John Adams: How could Butch Jones impress Phillip Fulmer?
Tennessee’s prolonged search for an athletic director is placing a hardship on coaches, who will have to wait months to find out who their new boss will be.
How can they make an impression if they don't know whom to impress?
My guess is they're waiting in line to buy Phillip Fulmer lunch since his name has been bandied about in the media as a leading candidate for the AD job. And he’s right here in East Tennessee.
So he should be the new best buddy of basketball coach Rick Barnes and football coach Butch Jones.
Jones’ situation is more complex, though. The disparity in coaching status between Fulmer and Jones could be an obstacle.
University of Tennessee issues statement on AD search
Fulmer is a Hall of Fame coach who led Tennessee to an unbeaten season in 1998. Jones is a fourth-year Tennessee coach averaging 7.5 victories per season, which makes me wonder how he would impress Fulmer if they got together.
Jones: Great to see you, Coach. How do you like my office?
Fulmer: I liked it better when it was my office (mild chuckle).
Jones: I know all about that. Every time I have a football-related problem, I ask myself, “How would Coach Fulmer have handled this?”
Guess you looked up to your predecessor, Johnny Majors, for guidance.
Fulmer: He served a purpose. But I had my own plan for success.
Jones: And what a success you were. We’re starting to make headway ourselves. Here’s a photo of me next to the TaxSlayer Bowl championship trophy.
Fulmer: That’s great, Butch. Did you ever see the photo of me holding the national championship trophy?
Jones: You’ve been where we want to go, Coach. I guess you know we’ve been to three straight bowl games. Won them all, too.
Fulmer: I coached in 13 consecutive bowl games. But I don’t remember bragging about it.
Jones: Since we’re just getting starting, we try to celebrate each victory along the way. Brick by brick, you know. Catchy, huh?
Fulmer: Whatever works for you. I was never much on rebuilding projects, though. We won 10 games in my first full season as head coach.
Jones: You hit the ground running, no doubt about it. Hey, what do you think of this photo? That’s the players carrying me off the field after we won the Music City Bowl championship.
Fulmer: Pretty good ride for a four-loss season. That Nebraska team you played was a little different from the one we ran into in the Orange Bowl.
Jones: If we hadn’t lost to Vanderbilt, we would have been in a major bowl this past season.
Fulmer: That makes you 2-2 against the Commodores. I was 16-1 against them. Beat them 62-14 on my second try. Beat them 65-0 the next season.
Jones: We’ll get there, Coach. Our goal is to dominate the state – on the field and in recruiting.
Fulmer: Before you dominate the state, you might want to shore up your backyard. Losing those wide receivers from Oak Ridge and Catholic to Clemson had to hurt.
Jones: It’s hard to compete against a national championship program.
Fulmer: That’s what coaches told me after 1998.
Jones: Oh, I almost forgot to show you the photo of me running off the field after we won the Outback Bowl championship?
Fulmer: Sorry, but I’ve got to run. I’m meeting Coach Barnes for lunch.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: Twitter.com/johnadamskns.
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