Tennessee demise began in 2009, summarized in pair of historical stats

Some have said Tennessee football has still not recovered from the departure of Phillip Fulmer.

This historical perspective shows just how much of a drop off the program has seen as it’s tried to regain its place as a perennial national power. Fulmer’s successors, beginning in 2009, Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley and Butch Jones have yet to win an SEC title and have won just 32.9 percent of their SEC games, according to ESPN’s Chris Low.

Following the Alabama loss this season, Jones had lost more SEC games than Fulmer did in his first 102 conference matchups.

Starting with Doug Dickey in 1964, and going through Bill Battle, Johnny Majors and Fulmer, the Vols won seven SEC titles and nearly 66 percent of their games.

The challenge now for Athletics Director John Currie is to make a hire that returns the program to those glory years, and avoid the hiring mistakes of the people who preceded him.

Tennessee from 1964-2008 had 4 head coaches, won 7 SEC titles and 65.6% of its SEC games. Tennessee since 2009 has had 3 head coaches, won no SEC titles and 32.9% of its SEC games.

— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) November 12, 2017