Phillip Fulmer

Phillip Fulmer
Biographical details
Born (1950-09-01) September 1, 1950 (age 74)
Winchester, Tennessee, U.S.
Playing career
1968–1971Tennessee
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1972–1973Tennessee (student coach)
1974–1978Wichita State (OL/LB)
1979Vanderbilt (OC/OL)
1980–1988Tennessee (OL)
1989–1992Tennessee (OC/OL)
1992–2008Tennessee
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2017–2021Tennessee
Head coaching record
Overall152–52
Bowls8–7
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 national (1998)
2 SEC (1997, 1998)
6 SEC Eastern Division (1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007)
Awards
AFCA Coach of the Year (1998)
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1998)
George Munger Award (1998)
Home Depot Coach of the Year Award (1998)
Sporting News College Football COY (1998)
SEC Coach of the Year (1998)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2012 (profile)

Phillip Edward Fulmer Sr. (born September 1, 1950) is a former American football player, coach, and athletic director at the University of Tennessee.[1] He served as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers football team from 1992 to 2008, compiling a 152–52 record. He is best known for coaching the Volunteers in the first BCS National Championship Game in 1998, defeating the Florida State Seminoles. Fulmer was the Volunteers' 22nd head football coach.[2]

At the end of his tenure at Tennessee, Fulmer had the second-highest number of wins of any head coach in Tennessee history, 21 behind Robert Neyland. Fulmer also was the third coach in Tennessee history to win a claimed national championship. His 1997 and 1998 teams won consecutive SEC championships. Despite a decline in the later years of his career, he is considered to be an icon of Tennessee football, noted for his loyalty to the institution.[3] In recognition of his accomplishments at Tennessee, Fulmer was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.[4]

Fulmer served as a special assistant to the athletic director at East Tennessee State University. On June 20, 2017, Fulmer was named as a special advisor to the University of Tennessee president. On December 1, 2017, Fulmer became the athletic director at the University of Tennessee, a position he held until his retirement in 2021.

  1. ^ Riley, Connor (December 1, 2017). "Report: Phillip Fulmer to be named AD at Tennessee". SEC Country. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  2. ^ Hillman, Jesse (August 13, 2014). "Touchdown: Former UT coach coming to Jackson". The Jackson Sun. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  3. ^ Low, Chris (May 15, 2012). "Entering the Hall: Phillip Fulmer". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Paschall, David (May 15, 2012). "Phillip Fulmer elected to College Football Hall of Fame". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017.