Phillip Fulmer was a player for the University of Tennessee in 1971, the last time the Volunteers defeated the Florida Gators in Gainesville, Fla. Fulmer, now Tennessee's head coach, believes his team's lack of success in the Swamp has been overblown.

"That is a little bit of a misconception because we have only played six times since then," Fulmer said on a recent edition of ESPN's Up Close with host Gary Miller. "It's not like it's been 28 years or so."

	Phillip Fulmer congratulates RB Jamal Lewis, who Fulmer says "is a prize to coach."

Tennessee's thrilling victory over the Gators last season in Knoxville was the first step toward a national championship. On Up Close, Fulmer talked about this week's game at Florida and the difficulty of winning the strong Southeastern Conference.

The following is an edited transcript of Fulmer's Sept 15 interview.

Miller: How great does it feel to hear yourself described as the being the defending champions all season long?

Fulmer: It is a great feeling. Obviously we are very proud of what we accomplished, but it is very important that we remember that it was last year. When we stepped off that plane coming back from Tempe, we became the defending national champions, rather than the national champions and I think our kids have taken that to heart.

Miller: Phillip, how has it changed your life, how does it make things different?

Fulmer: You know a lot of people have asked that. It really hasn't been a lot different, we have a routine that we try to stay with. I think that my secretary has about gone crazy with all the other requests and things that come with that, and certainly there were some awards for our team and some individuals on the team, that we attended, but really you had the off season, you have spring practice, you have the fundraisings in May and June, that you have to do, then you have a little bit of time in the summer. I think if anything, I've said this a lot of times, I think people are a little more glad to see you, maybe you command a little bit more respect perhaps after winning a national championships.

Miller: But it hasn't changed you at all, internally?

Fulmer: I hope not and it happened as early as it did, is a little bit unusual probably in the sixth year of being a full time head coach, but I do realize that it took the efforts of a lot of people, starting with administration and all the support groups around, it was certainly a wonderful job done by the staff, most of all the players we were able to bring to Tennessee, we had a dream and we were able to accomplish that dream and now we are working at seeing if we can do it again.

Miller: You had said that you kind of wished that this Florida game was later in the season, do you still feel that way?

Fulmer: Well, I just think that it is so tough on both teams, to have such an important game, as it has turned out in the last several years an important game at the beginning of the year. It is almost anti-climatic for the other team that loses. I have been on both sides, and it is much better to win, I can tell you that because it puts you two games up on the biggest threat that you have, not to discount certainly Georgia or anybody, but us and Florida have been the two teams. I understand why we can't move it, why Florida wouldn't want to move it, because of the Florida State schedule at the end of the season, to play us both that close together, probably wouldn't be that advantageous to them. It puts one team or the other really behind the eight ball.

Miller: You have to be aware that the loser of this game takes a serious hit of any hopes of the national title?

Fulmer: Well, it does. But our first goal is to win the SEC, and to do that we have to win the SEC East, and it is very difficult to do in itself, not only because of Florida and Georgia in our conference, but because of who we have to play in the western division. So we'll take them one at a time. Our first goal is to try to get to the SEC championship, and this year that championship goes through Gainesville.

Miller: What does that mean, to take one shoulder of the monkey off your back, by beating the Gators last year?

Fulmer: It was a great win for our program and it was one of those wins that you will always remember. We have done a lot of things here at Tennessee as far as winning lots of games and going to big bowl games and that sort of thing, be we hadn't been able to bet Florida, and when we were able to do that last year I think our program took another step. And as we said after the game last year, it is not just the win that counts, it is what we do with the win that matters the most and our team really improved during the course of the year and obviously culminated in the game against Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Miller: Tennessee's last win in Gainesville in 1971, you were on that team?

Fulmer: I was on that team. That is a little bit of a misconception because we have only played six times since then, it's not like it's been 28 years or so, but it was a great game down there, it is a great setting to play a football game, they have a beautiful stadium, and the fans are certainly very much supportive of their team and in to it. But really what has made Florida tough to bet down there is the Florida players and how well they are coached. That will be who we can deal with, we can do something about those guys, I hope and who we have to play against not the Florida fans.

Miller: Steve Spurrier's public enemy number 1. Is there ever a time that you don't think about this game?

Fulmer: No, you really can't let it leave your mind. All we can do is plan around how we can beat our top opponents each year and that is Georgia, Florida and Alabama and now Arkansas and other folks that we have to play in our league. But we pick out our three or four top opponents, and Florida has to be right at the top. It is not always the first one, it is usually the toughest one to beat, so it doesn't leave our mind. I don't think that anybody that is sitting in our shoes could let it leave their mind.

Miller: What does concern you most about this Florida game?

