Fulmer recalls worse start to season in '88

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee&#39;s season so far has been disappointing, but coach Phillip Fulmer was around when it was worse.<br> <br> ``I&#39;ve been here when we were 0-6. And we fought and fought and fought back and the next year we won the championship,&#39;&#39; Fulmer said Tuesday. ``Sometimes things just don&#39;t go the way you want them to go, and you&#39;ve got to keep fighting.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The Volunteers began the 1988 season with six straight losses and then won the Southeastern Conference championship the next two seasons. Fulmer was a Tennessee assistant coach at the time, and one of the losses was to Duke, coached then by Steve Spurrier.<br> <br> Spurrier and his South Carolina Gamecocks (4-3, 2-3) visit Knoxville on Saturday in his first trip back since 2000 with Florida.<br> <br> The Vols fell to 3-3 overall and to No. 23 in the Associated Press poll this week, down from being third in the preseason, after losing 6-3 at Alabama last week.<br> <br> Their goal of reaching the SEC championship game was essentially out of reach after losing to Georgia three weeks ago. The Bulldogs can clinch the East division by beating Florida on Saturday.<br> <br> Tennessee has been plagued by difficulty scoring and inopportune mistakes and is trying to end its two-game skid.<br> <br> ``Our team knows they are a good team the best 3-3 team in the country. I don&#39;t know who else is 3-3 but that&#39;s my opinion,&#39;&#39; Fulmer said. ``They have fought their rears off and had some very tough things happen to them. They will continue to fight and so will this staff.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Fulmer called on fans to help the team.<br> <br> ``Obviously we need everybody in force this coming Saturday to help us have the energy and enthusiasm in the stands to help us get this win over a good South Carolina football team. These kids have worked really hard, and they are as disappointed as anybody,&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> Some fans have already given their support.<br> <br> ``You just wouldn&#39;t believe the calls and cards and letters and notes and things of encouragement that I&#39;ve gotten for our team,&#39;&#39; Fulmer said. ``I really do appreciate that.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> None of the coaches or players have seemed discouraged or unwilling to keep playing despite the losses.<br> <br> The offense has been a letdown despite experience and talent that was touted throughout the preseason. Tennessee averages only 16.3 points a game, which ranks 10th out of 12 SEC teams. The Vols have lost eight fumbles and had seven passes intercepted.<br> <br> If Fulmer was on an opposing team, what would he think of the offense?<br> <br> ``I would look at it and say, &#39;Man, what is wrong with those guys? Why aren&#39;t they making more things happen?&#39;&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> So what are the Vols going to do about it?<br> <br> ``I told the guys the bad thing is we haven&#39;t reached our potential. The good thing is there is potential there for us to reach,&#39;&#39; Fulmer said. ``When you play very good teams and you have turnovers and dropped passes and penalties, usually it&#39;s very difficult to win those games. ... We&#39;ve got to eliminate those things so we can reach our potential.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> On the Net:<br> <br> Tennessee football: www.utsports.com<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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