Phillip Fulmer
Quick bio: This man needs no introduction to Tennessee fans. The former UT offensive lineman went on to have a lengthy and legendary career as an assistant and then head coach of the Vols from 1992-2008, bringing home UT’s only modern-era national title in 1998. He has since dabbled in business, broadcasting and currently serves as a special assistant to the AD at East Tennessee State University, helping ETSU revive its football program.
Pros: Again, many are obvious here. Fulmer is Tennessee football to many people. He’s as loyal a Tennessean as you can find, and he clearly knows the ends and outs of the big business of college athletics. The legendary coach model has worked at several different schools around the nation, and hiring Fulmer would likely be met with overwhelming approval from most fans and boosters.
Cons: While Fulmer knows college athletics, the executive side of things would be newer for him since his only formal experience has come in his endeavor with ETSU – he’s never dealt with some of the day-to-day demands that would come with this specific job. Some might argue he’s actually too loyal. Would he be willing to make some of the tough calls that an AD has to make to move the program forward?
