What if Phillip Fulmer had returned as Tennessee's football coach?

I can’t imagine a scenario in which Jeremy Pruitt would have turned down a head-coaching job at Tennessee. An opportunity to make the jump from Alabama defensive coordinator to head coach at the SEC level was too good to pass up.

But I also can see why established head coaches would have been wary of the UT job, and not just because the program has had five coaches since 2008.

Imagine working for someone who might be interested in your job.

More:Records: Phillip Fulmer was willing to be Vols football coach, involved in search before he was AD

UT made the documentation of its coaching search available to the media last week. The circuitous search began with athletic director John Currie in charge, and ended with Currie being fired and replaced by Phillip Fulmer.

One of the least surprising revelations: the new AD is still a football coach at heart.

According to UT president Joe DiPietro’s phone records, Fulmer told donor John Thornton that “all they would have to do is ask” for him to return as coach.

More:What AD Phillip Fulmer says Vols football should achieve in first season with Jeremy Pruitt

Thornton isn’t just a booster. He’s one of Fulmer’s best buds. And I can’t believe he would have casually made their suggestion to DiPietro in a text message without first talking it over with Fulmer.

Imagine if DiPietro had responded differently, and fired off an email to chancellor Beverly Davenport: “Call off the search. We’ve got our man.”

So, how do you think that would have gone?

I’m sure the Tennessee fans still stuck in 1998 would have applauded that development. They associate Fulmer with one thing: winning a national championship 20 years ago.

They ignore what happened next. The program went downhill under Fulmer’s guidance. The ups weren't as high; the lows were lower, until Fulmer was fired in 2008 after two losing seasons in four years.

More:Phillip Fulmer outlines vision for Tennessee Vols as athletic director

That doesn’t diminish what Fulmer accomplished. He did what good coaches do. He capitalized on his opportunity.

The SEC of the 1990s was neither as large nor as competitive as it is now. Some of the league’s best programs were in disarray. Others enjoyed only sporadic success.

Meanwhile, the Vols thrived. And they thrived most when David Cutcliffe was the offensive coordinator.

The program declined after Cutcliffe left for the head-coaching job at Ole Miss. It picked up when he returned as offensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007. Then, it plummeted when he left for the head-coaching job at Duke.

So, if you want to fantasize about how glorious UT football would become upon Fulmer’s return, be sure to include Cutcliffe’s return as offensive coordinator in your fantasy.

More:Phillip Fulmer: 'No magic dust' can solve Tennessee Vols football; fundamentals are the fix

My guess is that if Fulmer returned as coach in 2018, he wouldn't do any worse than Butch Jones did in 2017. Neither has any other UT coach. Pruitt should do better than that, though.

And since Fulmer hired Pruitt, he can share in whatever success the new coach has. But it’s still an odd situation.

The new coach is working for the old coach who wouldn’t mind being the new coach. All you have to do is ask him.

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.