KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer had his first losing season in 2005, he bounced back by hiring David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator.
Cutcliffe had been Fulmer’s offensive coordinator from 1993-98 before leaving to become coach at Ole Miss. Cutcliffe was fired at Ole Miss after the 2004 season, moved back to Knoxville in 2005 and returned to the UT sideline in 2006.
Reunited with Cutcliffe, Fulmer won nine and then 10 games, including the SEC East Division title in 2007. But when Cutcliffe departed to become coach at Duke in 2008, Fulmer made a hire that would get him fired.