Tennessee rewards AD Fulmer with new 4-year deal

Tennessee has seen enough in four months to be sold on Phillip Fulmer, as the school announced Thursday that it's given the athletic director a new four-year contract.

Fulmer has only held the position since Dec. 1, but is more than familiar with the school after attending Tennessee as a student and serving as football coach for 17 years.

"Phillip has been a great partner over the last four months and I commend him for the work he has done with our student-athletes, coaches, and staff," chancellor Beverly Davenport said in a statement. "Phillip has been connected to the University of Tennessee and its athletics program for more than 40 years and he understands the expectations we have for our athletics department."

Fulmer wasted no time making his mark on the program, hiring new football coach Jeremy Pruitt just six days into the job. It was a significant move after a tumultuous coaching search made the Volunteers a national punchline.