Tennessee’s search for an athletic director may have been short lived.
The University fired athletic director John Currie after eight months on the job on Friday afternoon. Now a report by WNML’s Jimmy Hyams says that former Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer is set to be named UT’s next athletic director.
Hyams adds that he isn’t sure whether or not this will be a permanent or interim position. But he’ll be called upon to lead the Vols’ search for a head coach moving forward.
While UT considered Reid Sigmon for interim AD job to replace the fired John Currie, Phillip Fulmer will be named the athletic director at the 4 pm presser, but don't know if full time or interim. With Fulmer at the helm, don't be surprised if pool of candidates opens up.
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) December 1, 2017
Fulmer was a major candidate to be UT’s athletic director back in April. But instead, Chancellor Beverly Davenport and the UT administration chose Currie for the job. Currie was hired at the end of February of this year.
While Currie was at Tennessee during his first stint working for Mike Hamilton, he allegedly played a role in Fulmer’s firing. Reports on Friday say that Tennessee’s coaching search has featured many different, conflicting voices.
Just filed to ESPN: Tennessee has parted ways with AD John Currie on the heels of what has been a disastrous Tennessee coaching search. He met with university officials on Friday morning, and the decision was made then.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) December 1, 2017
Industry source: “Throughout this entire (#Tennessee) coaching search Phil Fulmer has tried to undermine AD John Currie in hopes of becoming the AD there.” https://t.co/Z2v03Nkd2h
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 1, 2017
Davenport will rely on Fulmer to unify the administration as the Vols continue their search for a new head coach.
Fulmer was brought in this off-season to work in the administration in a support role. He previously had been one of the most successful head coaches in program history, helping lead the Vols to two SEC titles and the 1998 national title. He was 152-52 as the Vols head coach before his firing in 2008.
Chancellor Davenport is meeting with the media at 4 PM Eastern. We will be there live on the scene and will have the press conference streamed live on Facebook and Periscope.
One Response
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