As the Tennessee turnover continues yet again, Fulmer is hoping for a 10-year coach

Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt makes his way to the locker room after warmups before facing BYU during a NCAA football game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 in Knoxville, Tenn.
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt makes his way to the locker room after warmups before facing BYU during a NCAA football game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Nick Saban era at Alabama began in January 2007 and has yielded six college football national championships.

At the opposite Southeastern Conference stability extreme is Tennessee, which will trot out a sixth coach to challenge Saban's Crimson Tide later this year when the Volunteers visit Bryant-Denny Stadium. No SEC program will have produced more turnover during this stretch, with the latest round resulting in Monday's termination of Jeremy Pruitt that actually becomes effective this afternoon at 5.

Tennessee's recent revolving door follows a much-revered time in which the late Johnny Majors or current athletic director Phillip Fulmer served as coach from 1977 to 2008, with that consistent success highlighted by five SEC titles in the 1985-98 window.

"I know we need stability and continuity at Tennessee," Fulmer said Monday, "and our next football coach needs to be on our sideline for 10 years or more. I am confident that we will find that coach."

(READ MORE: On and off the field, UT's Jeremy Pruitt era ends in disgrace)

Pruitt lasted three years before getting fired along with outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton and inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer. Felton, who spent one season in that role for the Vols, was the outside linebackers coach for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2017.

Tennessee's timing of hiring a new head coach and assembling a staff is less than stellar.

When former Vols coach Lane Kiffin left for Southern California after only 14 months on the job in mid January 2010, the ensuing search was awkward and did not result in Tennessee's top targets accepting the position. The Vols instead hired Louisiana Tech's Derek Dooley, who went 15-21 with a trio of seven-loss seasons from 2010-12.

(READ MORE: Jeremy Pruitt's turbulent timeline as Tennessee's football coach)

Alabama suffered from this as well, with the May 2003 firing of Mike Price for his visiting a topless bar in Florida resulting in the unexpected need to hire Mike Shula, who went 26-24 during his four seasons in Tuscaloosa and 0-4 in the Iron Bowl.

Tennessee's next coach not only inherits a program that went 3-7 this past season and is 78-82 since 2008 but one that could be facing significant sanctions on the NCAA front. University chancellor Donde Plowman said an internal investigation that was accompanied by a law firm that specializes in NCAA infractions cases has revealed a significant number of Level I and Level II violations, which are the most egregious kind.

Fulmer announced Monday that he would be stepping aside to make room for a new AD and a new coach to work in tandem, so Tennessee's next athletic director will be charged with hiring Pruitt's successor in his first few days and seek revenue for a program that has endured eight losing seasons in the past 13 years.

"As dark as this day is, there is a light," Fulmer said, "and I ask our great alumni and fans to be supportive and lift up this program as we fight through these difficult times."

(READ MORE: Wiedmer: UT football in quite a mess of its own making)

In the days ahead, which may or may not turn into the weeks ahead, Vols defensive assistant Kevin Steele will assume the reins. Steele was Auburn's defensive coordinator this time last month and made a push to be head coach when Gus Malzahn was fired exactly one month ago today.

"We have a path forward, and Phillip and I agreed that defensive assistant coach Kevin Steele should be named acting head coach," Plowman said. "He has the right experience, having been a former head coach at Baylor. He is widely considered a top recruiter. Coach Steele has deep Volunteer roots, having played here and having coached here in the past, and we will give him the support he needs to keep the program moving forward towards success."

Said Fulmer: "This is a fresh start, and I really appreciate Kevin Steele stepping in and helping."

Morris a Sooner

Former five-star offensive lineman Wanya Morris, who made seven starts for the Vols this past season as a sophomore before entering the NCAA transfer portal, announced Monday that he was heading to Oklahoma.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

PRUITT RESPONDS

Former Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt, who was fired with cause after a university investigation revealed a significant number of serious violations within his program, has retained Michael Lyons and the Dallas-based trial firm Lyons & Simmons.Lyons released a statement Monday night on Pruitt’s behalf:“This afternoon, Coach Pruitt learned that Tennessee was terminating his employment for cause. He is extremely disappointed with the decision, the public announcement of which was made prior to any substantive opportunity to respond before the appropriate decision makers. We believe the decision to be the culmination of an orchestrated effort to renege on contractual promises made to Coach Pruitt upon his hiring in 2017 and reiterated less than five months ago.“While the limited portions of the University’s self-initiated investigation shared with Coach Pruitt provide some evidence of violations committed by off-field staff, Chancellor Donde Plowman personally confirmed during an in-person meeting with Coach Pruitt this morning that: (1) the University’s investigation had yet to have been completed; (2) the Chancellor had not yet read Coach Pruitt’s NCAA interview transcript; and (3) there was no evidence that Coach Pruitt was either actively involved in any alleged violations or knew they were occurring. She further confirmed to Coach Pruitt that no employment decision had been made. Less than three hours later, however, Coach Pruitt was e-mailed a five-page, single-spaced letter of termination — the contents of which were immediately leaked to the public.“The timing of the University’s actions and decision appear to be preordained and more about financial convenience and expediency than a fair and complete factual determination by the University. Moreover, it seems clear the recent leaks to the press are indicative of an interest to steer the narrative in a way that is desirable to the University to justify a decision likely made weeks ago.“Coach Pruitt and I look forward to defending any allegation that he has engaged in any NCAA wrongdoing, as well as examining the University’s intent to disparage and destroy Coach Pruitt’s reputation in an effort to avoid paying his contractual liquidated damages.“Despite the apparent outcome-oriented nature of the investigation and the absence of any reliable evidence suggesting any preventable failure by Coach Pruitt in the oversight of his program, Coach Pruitt and his family are thankful for and will always cherish their time with the University. In addition to having made lifelong friends in Knoxville, Coach Pruitt is most thankful for and appreciative of the outstanding young men he was able to coach and mentor. He wishes those student-athletes and the remarkable fans that support them nothing but success.”

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