Fulmer: I wouldn't expect any of our players to be scared. Maybe there is an anxiety factor about playing in this kind ball game, you are always looking for the edge and one of the things that I think is the edge, sometimes, is the fear of losing not fear of the other opponent, you just don't want to lose. Florida brings to the table a lot, I mean everybody is talking about their defense not being as good, but you look on the field, and you see their opponents making a couple big plays, but you also see a bunch of athletes running around that field, that are very talented.

Most of them we are some what in the recruiting process with them, so we know an awful lot about them, they are good, offensively exciting as always, they are the type of football team that can take it to distance on any play, their receivers are outstanding, and Graham has given them another dimension that they really didn't have last year, and a running back that you better tackle and tackle well or you are not going to get him down. They are full force, as good as I've seen them be on offense and defensively, even though they are young they still are very talented.

Miller: In last year's game, you were a little more relaxed, and many of your players mark this as a turning point in your demeanor and how you approach the team?

Fulmer: Well, they may be right. It certainly wasn't any conscious effort. I've said this a lot of times, the longer you do something, the more comfortable you should be at it and I don't think I was any different. But maybe I was and maybe I have been since and hopefully that is for the better and it will stay that way. I guess I can be a pretty happy camper when we are winning and when we are playing hard and we are doing the right things off the field, like our team has and doing the right thing academically, like our team has, if they'll keep winning, I'll keep being a happy guy.

Miller: Especially if they win this particular game.

Fulmer: This week is big.

Miller: Is it odd Phillip, with the ranking, you win the first week and drop and this week you are off and you are up to #2?

Fulmer: Well, it is a little bit early to really know who belongs at the top or even the top 10 at this point, probably Gary. We are pleased to be back at #2. I'd feel really great if this was December and we were still there and knowing we were in the picture to play in the National Championship game, but as I said earlier, our focus right now is on Tennessee being a better team and getting ready for Florida.

Miller: How aware are you of BCS standings?

Fulmer: Unfortunately that is the scenario that the BCS is created for. The fact that you have to impress that computer, that computer doesn't know whether that was scored in third quarter or the fourth quarter. I mean, I hate it, I really do, but what you have to do, Gary, you have to decide who are you really going to be fair to as the head football coach, you going to be fair to the program and those starters that won't have a chance to compete for the championships or the fans and that sort of thing. Or are you going to be fair to the second teamers, that deserve to be in the game, just as much as anybody else, in some of those scenarios and the obvious answer is you are going to be fair to the program and the players and the fans, its just a scenario that they've created that we have to be conscious of the point spread.

Miller: Are you surprised that those coaches on the losing end are not more aware of why this happens?

Fulmer: I've been fortunate not to have too many of those on the wrong end, but I've been on the wrong end before of those kind of loses, and you don't like it and you shouldn't like it as a head coach or for your players, because they prepared as hard as they can for the football games. But again, it is just a scenario that they created, that we really can't do anything about, as long as those computers are part of it. Now, I do think that when you are in the factoring area by the computers, there is a margin of where it doesn't matter anymore. I mean just to run up into the 60's and 70's, just because you could, you wouldn't see us do that, but being aware enough to make an impact, we will have to do that.

Miller: You gave Jamal Lewis the game ball, you gave it to him for three reasons. First, for coming back, second, for a great effort, and third to tuck away and hold onto, your thoughts about that?

Fulmer: For a couple for days, which he has taken to heart, Jamal is one of those great backs, like a lot of great backs, he is trying to get every yard, every inch out of every play and sometimes in those efforts the ball gets a little bit loose, and we've worked on that and he's taken that to heart and I think you'll see it much better. If he fumbles again, I'm not going to be concerned about it, because I know he is concentrating on it.

Jamal is one of those special young men, I wish everybody had a chance, Gary, to know Jamal Lewis as a person, because with all of his talents and with all of his ability that he has, he is the guy that goes to the practice field every day to be the best that he can be. He is the guy that goes to class everyday to be the best that he can be, he is a tremendous Christian young man and a great example for our football team off the field and those are the things unfortunately people don't see. They just see #31 and they know Jamal Lewis, they don't know him as a person, he is a prize to coach.

Miller: How do you feel about Tee Martin saying, "Until we win at Gainesville, Florida is not a rivalry"?

Fulmer: I'm glad he feels that way. You just can't say enough about what Tee has done here, basically following in the footsteps of Peyton Manning, who still is the greatest football player to ever play at Tennessee and look what he has done in the NFL. But he tutored under him well, he learned his lessons well, he did what we asked him to do early in the season and after Jamal's injury, he took over the offense, and he had to become the playmaker and just step in style and won a national championship. Tee is also one of those guys, unless you really got to know him, you just wouldn't know how valuable he is to the football team and how great a person he is. He is a wonderful leader, a wonderful worker, everyday he works to get better and is a great example as a person for the rest of our football team, as to what to be like as a student, what to be like as a citizen.