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Tennessee Vols: Five things for new AD Danny White to address

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 22: Smokey the live Tennessee Volunteers mascot on the sidelines during the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won the game 47-21. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 12: General view of a Tennessee Volunteers flag during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 12: General view of a Tennessee Volunteers flag during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

3. Find a way to make UT more unique

Bad coaching hires and administrative incompetence are not the only reasons Tennessee football has struggled over the past decade-plus. Don’t forget that when they fired Phillip Fulmer, they had still gone 10 years without an SEC Championship and seven years without a top 10 finish. That seemed like a drought on its own.

What’s hurting the program is that it’s not as unique anymore. TV contracts have allowed other SEC schools to catch up to Rocky Top in stadium sizes, facilities and recruiting budgets. Most notably, it has allowed them to hire elite coaches, so the competition is much more fierce.

White’s history with the UCF Knights and the Buffalo Bulls shows a willingness to try new things to make the program stand out more. UCF was much more receptive to it than Buffalo was, and that’s why UCF is rolling as a program.

Previous Tennessee Vols athletic directors seemed to think that the university sells itself. That’s not enough anymore. If the football program is going to return to its glory days, hiring an elite coach has to also come with making the place stand out to attract recruits. Sometimes, a coach alone can do that. However, more often than not, the place itself needs to be unique.

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