KNOXVILLE - Randy Sanders resigned as Tennessee's offensive coordinator on Monday, two days after the Volunteers lost to South Carolina to fall to 3-4.
Sanders announced that he will remain on the staff through the season, keeping part of his job as quarterbacks coach. Play-calling duties will be handled by coach Phillip Fulmer, Sanders and the rest of the offensive coaching staff.
Tennessee continued its offensive struggles in the 16-15 loss on Saturday. The Vols have lost three in a row for the first time under Fulmer.
"This isn't a response to criticism. This is a response to what I see on the field," Sanders said.
Fulmer was somewhat surprised by Sanders' decision.
"Randy in an unselfish gesture has asked to step aside at the end of the season," Fulmer said.
The Vols play at No. 8 Notre Dame this week and finish the season against Memphis, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Tennessee began the season ranked third and dropped out of the Top 25 this week.
"Randy has dedicated his adult life to this program," Fulmer said.
Sanders, 40, has been on the staff for 17 years, starting as a graduate assistant after he was a backup quarterback.
This is his seventh season as offensive coordinator. He was promoted to the job before the 1998 national championship game to replace David Cutcliffe, who left to be head coach at Mississippi.
Sanders has also coached running backs and wide receivers at Tennessee.
The last time the Vols lost three in a row was in 1992 after coach Johnny Majors came back from heart surgery in the middle of the season. The third loss was to South Carolina, and Majors was forced out of his job six days later.
South Carolina's victory was the school's first in Knoxville and snapped a 12-game losing streak in the series.
Tennessee's offense is one of the worst in the country statistically. The Vols average 16 points a game, which ranks 108 out of 117 Division I-A schools. They are 99th in total offense, 98th in rushing offense, 79th in passing offense and 101st in passing efficiency.
