Tennessee football fans have seen the best and worst of times over the years.

There have been great recruiting classes, horrible classes and everything in between.

There have been fast starts, strong finishes and steady building.

There has been near-decade long runs of top-flight talent and years when it seems like the Vols just can't get it done.

Those scenarios are much the same with any school with a history as long as Tennessee. Ups and downs are as common in recruiting as de-commitments.

But the stage UT is going through now is quite possibly unprecedented. That's because UT recruiting has just stopped - and that's by design.

No official visitors. No trips afar to scout prospects.

Nothing.

Such is the case since UT coach Phillip Fulmer was ousted Monday.

Then there's UT athletic director Mike Hamilton - trying to hold it all together as he searches for the next coach. Hamilton has told UT coaches not to keep recruiting undecided prospects, only to try to hold onto UT's commitments for the 2009 signing class.

That's so important that Hamilton the AD has become Hamilton the recruiting coordinator. As he calls commitments, his message is familiar and Fulmer-like: stay the course.

"My general message to them is that we'll honor all commitments," Hamilton said. "The second thing is that Tennessee has a long standing tradition of football success and we're not going away.

"We're going to have success going forward. And we'll hire a person that will be a successful coach."

And that's about where the conversation stops. Of course Hamilton can't tell every prospect who he'll hire. Think that might get out?

With each prospect, Hamilton is simply uninformative.

"I can't tell you today what the offensive style is going to be, what kind of defensive schemes we're going to run or where the individual is coming from," Hamilton said, still sharing his message to commitments. "But I can tell you that we have attracted a great field of candidates and we will hire a very good coach."

Whatever the coach, he could benefit from taking a long look at UT's recruiting department before cleaning house.

The Vols already have a solid recruiting foundation in place. First, there's coordinator of football operations Scott Altizer. He's been with UT since 1994 and has overseen countless top-rated classes.

Then there's director of high school communications Kevin Vanderzee. In only his first year at UT, Vanderzee deserves a medal. He's overseen a highly rated class despite a disappointing season.

And if UT's next coach has a spot to fill on his coaching staff, receivers coach Latrell Scott should get a strong look. Also in his first year at UT, Scott has spearheaded the recruiting for several of UT's top commitments.

All of their fates will be tied to UT's next coach. Something tells me North Carolina coach Butch Davis won't need any help recruiting.

Davis is considered one of the top recruiters in the nation and would likely bring in his own recruiters, coaches and support staff.

Davis' recruiting speaks for itself and his direction shouldn't be questioned.

However, if Davis isn't the eventual UT coach, any other coach on the radar should think long and hard about keeping the recruiting arm of the football program in place.

I know this is probably hard to believe but recruiting in the SEC is more competitive than the games. And if UT's next coach comes from a smaller school and/or a smaller conference, it will need an inside man.

Altizer, Vanderzee and Scott could certainly provide that.

I also wouldn't rule out a certain chest-bumping Cowboy from Oklahoma State.

Find a place for Trooper Taylor on UT's staff and retain the aforementioned trio and any coach would succeed at recruiting - an absolute must for Tennessee to be successful.

Dave Hooker can be reached at hookerd@knoxnews.com.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.