Tag: Phillip Fulmer

Oct 5, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; General view of a Tennessee Volunteers helmet prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Linebacker JP Peace, grandson of Phillip Fulmer, commits to Volunteers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The grandson of national champion head coach and former Tennessee Volunteers athletic director Phillip Fulmer is the Vols’ first commitment in the Class of 2027.

Linebacker J.P. Peace, a rising high school junior, announced his commitment to Tennessee via social media on Monday.

Peace’s grandfather won six SEC East titles and the 1998 national championship with the Vols, compiling a 152-52 record over 17 seasons. Fulmer was also the school’s athletic director from 2017-21.

Peace’s father, Robert Peace, is also connected to Tennessee football, having played linebacker for the Volunteers from 2000-03.

“Naturally, Tennessee was the leading school for him,” Robert Peace told ESPN. “We encouraged him to visit other places and he did that. But Tennessee was the place for him and not just because of the family legacy here.”

J.P. Peace, who is not currently ranked by ESPN or 247Sports, is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker at Knoxville West High School, located less than three miles from the university.

“I mean, it’s really going to be, like, an unreal experience knowing that I’m following in my dad’s footsteps a little bit in that way,” J.P. Peace told GoVols247. “I’m excited to do that.”

He reportedly held offers from Florida State, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt.

“He’s very high on (inside linebackers) coach William Inge,” the elder Peace said. “He’s done a great job recruiting JP, and we believe he’s not only going to make him a better player, but a better person for after football. So that had a big impact on this decision to do this this early.”

–Field Level Media

University of Tennessee Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer throws the opening pitch of the of the Misstate Classic doubleheader at the Ridley Park Sports Complex in Columbia on Tuesday, March 12, 2019.

Ex-Tennessee coach, AD Phillip Fulmer hospitalized

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former Tennessee football coach and athletic director Phillip Fulmer has been hospitalized after an undisclosed procedure, his family said Thursday.

“Philip underwent a medical procedure Thursday at UT Medical Center,” the statement read, per the Action Network. “He is alert and in good spirits and will remain at the hospital for a few days. We are thankful for the outstanding care he’s receiving, and we also appreciate the prayers and concern of so many who have reached out. He is looking forward to cheering on the Vols as they kick off another exciting season!”

A Tennessee native, Fulmer played football at his home-state school, then later coached the Volunteers from 1992-2008. In the final 11 years of his tenure, the Vols played in the Southeastern Conference championship game five times and won the first BCS title game in 1998.

He retired with a 152-52-1 record, including 8-7 in bowl games.

Fulmer, who turns 73 on Sept. 1, also served as athletic director from 2017-21.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

–Field Level Media

Oct 3, 2020; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt is seen during the third quarter of a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis-USA TODAY NETWORK

Reports: Tennessee fires coach Jeremy Pruitt

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tennessee fired football coach Jeremy Pruitt, according to multiple reports Monday.

His dismissal comes amid an investigation into potential recruiting violations. Earlier this month, Tennessee put hiring on hold in the program and brought in prominent outside attorneys Michael Glazier and Kyle Skillman to assist in the investigation about alleged violations, including improper benefits.

Athletic director Phillip Fulmer also will retire when his replacement is hired, according to the reports. Fulmer was the football coach from 1993 to 2008 and led the Volunteers to a 13-0 record and their most recent national championship in 1998.

Fulmer hired Pruitt, who was the defensive coordinator at Alabama, in 2017. In three seasons under Pruitt, the Volunteers were 16-19, including 3-7 in 2020. He replaced Butch Jones

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Pruitt was fired for cause, which would allow Tennessee to not pay his buyout or settle on a lesser amount. The school gave Pruitt a contract extension and raise in September that increased his average annual salary to $4.2 million and kept him with the Volunteers through the 2025 season, saying at the time that the program had made “excellent progress” under Pruitt.

The newspaper said Pruitt is owed a buyout of about $12.8 million. Firing his staff would cost an additional $6.2 million.

The investigation into the program began in November, with one of the focuses being the recruitment of Amarius Mims, a five-star tackle in the Class of 2021 who signed with Georgia, ESPN reported earlier this month. The outlet also said that tailback Eric Gray didn’t play in the Volunteers’ season finale against Texas A&M because of the investigation.

Gray led the team with 772 rushing yards.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz reacts on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Miami’s Diaz, Tennessee AD Fulmer test positive for COVID-19

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Miami football coach Manny Diaz, Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer and Troy coach Chip Lindsey all confirmed Friday they tested positive for COVID-19.

“I have tested positive for COVID-19,” Diaz, 46, tweeted. “I am currently in isolation and feeling good overall. I will continue to work with our team virtually as we prepare for our next game at Wake Forest.”

The 70-year-old Fulmer issued a similar statement.

“Yesterday, I learned that I had returned a positive test for COVID-19, and I immediately began following our isolation protocol,” the statement read. “A second test confirmed the previous positive. I remain asymptomatic at this point, I am feeling fine and will continue to work remotely while adhering to CDC and local health department guidelines. I have not been deemed to be a close contact with any of our student-athletes or sport-specific staff members.”

The positive test for Diaz is the latest coronavirus-related blow for the No. 12 Hurricanes, who haven’t played a game since Nov. 14 because of an outbreak to hit the team. This Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech was rescheduled tentatively to Dec. 19, and Miami (7-1) isn’t slated to play again until Dec. 5 at Wake Forest.

Fullmer has been athletic director at Tennessee since Dec. 1, 2017. He coached the Volunteers football team from 1992-2008 and compiled a 152-52 record. They won the BCS National Championship in 1998.

Tennessee (2-4) is scheduled to play at Auburn on Saturday.

Lindsey, 46, won’t be on the sidelines for Troy when it hosts Middle Tennessee State on Saturday. Special teams coach Brian Blackmon will coach the team.

The school said in a news release that Lindsey is experiencing “very mild symptoms” and is in self-isolation. The former offensive coordinator at Auburn, he is in his second season as head coach at Troy (4-3, 2-2 Sun Belt).

“While this is a situation that we had hoped we wouldn’t have to account for this season, it is something that we’ve had a comprehensive plan in place for since the start of preseason camp,” Lindsey said. “We have great leadership on our team, and we have already overcome a lot of adversity to get to this point of the season. I have the utmost confidence in our players and staff that they will navigate the coming days without skipping a beat.”

Troy’s game against Coastal Carolina last week was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Trojans. That game was rescheduled to Dec. 12.

–Field Level Media