By Jimmy Hyams

The last time Phillip Fulmer attended the SEC spring meetings, he was Tennessee’s football coach.

That was a decade ago. And the atmosphere was considerably different then.

“The athletic director’s meetings are much more civil,’’ UT’s athletic director said Wednesday. “This is much different. There is a sense of cooperation and concern for the league.’’

That’s not the way it was when Fulmer was attending as UT’s head coach (1993-2008)

“It was like meeting with the Russians every year,’’ Fulmer said, smiling.

When someone told Fulmer that South Carolina coach Will Muschamp said he wouldn’t give UT coach Jeremy Pruitt any advice, Fulmer said: “Like I said, you’re visiting with the Russians.’’

All kidding aside, Fulmer seems comfortable in his AD’s hat. He already knew several of the athletic directors and most of the football coaches in the league.

In his group session with the media, he touched on a variety of topics, including whether SEC grad transfers should be immediately eligible at another SEC school.

“I see both sides,’’ Fulmer said. “In many cases there’s usually a reason they want to transfer. They could be unhappy. … If they’ve graduated and fulfilled their obligation, why would we say you can go to Michigan or Southern Cal or Florida State but you can’t go to a sister (SEC) school.’’

Fulmer was asked about UT football season tickets being down. As we reported recently, UT season ticket renewals ended with the total at about 61,000. When season tickets go on sale to the public, UT hopes it will increase to 65,000. Two years ago, UT sold over 72,000 season tickets, which is about the maximum, considering UT must hold back tickets for students (about 12,200) and opposing teams (9,500 in some cases) and recruits and their families.

Fulmer said he’d like to see it back to the old days, when season tickets were sold out before the season started.

“From the season we had last year (4-8),’’ Fulmer said, “even with the excitement that’s around Jeremy (Pruitt), I can see is being a little bit down. But there are also a lot of people that gave up their tickets 7-8 years ago that are back in the boat. So we’ll earn those tickets back.’’

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