UT Players showing complete lack of class

[DKW 86 7,441]

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Big Orange red-faced; only three discuss loss

By CHRIS LOW

Staff Writer

KNOXVILLE — The crash landing of Tennessee's football program hitting rock bottom yesterday under Coach Phillip Fulmer was seen and heard throughout Neyland Stadium.

The scoreboard was the most obvious place.

"It's been a tough year," said Fulmer, his eyes red and his face redder.

"It's kind of like life or school or business or whatever. You have blips on the screen, tough months or tough quarters or tough years. You figure it out and you fight back, and that's what we will do."

The embarrassment in the Vols' faces was glaring as they left the field. Afterward, only three players came into the interview room to discuss how they managed to lose to the Commodores for the first time in 23 years.

"It hurts for everybody," said senior defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona, who joined senior linebacker Jason Mitchell and redshirt freshman tailback Arian Foster in facing the media. "Nobody's used to this."

As senior offensive tackle Albert Toeaina left the field following Rick Clausen's interception to end the game, he angrily hurled his helmet and then cursed and spat on one of UT's JumbroTron cameramen, Scott Liston.

Toeaina's helmet was one of nearly 10 that Tennessee players threw down in disgust and left on the field for managers to take into the locker room.

"That's immature, and they don't appreciate what this university has to offer," Mahelona said of his teammates who left their helmets in the north end zone.

Fulmer, told of the Toeaina spitting incident, was visibly upset and promised to find out more details.

"If that's true, he won't play," Fulmer said. "His butt will be on the bench."

It was an ugly ending to the ugliest game of the Fulmer era.

The Vols (4-6, 2-5) have one final game remaining with Kentucky on Saturday before having the entire month of December to ponder what it's going to take to build back a program that entered this season ranked No. 3 nationally.

Not only is Tennessee assured of its first losing season since 1988, but the five conference losses are the most by the Vols since John Majors' first season in 1977.

"We have to take accountability, starting with me," Fulmer said. "We have to get it done coaching, and the players have to take accountability for getting it done as players.

"There's a lot of pride in this program. There's a really good base of kids. Two or three juniors will have some decisions to make, but I believe they will be back. We'll go back to work recruiting and getting ready for Kentucky and whatever else we have to do staff-wise or whatever else to get things going in the direction we want them to go."

The first order of business is hiring an offensive coordinator.

David Cutcliffe remains Fulmer's top target, and a deal could be close. The two are supposed to talk more in depth in the next few days.

At this point, one of the main issues is getting Cutcliffe's financial package up to speed with some of the other top assistant coaches in the SEC. Six assistants in the conference make more than $300,000, and none of them have previous head-coaching experience, which Cutcliffe does. Randy Sanders, who recently stepped down as offensive coordinator, makes $168,000 a year. LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is the SEC's highest-paid assistant at $425,000 annually.

With Tennessee not going to a bowl, there's not a huge rush to get Cutcliffe on board because the Vols won't be practicing in December.

Fulmer has talked to several other candidates. But Cutcliffe's track record for developing quarterbacks and his overall experience clearly make him Fulmer's top choice.

"I think we're pretty close," Fulmer said. "We'll just have to see."

One of the recurring themes in Tennessee's struggles this season has been its lack of discipline.

But Fulmer said he never felt this team completely getting away from him.

"I really didn't from the standpoint of them busting their rears to get themselves ready to play," Fulmer said. "Now, have they listened as well as I would have liked at times? Apparently not.

"We talk about the kicking game being extremely important, and we gave up way too many things in the kicking game. We talk about being able to run the football, and we had a hard time running the football. We've had people up there trying to stop the run, and we haven't made any plays.

"As far as getting away from me or getting away from the staff, I don't see that happening."

Defensive coordinator John Chavis said he would be there every step of the way to help Fulmer make sure this never happens again.

"I'm committed to getting this program back where it was," Chavis said. "I came here after a 5-6 season. We've had 16 great years. Phillip has much of his life invested in this program, and I certainly think we can get this thing turned around."

Mitchell has no doubt.

"We need to get our swagger and attitude back," he said. "I don't think we had it at times. We're Tennessee. We're going to bounce back."

[quietfan 233]

If I has been Fulmer, the first thing I would have done is make every one of those players go pick up his own helmet and return it to the equipment room...by way of the longest possible path including the maximum number of stadium steps possible.

[aucanucktiger 1,798]

I remember one of fulmer's "real good crop of kids" last year, after the first time Auburn spanked the Vols in '04, saying AU wasn't worthy of the win because although AU had scored like 6 tds in the firtst half, UT won the second half like 10-7. Duh, that's Bama logic.

"But Cutcliffe's track record for developing quarterbacks and his overall experience clearly make him Fulmer's top choice".

In 2 major ways Fulmer is the opposite of Terry Bowden. Fulmer is one of the best recruiters and worst game-day coaches in the SEC. But neither Fulmer nor bowden discipline players...and both reap what they sow.

[quietfan 233]

I know Bama hasn't fired their OC yet, but you've got to suspect it's a real possibility.

I'm just thinking of all those OC candidates out there who may have dreamed of coachng in the SEC, only to find their options are working under Fulmer, who has no class, or Shula, who has no clue.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

If I has been Fulmer, the first thing I would have done is make every one of those players go pick up his own helmet and return it to the equipment room...by way of the longest possible path including the maximum number of stadium steps possible.

200012[/snapback]

Excellent idea! They would have become very familiar with each and every step in Neyland Stadium, singing Rocky Top all the way. Then, when they were done with the steps, I'd have kicked them off the team.....especially the spitter.