Arclight
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 23, 2005
- Messages
- 4,259
- Likes
- 858
Blame Fulmer instead of Sanders
Ryan Callahan -
Tuesday, November 01, 2005 issue
Phillip Fulmer stepped back in front of the podium, momentarily taking the spotlight from a misty-eyed Randy Sanders.
It was the least he could do on the day Sanders announced his resignation as offensive coordinator. After all, the offense is partly Fulmers responsibility, too.
Scratch that. Its all his.
With Sanders stepping down Monday after almost seven years on the job, Fulmer took the time to reiterate his role in Tennessees offense.
It starts at the top, and were all accountable, Fulmer said. We will go from here, and we will do what we have to do to get our football program back to where its competing for championships.
In that case, maybe he should take his own advice and step aside from the offense.
Tennessee fans undoubtedly will be smiling today, more than they ever thought they might with the Vols under .500 seven games into the season.
But dont celebrate just yet. The much-maligned coordinator might be on his way out hell remain quarterbacks coach for the rest of the season but the often-in-the-way head coach isnt going anywhere.
It doesnt matter who replaces Sanders. The face of the offense will change, but the results will not. At least not as long as the evidence of offensive ineptitude has Fulmers fingerprints all over it.
Take, for example, his idea for calling plays the rest of the season.
Well share in that, Fulmer said. Randys a very vital cog in coaching the quarterbacks and the plan, and has been.
Of course Sanders has been a vital cog in the offense. As long as his title was offensive coordinator, that was his job.
Apparently, though, its Fulmers job, too.
Therein lies the problem. Fulmer was offensive coordinator until he took over as head coach at the end of the 1992 season. Hes an offensive-minded coach, so he believes he should to put his own signature on the offense.
Just the same as Steve Spurrier runs South Carolinas offense all by himself, its Fulmers right to have whatever input he wants on play-calling, scheming and coaching changes.
There is, however, one big difference.
As you might have noticed Saturday night or over much of the last decade Fulmer is no Spurrier. For that matter, Tennessees offense isnt South Carolinas.
Do you really think Sanders wanted to run all those draw plays on third-and-long? Or the 17,000 variations of screen passes to wide receivers used over the last seven years?
Theres no former quarterback in America (yes, Sanders was a backup here at UT) that wouldnt love to go five-wide and sling it downfield all day long, just like theres no former offensive lineman that wouldnt love to pound an opponent into submission with run play after grinding run play.
Thats why well never know if Sanders might have been a decent offensive coordinator.
And its why Tennessees offense wont be the same until Fulmer steps out of his coordinators way.
Ryan Callahan is the sports editor of The Daily Beacon. He can be reached at callahan@utk.edu.
Ryan Callahan -
Tuesday, November 01, 2005 issue
Phillip Fulmer stepped back in front of the podium, momentarily taking the spotlight from a misty-eyed Randy Sanders.
It was the least he could do on the day Sanders announced his resignation as offensive coordinator. After all, the offense is partly Fulmers responsibility, too.
Scratch that. Its all his.
With Sanders stepping down Monday after almost seven years on the job, Fulmer took the time to reiterate his role in Tennessees offense.
It starts at the top, and were all accountable, Fulmer said. We will go from here, and we will do what we have to do to get our football program back to where its competing for championships.
In that case, maybe he should take his own advice and step aside from the offense.
Tennessee fans undoubtedly will be smiling today, more than they ever thought they might with the Vols under .500 seven games into the season.
But dont celebrate just yet. The much-maligned coordinator might be on his way out hell remain quarterbacks coach for the rest of the season but the often-in-the-way head coach isnt going anywhere.
It doesnt matter who replaces Sanders. The face of the offense will change, but the results will not. At least not as long as the evidence of offensive ineptitude has Fulmers fingerprints all over it.
Take, for example, his idea for calling plays the rest of the season.
Well share in that, Fulmer said. Randys a very vital cog in coaching the quarterbacks and the plan, and has been.
Of course Sanders has been a vital cog in the offense. As long as his title was offensive coordinator, that was his job.
Apparently, though, its Fulmers job, too.
Therein lies the problem. Fulmer was offensive coordinator until he took over as head coach at the end of the 1992 season. Hes an offensive-minded coach, so he believes he should to put his own signature on the offense.
Just the same as Steve Spurrier runs South Carolinas offense all by himself, its Fulmers right to have whatever input he wants on play-calling, scheming and coaching changes.
There is, however, one big difference.
As you might have noticed Saturday night or over much of the last decade Fulmer is no Spurrier. For that matter, Tennessees offense isnt South Carolinas.
Do you really think Sanders wanted to run all those draw plays on third-and-long? Or the 17,000 variations of screen passes to wide receivers used over the last seven years?
Theres no former quarterback in America (yes, Sanders was a backup here at UT) that wouldnt love to go five-wide and sling it downfield all day long, just like theres no former offensive lineman that wouldnt love to pound an opponent into submission with run play after grinding run play.
Thats why well never know if Sanders might have been a decent offensive coordinator.
And its why Tennessees offense wont be the same until Fulmer steps out of his coordinators way.
Ryan Callahan is the sports editor of The Daily Beacon. He can be reached at callahan@utk.edu.
