks.
Fulmer, during his weekly teleconference last night, acknowledged that he was considering any and all options to rectify Tennessee's offensive struggles.
"There's a lot of thoughts right now that we're going through, to be honest with you," Fulmer said.
"You can't blame this on one person. Everybody wants to say it's this person or that person. I would certainly be open-minded to know if that were the case, then I would say that.
"It's a combination of a lot of things some that you can fix, hopefully, in the short term and some that may take longer to fix."
Fulmer wouldn't rule out staff changes taking place before the season was over, possibly as early as this week.
"Like I said, I've thought about a lot of different things in the last hours since the ballgame was over," he said. "When you say contemplated, that covers a lot of ground."
When pressed further about what changes he might make and when, Fulmer wouldn't get specific.
"I'm not going to get into that right now at all," he said.
The Vols, ranked No. 3 nationally to start the season, have been one of college football's biggest disappointments. This is the first time they've been below .500 this late in the season since 1988, the last time they finished with a losing season.
Sanders, in his seventh season as Tennessee's offensive coordinator, has been a lightning rod for criticism by fans almost from the time he was promoted.
Fulmer has been one of Sanders' staunchest defenders and did his best to defend him last night, but stopped short of guaranteeing that anybody on his offensive staff was safe.
"It's not one person's fault," Fulmer said.
"It's not just the play-caller, just the quarterback, just the receiver, just the tackles or guards or centers or tight ends or running backs. It's a combination of a lot of different things."
It doesn't get any easier for the Vols this Saturday. They travel to Notre Dame to take on the eighth-ranked Irish, who've scored points in bunches this season.
The Vols, meanwhile, haven't been able to find any offensive consistency. Four times against South Carolina, the Vols started in the Gamecocks' territory and came away with no points.
"The bottom line of everything is we're all accountable, and when things aren't going well, you have to look at what you have to do to get it going like you want it to go," Fulmer said. "I was very upset (Saturday night) and I'm still very upset (yesterday).
"Watching the tape, we don't have an effort problem. We have an execution problem, and we've got to find a way to get that fixed."
Fulmer called the loss to the Gamecocks unacceptable, and the players agreed.
"We can't get used to losing around here," sophomore quarterback Erik Ainge said. "This is too good of an institution. We recruit too well and play too well to lose games like (South Carolina)."
Quarterback future: Fulmer said he wasn't sure which direction the Vols would go at quarterback against the Irish.
"We're going to sit down and talk about that," he said.
"We haven't been able to get together (yesterday) as a staff to talk about that. Neither guy played exceptionally well. There were flashes by both of them.
"We had some real opportunities to make a big play and it's not always the quarterback that's not making it happen."
Smith update: Junior offensive guard Rob Smith suffered a right shoulder sprain against the Gamecocks and is questionable for the Notre Dame game.
"We'll have to have him further evaluated and we'll see," Fulmer said
He could step down, but nothing finalized
By CHRIS LOW
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE With Tennessee's offense in its worst funk of the Phillip Fulmer era, Randy Sanders could be on his way out as offensive coordinator.
A source within the UT football program told The Tennessean yesterday that Fulmer and Sanders have had ongoing discussions centering around Sanders giving up his coordinator duties.
The source emphasized that nothing had been finalized, and it was unclear whether Sanders would step aside immediately or finish out the season.
Sanders first spoke to Fulmer late Saturday about the possibility of resigning following Tennessee's 16-15 loss to South Carolina. They talked again yesterday.
Sanders conceded in the aftermath of the bitter loss to the Gamecocks that the wear and tear of this season was taking its toll.
"It's hard for me personally and hard for everybody on the football team, all the coaches and everybody involved with the program," Sanders said. "Obviously, fans have a lot of stake, but nobody has more at stake than we do.
"It's what we live and what we do. When you're not successful, it hurts hurts a lot."
The Vols, who've lost three consecutive games for the first time since 1992, have dipped to 108th nationally out of 117 Division I-A teams in scoring offense (16.1 points). They're also 101st in passing efficiency (101.8) and 99th in total offense (315 yards).
In their last three games, the Vols (3-4, 2-4) have driven for just one meaningful touchdown their only score against the Gamecocks.
Fulmer, during his weekly teleconference last night, acknowledged that he was considering any and all options to rectify Tennessee's offensive struggles.
"There's a lot of thoughts right now that we're going through, to be honest with you," Fulmer said.
"You can't blame this on one person. Everybody wants to say it's this person or that person. I would certainly be open-minded to know if that were the case, then I would say that.
"It's a combination of a lot of things some that you can fix, hopefully, in the short term and some that may take longer to fix."
Fulmer wouldn't rule out staff changes taking place before the season was over, possibly as early as this week.
"Like I said, I've thought about a lot of different things in the last hours since the ballgame was over," he said. "When you say contemplated, that covers a lot of ground."
When pressed further about what changes he might make and when, Fulmer wouldn't get specific.
"I'm not going to get into that right now at all," he said.
The Vols, ranked No. 3 nationally to start the season, have been one of college football's biggest disappointments. This is the first time they've been below .500 this late in the season since 1988, the last time they finished with a losing season.
Sanders, in his seventh season as Tennessee's offensive coordinator, has been a lightning rod for criticism by fans almost from the time he was promoted.
Fulmer has been one of Sanders' staunchest defenders and did his best to defend him last night, but stopped short of guaranteeing that anybody on his offensive staff was safe.
"It's not one person's fault," Fulmer said.
"It's not just the play-caller, just the quarterback, just the receiver, just the tackles or guards or centers or tight ends or running backs. It's a combination of a lot of different things."
It doesn't get any easier for the Vols this Saturday. They travel to Notre Dame to take on the eighth-ranked Irish, who've scored points in bunches this season.
The Vols, meanwhile, haven't been able to find any offensive consistency. Four times against South Carolina, the Vols started in the Gamecocks' territory and came away with no points.
"The bottom line of everything is we're all accountable, and when things aren't going well, you have to look at what you have to do to get it going like you want it to go," Fulmer said. "I was very upset (Saturday night) and I'm still very upset (yesterday).
"Watching the tape, we don't have an effort problem. We have an execution problem, and we've got to find a way to get that fixed."
Fulmer called the loss to the Gamecocks unacceptable, and the players agreed.
"We can't get used to losing around here," sophomore quarterback Erik Ainge said. "This is too good of an institution. We recruit too well and play too well to lose games like (South Carolina)."
Quarterback future: Fulmer said he wasn't sure which direction the Vols would go at quarterback against the Irish.
"We're going to sit down and talk about that," he said.
"We haven't been able to get together (yesterday) as a staff to talk about that. Neither guy played exceptionally well. There were flashes by both of them.
"We had some real opportunities to make a big play and it's not always the quarterback that's not making it happen."
Smith update: Junior offensive guard Rob Smith suffered a right shoulder sprain against the Gamecocks and is questionable for the Notre Dame game.
"We'll have to have him further evaluated and we'll see," Fulmer said
