Hoover, Ala. — The lawyer for Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said his client was "ambushed" when he was served with a subpoena Thursday just prior to appearing at the SEC football media days.

Knoxville attorney Jeff Hagood told the AJC that someone "basically threw something" in Fulmer's general direction when he got out of his SUV with the Tennessee traveling party at the Wynfrey Hotel.

"Basically what these people did was hijack the SEC media days in order to generate some publicity," Hagood said. "Unfortunately, it worked."

Fulmer was asked about the subpoena during his two-hour media session but maintained he had not seen it.

Hagood said that when Fulmer returned to his vehicle he then saw the subpoena and read it. He then called Hagood.

Lawyers for former Alabama booster Wendell Smith are suing the NCAA and want Fulmer to sit down for a deposition on Sept. 25. In that suit, Smith maintains that Fulmer was the NCAA's secret witness in its investigation of Alabama. On the advice of counsel, Fulmer skipped these meetings four years ago for this very reason and was fined $10,000 by the SEC.

"We're trying to find out what Phillip Fulmer knows," attorney Chris Linton told the Mobile Press-Register. "We feel there was so much mud slung in Alabama and Phillip Fulmer was closer to that situation than anybody."

Fulmer was not able to hide his anger at the move when he met with the media.

"This is not the place for that kind of thing," he said. "There are great fans that have passion for the SEC and that are not interested in that kind of B.S. And I would have some other choice words if there weren't so many cameras on me."

Hagood did not say if he planned to go to court and attempt to quash the subpoena.

"If they wanted to serve him, they could have done it at the airport when he got in," Hagood said. "They wanted the publicity. And they got it."