Phillip Fulmer does not need an introduction in the college football world. In his 17 years at Tennessee, Fulmer has racked up 150 wins, including two SEC titles in 1997 and 1998 and a national championship in '98 as well, compared to just 52 losses.

Under Fulmer, UT posted an incredible 45-5 record from 1995 to 1998. For 35 years, he has helped the UT program become one the most prestigious in the country as a player, student assistant, offensive line coach, offensive coordinator and head coach. Last Monday, Fulmer announced his incredible run at UT would come to an end.

UT has obviously started its coaching search for Fulmer's successor, and athletic director Mike Hamilton is going to have his hands full finding a good replacement. You cannot replace Phillip Fulmer with a coach from a smaller conference or division who nobody knows about.

We all saw how that strategy worked at offensive coordinator with the hiring of ex-Richmond coach Dave Clawson. UT needs a big-time name that can come in and recruit the way Fulmer was able to and, most of all, win some big games. Here are four specific names Hamilton should strongly consider while looking for Fulmer's replacement.

Many of these candidates are relatively young and are proven as either great head coaches or great recruiters. Those two qualities are what Fulmer had and are what he used to build Tennessee into one of the most respected programs in all of college football. Tennessee may not hire any of these choices, but they would be foolish to not seriously consider them.

1. Bill Cowher

Cowher is one of the most respected coaches in NFL history. He would brings discipline and a charismatic presence to the sideline that UT never had in Fulmer. Cowher's resume speaks for itself. His Pittsburgh Steelers teams during his tenure played in five AFC championships and two Super Bowls, one of which the Steelers were crowned champion.

Bringing in a future NFL Hall of Fame coach would draw all kinds of great recruits to UT. What kind of player would not want to play for a Super Bowl winning coach? This would be best case scenario for UT, but it's hard to imagine that after taking two seasons off and never coaching at the college level Cowher would show serious interest. But everyone knows by now to expect the unexpected in college football.

1A. Butch Davis

Yeah, I know what you're thinking: Davis has already said he and his family are happy in North Carolina. Let me remind you, though, what Alabama coach Nick Saban did when he was asked about the Alabama job while coaching the Miami Dolphins. He continued to deny the rumors that he would be the next Alabama coach until the day before he actually took the job. Butch Davis is not going to hint at being the UT coach during the season.

This is a coach who is a proven winner at the college level, posting a 51-20 record during his tenure at Miami. He is also well on his way to making North Carolina a serious ACC power. Davis' biggest attribute is his ability to bring in big-time talent just like Fulmer used to do. Some of the players he coached at Miami include NFL stars such as Edgerrin James, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Jonathan Vilma, Ed Reed and Jeremy Shockey. Any questions?

 2.  Lane Kiffin

Although he is not a proven head coach, anyone with knowledge about the Oakland Raiders would say that Kiffin got the raw end of the deal when he was fired after barely more than a season as coach.

Kiffin worked with offensive stars such as Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Mike Williams, Dwayne Jarrett and LenDale White. He was also the Trojans' recruiting coordinator for three years and was responsible for bringing in many big-time players. He may not be a proven head coach, but you cannot argue with his production at USC.

2A. Will Muschamp

The current defensive coordinator at the University of Texas has given a boost to the Longhorn defense and helped the team vault to No. 1 earlier this year before falling to Texas Tech on Nov. 1. Muschamp was the defensive coordinator on Nick Saban's 2003 national championship team at LSU. During that season his defense led the nation in scoring defense (11.0 PPG) and total defense (252.0 YPG).

After Saban left for the Miami Dolphins in 2005, Muschamp joined him as an assistant head coach for a defense that was ranked 15th in total defense and second in sacks with 49. During his two-year stint at Auburn, his defense was in the top ten both seasons in total defense. Muschamp also brings a passion and a presence to the sideline matched by few in college football.