Fulmer, coordinators can expect extensions; raises being mulled

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Posted 4:56PM on Tuesday, December 19, 2006

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A year after not receiving a raise or contract extension, Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer can expect some changes to his contract after the Volunteers' revival this season. An extension is likely, but athletic director Mike Hamilton wants to wait until after the 17th-ranked Vols play Penn State in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 to talk about a possible raise. Offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe and defensive coordinator John Chavis, whose two-year contracts end in 2008, also likely will receive extensions. ``I think it would be reasonable to expect our coaches would get extensions,'' Hamilton told The Associated Press on Tuesday. ``I think they have done a really nice job with the 2006 season. I think that's really where we need to leave it right now until we finalize everything.'' Fulmer received a raise that pushed his total contract up to $2.05 million and a one-year extension through 2011 in February 2005 after the largest bowl victory margin in school history. Tennessee finished 10-3 after beating Texas A 38-7 in the Cotton Bowl. But the Vols finished 5-6 in 2005, and Hamilton said shortly after the final game there would be no changes in the contract. This year, he is more hesitant. ``Basically the way coach Fulmer's contract reads is that nothing on that is detailed until after bowl season, and so I don't feel like it's a discussion that we need to have in the press right now,'' Hamilton said. When asked if he thinks Fulmer deserves a raise, Hamilton said: ``I'm just not going to talk about it because I think it's a discussion Phillip and I need to be having rather than talking about it in the press. I think he and I need to talk about it first.'' Hamilton would not say for how long Fulmer's contract might be extended. His last two extensions have been for one year each. A win over Penn State would put Tennessee's record this season at 10-3 and be the ninth time Fulmer has finished with at least 10 victories. ``I'm very pleased with the season. Nothing should be misconstrued from that at all,'' Hamilton said. ``I think we had a very good season particularly in terms of rebounding from last season. I think Phillip did a nice job of responding to the issues that arose out of the 2005 season and made the changes that needed to be made and handled things on and off the field in response to that.'' Cutcliffe replaced Randy Sanders after last season, returning to a job he left in 1998 to be head coach at Mississippi. Fulmer fired receivers coach Pat Washington and offensive line coach Jimmy Ray Stephens. For assistant raises, Fulmer would be given a pool of money for him to divide among the coaches. Both Cutcliffe and Chavis have contracts worth $300,000. Under Fulmer's current contract, he will receive an extra $37,500 for appearing in a non-BCS bowl. A BCS bowl would have netted him $100,000. CUT STAYING?: Hamilton said he has not been contacted by any school inquiring to talk to Cutcliffe about a job opening. But the process of gauging the interest of potential job candidates has changed so that an athletic director might be contacted very late in the discussions. Often search firms contact the candidate directly. ``If you get contacted by an institution now, it's generally pretty far down the line,'' Hamilton said. NEYLAND STADIUM: The renovation of Neyland Stadium is continuing. A request for proposals for new LED signage around the interior bowl of the stadium has gone out, Hamilton said. The new signs are slated to be in place for next football season. Design is under way for renovations in the west concourse and locker room that should be complete in 2008.