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Tennessee football: 5 OC changes that worked out for Vols

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Tennessee mascot Davy Crockett carries the flag across the end zone during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 08: Tennessee mascot Davy Crockett carries the flag across the end zone during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennesee won the game 59-3. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images /

2. 1989: Phillip Fulmer

Before David Cutcliffe was promoted to offensive coordinator by Phillip Fulmer, Fulmer was promoted to offensive coordinator by Johnny Majors. And while Cutcliffe’s promotion took them to extreme heights, Fulmer’s promotion got the ball rolling.

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For context, Tennessee football had gone 5-6 the year before. Majors was back on the hot seat, as it was his 12th year on the job, and to that point he had only enjoyed one SEC Championship and two Top 25 finishes.

So with students and many fans at that point having no memory of his on-field success calling for his head, he retooled his staff. And that’s where Fulmer came in. The guy had been a line coach for nearly a decade under Majors and studied under different people.

He inherited a roster with a ton of young talent, and he was ready to help it take off. And it worked out beautifully. After averaging under 350 yards and under 20 points a game in 1988, the Vols averaged over 28 points and over 400 yards a game in 1989. They went from 5-6 to 11-1 in one of the biggest turnarounds ever, winning the SEC and finishing in the Top 5.

Fulmer helped Majors and the Vols repeat as SEC Champs the next year, going 9-2-2 and finishing in the Top 10. That year, they averaged over 35 points and 400 yards a game. Big names like Carl Pickens, Alvin Harper, Chuck Webb, Tony Thompson, Antone Davis and Andy Kelly at quarterback all stood out.

Related Story. 10 things Jim Chaney must do to improve Vols offense. light

As offensive coordinator, Fulmer helped usher in an era of the Vols being a staple in the Top 25. He continued that as he moved into his role as full-time head coach in 1993. But his offenses got the ball rolling in making UT a national brand that could attract top-notch recruits all over the country once again.

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