Phillip Fulmer fired up after Tennessee lands top 10 class: 'The Vols are back'
Tennessee fans that were fired up following the Volunteers’ strong close to the 2020 recruiting cycle were not alone. The program’s athletic director is right there with them.
If you missed it, Jeremy Pruitt’s program rose in the recruiting rankings to No. 10 nationally after signing Alabama athlete Dee Beckwith and Florida receiver Malachi Wideman on Wednesday. Equally important, Tennessee kept Beckwith from signing with Florida and Wideman from signing with Ole Miss.
The Vols also remain in the mix to add five-star running back Zach Evans, who went unsigned on National Signing Day.
The strong close to the 2020 recruiting cycle comes after the Vols won their final six games of the season, including the Gator Bowl against Indiana in comeback fashion.
During Tennessee’s 2020 National Signing Day celebration event on Wednesday evening, Phillip Fulmer took the mic and made a strong statement to the fans in attendance.
“The Vols are back,” Fulmer declared. “Before long, we’ll be taking a bite out of everybody we play’s ass.”
Check it out below, courtesy of Marshall Hughes, Sports Director of ABC’s Channel 6 in Knoxville:
Phillip Fulmer: "The Vols are back". #Vols #NSD20 pic.twitter.com/jXTKtsCebv
— Marshall Hughes (@marshallhughes) February 6, 2020
Don’t just take Fulmer’s word for it, as many around the nation are starting to recognize the momentum being built on Rocky Top under Pruitt. While it may be a bit premature to say Tennessee is “back” at this time, there are many believing the Vols are well on their way to accomplishing that goal thanks in part to the recruiting class just signed by the program.
Tennessee with a HUGE close to the 2020 cycle, surging into the Top 10
All indicators are positive for Pruitt heading into Year 3:
– 6 straight wins to close 2019
– return to Bowl Season
– Improved line play (and Mays incoming)
– 5-year Recruiting high pic.twitter.com/7UHGF1mtgl— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) February 6, 2020
So is Texas (:
So is your momma.
Texas was “Back!” also after consecutive top 5 recruiting classes and beating GA in the Sugar Bowl,… until they weren’t actually back. Regardless, it’s still a huge step for Pruitt and the Vol program to win some of the recruits they won they should be excited, back or not.
I was just about to say the two UT schools have much in common.. Strong finish in recruitment, yes, but still a premature “Weeeeeeee’re baaaaack”.
You’re referring to the team that finished ahead of Male Cheerleader U in the conference rankings….
lol okay what’s triggering you? Do you honestly agree with his saying that Vols are back? I agree Pruitt did an excellent job with recruiting. The potential is there for sure. But still a premature remark.
If I’m triggered, then why throw out ad hominems in your first post? I’m just the guy laughing at the butthurt male cheerleader who paid a coach $7m plus to finish below the UT school you’re disparaging. If UT is still floundering so poorly (coming off the worst decade in school history) what does that say about the team finishing below them?
lmao where in my first post did I say I was butthurt. You’re disguising yourself by saying you’re laughing but you’re the one butthurt. And I don’t see you’re in no position to talk about any kind of rankings. We’re talking about recruiting here and A&M finished higher than you and the other UT.
The reason I said you’re triggered is because you sound made at every comment other school makes about the premature “We’re back”. I don’t see why this is something to be so mad about rofl
So is recruiting or win/loss what matters? Are you trying to usurp UGA as the preseason natty champs?
Why don’t you go ask Fulmer cuz according to him, one year of good recruitment means y’all are back lmao.. which is the only comment I was making which seemed to trigger you so hard xD You’re going around every non-Vol comments and attempting to throw down other schools but in fact UT had the worst season out of the schools commenting here. Before you say A&M went 8-5 as well, look at the programs we lost to and compare to yours ROFL. Oh right, you don’t think w/l matters in football. Then it should be easier for you to soley look at quality of the schools your team lost to and weep in a corner lol
You:“in fact UT had the worst season out of the schools commenting here”
SEC standings per SEC sports website records:
6. UT 5-3 in conference
7. ATM 4-4
8. UK
T9. MSU/Mizzou
You were saying something about facts?
I’m cautiously optimistic as well….I think this years results will go a long ways towards the direction we’re headed. Back? Not yet but things are going way better
Lets Stoke the flames… Please refer to the post I made 3 weeks ago…
1.The Media Hypes up Tennessee.
2.The Media “Sources” the fans as the reason for the Hype.
3.The Media criticizes fans when/if the team fails to live up to the Hyped Expectations for having too high of expectations and buying in to the Hype…
4.Rinse and Repeat…
Your own AD was the “hype man” here. No media. Your AD.
The article (from the media) even says this is a premature “We Back”
Yeah-AD’s and coaches are paid to hype a program. Part of the job description. The rub is how to hype without overhyping (i.e. asking everyone’s ring size when you get to campus). Hype sometimes manifests itself amongst fans who talk smack after hiring the Pirate when your team lost 20-10 during the previous season. Hype’s a funny thing, isn’t it?
Nice deflection I guess. But I wasn’t hating on UT. I live in TN so I kind of cheer for them in the East. If you read the post I was replying to the first point he is trying to make is media is overhyping. Again in this case, the AD isn’t the media nor does Double O ever mention the AD.
There aren’t many MSU fans who will defend our performance this past year. And in fact, the UT loss was the straw that broke the camels back for our fanbase and the patience with Moorhead. State has played the role of upsetting a team and heating up the opposing coaches seat. It’s usually a sign your program as a whole isn’t “Back”.
Congrats though. A thorough embarrassing ass-whooping it was in Knoxville. Not as bad as the one you received in Starkville a few years ago. I expect it is a similar feeling as losing to Georgia State and BYU though.
Vols 20 Doggies 10. Enough said.
