Fulmer to step down at Tennessee

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Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer, headed for possibly the worst season in his 17-year head-coaching career in Knoxville, agreed to a buyout Monday, according to sources close to the athletic department.The Vols are 3-6 overall, 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference, averaging 9 points per game in SEC play.Fulmer, who will receive a $6 million buyout, will coach the rest of the season. An announcement is expected later Monday. The Vols' last three games are Wyoming on Saturday, at Vanderbilt Nov. 22 and home against Kentucky Nov. 29.On Saturday, the listless Vols lost 27-6 at South Carolina, UT's third defeat in the last four games. Afterwards, Fulmer said, "I certainly feel like, with time, we'll be back on track. I've never had back-to-back losing seasons since I've been here. Usually when we've had a bad one, we've followed it with a darn good one, the once it has happened in 17 years."The Vols went 5-6 in 2005 and followed that with a 9-4 finish in 2006.Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton declined to speak to the media after the game, saying "he was showing respect for Phillip tonight."Three weeks ago, Hamilton noted the apathy of the Tennessee fans, saying, "You don't want apathy, apathy is a program killer."During Sunday's teleconference, Fulmer talked about keeping his staff and team positive."It's about our energy, the looks in our eyes, our demeanor and how we approach it in meetings and film sessions," said Fulmer, who coached UT to the national title 10 years ago. "We're professionals and we have and we will continue to be looking forward to playing."With a loss to either Wyoming, Vanderbilt or Kentucky, the Vols would tie the 1977 team, which went 4-7 in Johnny Majors' first year, for the most losses in a season in Tennessee's 111 years of football.At 150-51 in 17 years, Fulmer ranks second to Gen. Robert Neyland (who UT's stadium is named after) on the Vols' all-time win list and his .746 winning percentage ranks third among Division I coaches with at least 10 seasons, trailing only Penn State's Joe Paterno and Florida State's Bobby Bowden.(Ron Higgins writes for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.)