By WAYNE PHILLIPS

Sports Editor

KNOXVILLE --- Noting with an emotion-filled voice that he loved theUniversity of Tennessee too much "to see her divided," Tennessee football Coach Phillip Fulmer announced Monday that he would step down at the end of the 2008 season after 17 seasons at the helm.

The announcement came after weeks of speculation about Fulmer's job security as his Volunteers are off to one of the worst starts in his lengthy tenure. The Vols are 3-6 on the year, 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference, with the latest loss coming on Saturday at South Carolina by a 26-7 margin, a game that the Vols were never really competitive.

The news first broke just before noon Monday that Fulmer was out, and a news conference was set Monday afternoon in the bowels of Neyland Stadium, the site of many memorable moments for Tennessee and the Vols faithful over the past two decades.

"For as long as I can remember, even as a boy growing up in Winchester," Fulmer said, "football has been something that brought our university and even our state together. People from all walks of life and people of different opinions on everything else could agree on one thing -- the Volunteers. I love Tennessee too much to let her stay divided."

Growing fan frustration, along with apathy among many people who have followed the Vols for decades, obviously helped contribute to Fulmer's decision.

The news conference was attended by Fulmer's family members along with UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton. The football team, many of them mumbling in anger before the press conference started, also attended, and gave a standiing ovation to Fulmer when he arrived and sat down before the throng of media in attendance.

Fulmer, the dean of coaches in the SEC, guided the Vols to the national championship in 1998 and his overall record is 150-51, but over the past few years there has been some discontent among alumni and fans as wins over SEC East rivals Florida and Georgia have been scarce, plus two straight losses to Alabama by large margins didn't help his cause.

Fulmer has spent just about his entire life as a Volunteer, beginning as an offensive guard from 1968-1971. He returned to Tennessee in 1980 after coaching stints at Wichita State and Vanderbilt and has been in Knoxville ever since. He was promoted to head coach in 1992, taking over for Johnny Majors, on whose staff he had been serving.

Hamilton said that Fulmer has been offered the opportunity to stay at Tennessee in some capacity, but he has yet to decide on his future plans.

"It's been an emotional day for us," Hamilton said. "Phillip Fulmer has represented us with class, and without a doubt he is a Hall of Fame coach. I hope he'll stay at Tennessee in some capacity."

Fulmer, in answer to questions, said now was not the time to think about his plans after this year.

"I'm a football coach," he said. "But I do appreciate the opportunity that has been extended to me."

Hamilton would not discuss any particulars of the decision made earlier in the day, only noting that discussions have been ongoing with Fulmer over the past several weeks in light of the way the program has been going this year.

He also said that a national coaching search will begin immediately.

Fulmer said that he has "invested my life in this university, and I wish it nothing but success. We'll give full devotion to see we finish this year on a positive note, and I'm hopeful that with this decision behind us we'll start on a new road right now."

"I'm proud of what we've done at Tennessee," he added. "We've won a lot of games, we've won championships, we've done it the right way ..."

Hamilton said that the Kentucky game on Nov. 29, the team's final regular season game, will be designated "Phillip Fulmer Appreciation Day."

"It will give us a chance to honor him for what he has done for our institution," Hamitlon said.

Ramone Foster and Eric Berry spoke on behalf of the football team, and both indicated their displeasure in the decision of the university.

"We're not satisfied," Foster said. "UT is family. We take care of each other. Coach Fulmer should have been able to go out on his own terms."

Berry said it was like "I lost a rib or kidney or something" when he heard that Fulmer was leaving.