You gonna be here in November when we whip y’all again, you dumb hillbilly?
We all know who the dumb hillbilly is here. Once you look in the mirror you will figure it out as well. Good luck.
We were “back” with I believe a higher recruiting class under Butch. That didn’t work out so well. I’ll wait to see if we can figure out how to play football early in the season instead of just at the end.
You guys are so right one thing I hate is optimism. He should have just said well we had a great class but we are the same ole TN.Shame on him.
Does he not know we lost to Ga State and BYU this year.
LOL. Points-wise, much like the Floriduh ‘turds, Tennessee’s class is much closer to Arkansas’s No. 30 class than Georgia’s No. 1 class.
As we’ve been schooling the ‘turds and now must school the Vawls: Y’all ain’t closing any kind of a gap.
THE GAP GREW AGAIN THIS CYCLE.
To whit, the points difference between Georgia’s and Floriduh’s classes last year was 32+ points.
The difference between Georgia and Floriduh’s classes this year is 38+ points.
THE GAP WIDENS.
What Fat Phil is doing here, is setting Pruitt up to fail. They don’t call him Backstabbin’ Phil for nothing.
If we’re talking about widening gaps, how about 2020 vs 1980?
Hahaha. When the ONLY thing y’all have is talking about 1980 is when everyone else knows y’all lost the argument before it even starts. How’s the last 20 years treated y’all in our geographic rivalry, Oskie?
The only thing that matters in college football is your last game.
How does 43-14 taste, Vawl? Because to me, 43-14 tastes so dang delicious!
Have you seen a natty other than preaseason?
Have you seen a win against Georgia in the last three years other than in your wildest dreams? 6 wins to 14 losses since the dawn of the new millennium. 3 straight losses to Kirby’s Machine.
But sure. Feel good about a class the compares more closely to Arkansas’s than Georgia’s.
You’re “back.” LOL.
How about LSU 37 Jawja 10. That tastes better dumbass.
so are you or aren’t you claiming a preseason natty for this year? Give me a Georgia team that can pull in a championship. Oh wait-even the pro teams choke. At least the hockey team got smart and left town.
Man, TNBUSTER, you are maybe the dumbest hillbilly here.
You can’t beat us, so you revel in others beating us?
And you make it sound like we should’ve beaten the greatest football team ever when even Clemson couldn’t do so?
So dumb. Get back to your holler and french your cousin!
Still waiting-is this a preseason natty year? Asking to see if the banner got raised in Athens yet…
I don’t bandy words with idiots…you are the perfect example of why….
43-14, Vawl.
LSU HERE – 37-10.
You’re a Vawl pretending to be a Tiguh? Or you’re a Vawl throwing the fact that we won the division and lost to the greatest team in football history, just like Bama did, just like OU did, and just like Clemson did?
Boy you hillbillies sure are dumb.
Corch is an idiot and an embarrassment to Ga fans here. But for once I agree with him:. Backstabber Phil cant be trusted.
It doesn’t matter if Georgia has the number one class because they have all that talent and still can’t win. They might as well have the number 25 class. Richt 2.0 is what Georgia football is all about. I would hate to be a Dawg fan because it has to be very frustrating doing less with more…..all the time.
Ha we own crotch irvin. We occupy his thoughts. Look at the amount of time he spends on our page. A secure person wouldn’t even waste their time typing out message after message. Keep frequenting The Tennessee Vols page crotch. It just makes you look really insecure and desperate for attention. Spending as much time as you do on SDS shows the quality of life you must have. Maybe you should get a hobby. I’m sorry your mommy didn’t show you enough attention growing up.
LOL. How does 43-14 taste, hillbilly?
Ask your mom how 12 tastes crotch
Fulmer knows better than anyone that this wasn’t a factual statement. These “National Signing Day celebrations” are nothing more than fundraising events where you crank up the hype machine to generate donations by any means necessary. He’s just doing his job. Nothing to see here.
I really like Pruitt a lot. Too bad he has to put up with Fulmer, the backstabbing egotist who just cant give up the spotlight. If I were Pruitt I would never turn my back on Fat Boy Brutus. And Jeremy, dont have a heart attack!
Goodgodafreshman…great memory ! I lived in Knoxville when all of that scene played out….yep, Phil was on that phone w/big $ donors for days & got the job. His ultimatum to the AD was “If you don’t hire me now, I’ll take all the assistants to Clemson with me”. It worked for Phil. It was indeed a time of “Drama” in K-town. And Phil Fulmer won a National Championship for the Vols.
These words are strategically unwise for Pruitt. Tennessee is no doubt trending up. But bold declarations can turn toxic if they fail to come true.
Headline: Fulmer says
You: these are unwise words for Pruitt
LOL, oops. Dumb typo. I was thinking Fulmer and typed Pruitt. Good call.
They’re arguably unwise words for Pruitt as well, but you can’t exactly tell a guy paying you $4M plus a year to shut the $&@% up.
FillUp Fulmer want to bite everybody’s azz. Imagine that. He must be hungry. What a loser. See ya next year Fat Bit and you can tell us how that Gator azz taste.
IDK about “back” to 1998, but they are certainly back from the dead after week 2. Pruitt is one tough hombre to gut this year out and salvge the season. His team takes on his toughness: Vols are so much more physical than when he arrived. Vols are trending up for sure.
Thanks for the kind words. Im doing my best, much like Trump is making America great again I plan on making UT football great again.
Go Big Orange
Jeremy Pruitt/Coaches/players rebounded quite well from the 0-2 week. But…in the SEC you’ve gotta have that QB with great play to consistently win plus a good Defense. Seems to me like 2020 is a “wait-n-see” year for the Vols and Vol-Orange-Clad Fans. Hopefully progress is made and 0-2 is a distant memory.