What UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman wants in Tennessee's next athletics director

Jeremy Pruitt was fired, Phillip Fulmer is departing, and Donde Plowman has a plan after a chaotic Monday at Tennessee.

“Our first action is to hire an athletic director,” the chancellor

Plowman and university president Randy Boyd are tasked with filling the two most prominent positions in the Tennessee athletic department after Pruitt was axed for cause after an internal investigation showed NCAA violations and Fulmer stepped out of his athletics director role. Plowman stressed it was Fulmer’s decision to step aside and he is not linked to the investigation.

Tennessee plans to fill Fulmer’s role as soon as possible before hiring a football coach.

“We are looking for someone who is a strong leader and who has principles and values, who also has experience in hiring coaches and who can help us look toward the future,” Plowman said. “We’ve got a great future here. As disappointed as we are, we are determined to get this right and to get a good person in place both as AD and as head coach. I think leadership and integrity are huge. I think experience in this role will be important as well.”

Tennessee’s AD search will include the services of Parker Executive Search. Fulmer, who played for the Vols and was the coach of the 1998 national championship team, will remain as AD until his successor is hired.

His successor will hire Pruitt’s replacement. 

"Great ADs hire great coaches, and we’re going to start with a great AD," Plowman said.

Plowman said Fulmer will be an asset throughout the process of both searches, starting with finding the next AD. Plowman, who started at UT in July 2019, expects the job to "appeal to a lot of candidates."

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“We are optimistic about our future and our ability to attract a strong leader, who will then hire the right football coach,” Plowman said. “I realize many people would prefer we make those hires in the opposite order. But I hope everyone will accept the judgment that this is the way for us to have the long-term success we all want — for now and for the long-term.”

Plowman said Fulmer is stepping down because he wanted the next AD to have the opportunity to hire the football coach.

Fulmer, 70, is under contact through 2023 after receiving a two-year contract extension in May.

“I will continue to rely on his assistance and advice even after he retires as athletics director,” Plowman said. “His sterling reputation in college athletics and his knowledge will be assets to us — to me — as these next two searches proceed.”

Fulmer hired Pruitt in December 2017 as his first action as athletics director after taking over the post the same day thatJohn Currie was removed from the job. Fulmer awarded Pruitt a contract extension and raise in September. Pruitt and nine Tennessee football staff members, including assistant coaches Brian Niedermeyer and Shelton Felton, were fired Monday amid an NCAA recruiting scandal that the university expects will result in NCAA Level I and II violations.

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Fulmer, whom Plowman referred to as a “legend,” said he would be glad to help as Tennessee presses the reset button both in the football program and its top athletics post.

“We feel a profound sense of responsibility to get this right for our student-athletes, our staffs and our fans,” Plowman said. “I am highly confident we will do so.”

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.