Filed by Wes Rucker

TAMPA, Fla. — Sitting here in the Tampa International Airport across from snoozing University of Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker, waiting on a connecting flight in Cincinnati (wasn’t I just there for basketball?), I can’t help but feel ... well ... tired.

It’s early.

But, I’m reminded of something predecessors Gentry Estes, Darren Epps and Andy Staples all tried to warn me about, but something you have to experience to really believe. This beat never stops.

When I land in Knoxville around 2:30 p.m., I have to go track UT’s massive coaching changes and Volunteers basketball. Bruce Pearl is hard enough to keep track of without wondering who will coach the football team’s quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends and wide receivers — and, of course, coordinate the offense.

But we will know in the next week, I think. Hopefully. For all of our sake’s.

I don’t think UT coach Phillip Fulmer wants to wait much longer than one week to name as much of the staff as possible, especially the offensive coordinator. Now that most college and NFL teams are done for the season, expect coaching search news to start leaking out more frequently in the next few days.

Fulmer said he’d have a “pretty full schedule” of interviews beginning with his return to Knoxville.

After Tuesday’s classic, Fulmer-esque, 21-17 win over Wisconsin, though, you can bet he’ll have a little extra boost to begin those talks. He sure looked excited yesterday after the game.

E-mail Wes Rucker at wrucker@timesfreepress.com