WATCH: Urban Meyer laments the sad state of Tennessee football
By now, you know what happened in the Tennessee-BYU game on Saturday evening. The Vols fell to 0-2 for the first time since 1988 by dropping a contest to the Cougars in double overtime.
Things are bleak right now in Knoxville, and former Florida coach (and current FOX analyst) Urban Meyer doesn’t understand why.
During the FS1 college football show on Saturday, he lamented the sad state of the once-proud program he used to coach against:
"You're talking about one of the top 10 jobs in America" – Urban Meyer pic.twitter.com/5Zzgxs99wS
— gmannVOLS (@gmannVOLS) September 8, 2019
“They were heads and tails above the other teams in the SEC East (in 2005),” he said. “Philip Fulmer was their coach. They had NFL Draft picks all over the field. They recruited at a high, high level. … I’ve heard Tennessee’s not a great state for recruiting, but I’m not sure I believe that. Nashville has great high school football. Memphis has great high school football. So I’m not sure what’s going on. It’s been that way for a few years now. I’m just shocked. … You’re talking about one of the top 10 jobs in America.”
Meyer went on, again talking about high school football in Nashville:
— gmannVOLS (@gmannVOLS) September 8, 2019
“I just don’t want to hear that Tennessee doesn’t have good high school football. We recruited nationally and we recruited Nashville for years. Nashville’s done nothing but this (makes arm going up gesture). Everybody’s moving there.”
Can the Vols turn things around? The 2019 season looks like a lost cause, but we’ll see what happens in the future.
Oh maybe he’s wanting a new job.
The lynch pin was pulled when Tenn fired Fat Fulmer because they thought they needed better. Lane Kiffen tried recruiting Alshon Jeffery from us and told him, “If you go to South Carolina you’ll end up pumping gas”. It’s just we among others spent money and resources and caught up and passed Tennessee. The landscape has changed. It’s not what it was back in 05 and before.
I realize UT is the worst program in college football currently, but SC has to at least win an sec championship before saying the program has passed anyone else.
@oskie that is flawed logic, what makes an SEC Championship the measuring stick, wouldn’t coming out better than another program over a current span be more of measuring stick? Also how is the FPI data working out?
You’ve caught up and passed Tennessee? Not sure that’s anything to brag about. Now, catch up and pass Clemson and come back and crow about that.
We’ve had our day when we owned klempson with Spurrier. They are having theirs. It will swing back.
You can forget about beating Clemson as long as Dabo Swinney is there.
We already had a five game win streak against Dabo at Clemson, 5 of those 30 losses came by way of SC. As far as Saban at Bama vs SC, we are 1-0 against them, never say never.
hahaha @ kmcheek… not something to brag about… sounds like USCe fan
Yep, Urban is stumping for a new gig to get back into the SEC. Things will be interesting in November when TN is 1 and 8. In secret Fulmer is proly already gaging Urbans interest.
I’m afraid I hope he is gaging someone’s interest. Nobody wants another coach search but JP appears to be over his head. Fulmer went back and forth between JP and Mel Tucker. Mel ends up at Colorado, is 2-0 and just beat #25 (yes they are overrated) Nebraska. Just an observation.
Mike Locksley on line one?
He’s drumming up interest in general and would never coach at UT. See the Mike Gundy salary negotiation tactic.
No way Meyer would go to UT, if he wanted a reclamation project he would more likely consider FSU but he is the type to go to a more ready to win program like ND or USC
Very true. I was being sarcastic. Urban will do what Urban does, it just wont be at UT. I just except the fact that the mormons whipped the morons yesterday and the morons have 10- more games. Sigh
Even if he did, it wouldn’t help. In Knoxville, the Haslams are the decision makers.
zero chance he’s going to any rival of Florida, especially rocky flop… it’s USC, Notre Dame or the NFL… that’s it
hahahahahahahahahahaha
I guess he forgot the GEORGIA BULLDOGS won the SEC in 2005.
And that they went 3-5 in the SEC, beating only Kentucky in the east.
Tennessee had a 3-5 SEC record and a 5-6 overall record. I’m not sure how Urban can make such a claim.
Why would take Urban at his word ever? The program is in a sorry state, but the fans packed Neyland after 10 years of misery and the facilities are still good. A coach that is hungry and capable could turn this into a great opportunity. Said coaches are few and far between though.
*you take
Fair point, Oskie. Urban should not be taken at his word. Tennessee is a proud program with a big history, it almost makes you wonder if these comments by Urban are meant to purposefully ingratiate himself to Vol nation on account of him eyeing a potential job opening. At any rate, I really thought Pruitt was the right man for the job. Perhaps he still is, but that’s looking increasingly less likely.
when was the last GEORGIA BULLDOGS national title??…i’ll wait
Wow…that’s all you got, huh?
Valid point, though. It was before my lifetime and I’m about to turn 37…just sayin’.
Sure, but on the flip side UGA has had one losing season this century. Florida and Tennessee have each had at least two losing seasons in the past 7 years. Both of Florida’s were 4-win seasons. Georgia’s last 4-win season was 1990.
Would you hire him?
Come on Coach, I’m a Dawgs fan and I know the Vols haven’t had the right coach since Fulmer. I still think Pruitt will get it done if they give him time. He didn’t have Coach Smart’s nor Coach Mullen’s level of talent to work with from day one and it’s going to take him longer to compete with the better programs. Go Dawgs!
If you need a laugh go to Vol nation, half the idiot fans think he is coming to rocky flop…hahahaha i’ve officially heard it all… what a sad sad state of affairs
he’s trolling you idiots…get a clue
Urban Meyer can’t wait to get to Knoxville, right fellas? I mean UT is the best job in the country! I mean, Urban would have to fist fight Gruden for the job but he would definitely want it!!!
lmao