Wiedmer: Fulmer lives to coach another week

KNOXVILLE — “Not dead yet.”

Phillip Fulmer was so happy to say those three words following his Tennessee football team’s 34-3 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday night that he repeated them, his smile growing even wider.

“Not dead yet.”

Then, as if to soften the delight and defiance in his voice, he added, “Naw, I’m just kidding.”

It had been a far different Fulmer less than an hour earlier, just after UT kicker Daniel Lincoln missed a 34-yard field-goal try with the Volunteers clinging to a 13-3 lead.

As a dejected Lincoln headed to the sideline with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Fulmer ripped off his headphones and appeared to scream, “What happened?!” as he stared down his kicker.

Not that anyone should have expected anything less. His 16th UT team mired in a 2-4 start (0-3 in the SEC) at the start of this one, Fulmer has spent most of the month fearing that the only October Surprise in East Tennessee could be his dismissal.

Already buried by many fans, the coach felt his athletic director toss another shovel or two’s worth of dirt last Wednesday when the Knoxville News-Sentinel asked Mike Hamilton if he’d ever consider replacing a coach at midyear. The AD answered, “If it was the right thing to do for the University of Tennessee, there is a methodology in place to cover that.”

(At that moment, Fulmer may have let loose his first “What happened??” of the week, as in, “What happened to that long-term contract I signed last summer, Mike?”)

But all that could wait Saturday. This was the kind of victory that earned Fulmer that contract. A prudent offense led by a physical offensive line. An opportunistic defense. Solid kicking game. Minimal turnovers and penalties.

Even then it wasn’t nearly as easy as the final score suggested, despite no turnovers and just one yellow flag. It wasn’t even particularly pretty for the first two quarters. The Vols led by a scant 6-3 at halftime thanks to two Lincoln field goals. As has happened so often this season, they had been outgained in total yardage, although by only three feet — 120 yards for MSU to 119 for the Vols.

But then came the second half and slow warming as the air was growing cool and crispy.

First, Montario Hardesty scored from 1 yards out in the third period to put the Vols up 13-3.

Then the Eric Berry Show began. Picking off a pass at the UT 28, Berry raced 72 yards to the checkerboard and a 20-3 lead. Less than 90 seconds later, fellow defensive back Demetrice Morley took another interception 32 yards to “the house,” which is where too many Big Orange fans had headed too soon to watch the fireworks.

Then again, maybe if Fulmer would ever agree to let the “Human Highlight Film” Berry play offense ...

“We put in a couple of plays in practice this week,” said Fulmer, hoping to defuse that fans argument.

Maybe next year, if he gets a next year, he’ll get around to running those plays in games.

Yet the important news from this game is not just that the Vols will enter this Saturday’s visit from No. 2 Alabama coming off a victory, but that they’ll do it off an impressive one.

In fact, they were so impressive that losing coach Sylvester Croom said of the victors: “This is a talented football team. I think this team is more talented than the one last year, I really do.”

Of course, some might say that if these Vols are more talented than last year’s SEC East champions, there is no excuse for them being 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the SEC. And that’s clearly the argument that has Fulmer fighting for coaching life.

When you’ve got the best defensive back in the country, one of the deepest backfields in the country and an offensive line returning that surrendered only four sacks all last season, you should be better.

But maybe now they will be. As Fulmer said afterward, “It’s almost indescribable the difference between winning and losing.”

Especially when you’ve just dodged occupational death for at least one more week.