You won't find this again

Say what we will about the need for a change, the program's decline, and the unacceptable performance of the football team and specifically the offense in 2008.

But whoever comes in here next won't give as much as Phillip Fulmer gave us.

You saw it in the press conference and we knew it was there, you'd just never seen it this clearly.

Phillip Fulmer loves Tennessee in a personal way that you will not find with the next man who comes in here.

Doug Matthews was on SportsTalk earlier today, and made this point: Nick Saban is a fantastic coach, but he's not personally invested in the University of Alabama the way that Phillip Fulmer was and is invested in the University of Tennessee. Not even close.

Urban Meyer's not. Neither is Les Miles or Mark Richt.

And the next man who comes in here won't be either.

Meyer and Miles have won National Championships. And we absolutely hope whoever comes in here next will do the same.

But what we gave away today we won't find again.

And I hope and pray that Phillip Fulmer finds a meaningful place in the University of Tennessee family, right now. It's always eluded Johnny Majors, who also needs to be a part of what we do in Knoxville. Fulmer's a young man in an old man's game, who clearly has a desire to keep winning. But the thought of this university being without the man who cares more about it than any other individual makes this a very sad day.

Let's be clear too: there's one of two ways this ends.

Things can always get worse. If the Vols lose any of the next three games, it'll be another watershed loss. Either Fulmer loses his first home game against a non-BCS opponent, or loses to Vanderbilt in Nashville for the first time, or loses to Kentucky for the first time period. Any of them mean there's no bowl game, and say what you will about not caring about the Music City Bowl, but December is awfully lonely when there's not another game to play. And you don't think this team needs the practice?

This offense is so bad that it's not going to magically turn around by rallying around Coach Fulmer. But the Vols, even as bad as they've been, are capable of winning each of the next three games. And that's how it needs to go.

Losing to either Wyoming or Vandy would taint the Phillip Fulmer Day against Kentucky, and losing there would be worse. These games still matter. This team needs to send Fulmer out the right way.

And I wish Fulmer personally nothing but the best, because that's exactly what he gave us.

And I hope that he continues, now and as long as he's working, to be a part of the University of Tennessee.