Fulmer and Vanderbilt

I wrote this two years ago, shortly after Phillip Fulmer was fired at Tennessee. With the sudden news of Vanderbilt needing a new football coach, I think it's worth revisiting.

Originally Submitted by Jim Wogan on November 19, 2008

Laugh now. But crazy things happen.

This weekend may not be Phillip Fulmer's final time to coach in a UT-Vanderbilt game.

On Tuesday, the soon to be ex-head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers admitted the "fire still burns" for coaching. Fulmer says he's received advice from former UT coaches Doug Dickey, Bill Battle, and Michigan's Lloyd Carr on how to handle the next step in his career. All three told Fulmer to not rush into a bitter or angry decision.

Unless some outrageous offer comes in early December, it sounds like Fulmer may take a season off.

Meantime, three hours down the interstate, Vanderbilt is preparing for this year's showdown with Tennessee, and an eventual bowl game. Commordore head coach Bobby Johnson, who is one of college football's outstanding guys (I covered him at Furman when the Paladins won a national title in 1988), has the program on an uptick. Johnson has become something of a longshot candidate for some recent openings.

Despite Vandy's recent fortunes, winning there is always a challenge. It's a private school with a much smaller athletic department budget. But it's also an in-state school that (at least for now) still plays in the SEC.

Early in his career, Fulmer spent one season at Vanderbilt as an assistant coach. On Tuesday he spoke fondly of his experience there and had good things to say about Vanderbilt people.

Maybe Bobby Johnson never leaves. Maybe Fulmer is too Orange to consider it.

It may NEVER happens.

But don't discount the possibility.

Fulmer coaching in another Tennessee-Vanderbilt game?

It's a longshot, but it could happen.