I like Dooley

I don't think the previous staff inspired much confidence with 2 straight losing seasons and total incompetence in areas such as the run game and the kicking side of ST. I thought Wilcox's scheme was mediocre at best - kind of a bend don't break - that broke repeatedly against the good teams. He put the CB's out on islands and they were not first rate SEC quality as we know. They ran a sprint draw zone blocking scheme, which sucked badly. That changes with Coach Pitt to a straight zone scheme based on tape of him talking about his coaching style and techniques. This means the RB will be closer the the line of scrimmage because the running lanes will open quicker. Having an actual RB coach like Jay Graham versus none (a GA) last year. Jay gets it. Hinshaw will relate better to the WR's since he is younger, yet he has some good experience coaching them previously. Dividing up the secondarycoaches will be better - too much for one guy who also handles the recruiting coordinator role. Nobody that understands football will dispute Coach Sun is an upgrade at LB coach. Sirmon is a great recruiter, but not to Sun's level as a coach. Remains to be seen on the Thomspon/Palermo trade, but Thompson's forte was LBs as Saban knows. Charlie Coiner is a pro - strong upgrade over Russell.

I don't put any stock into opinions of recruiting services. There is plenty of data to support that statement. I watch the tape and think through the needs. This class met all needs except LB - which was an area that did not require immediate help. McCullers, Sentimore, Patterson, among others are guys that will start at some point and will be major contributors. Biggest area of concern - D-line. Biggest area addressed with top SEC quality talent - D-line. Big area of concern - WR (Hunter/Rogers possibly going early). Top two in the nation WR haul by anyone's measure. Big area of concern - RB. Hill, Bourque, Watson - power, all purpose, scatback. Bourque is special. Future top QB - check. Future top Safety - check. Kicker inconsistency - add one that can do both with proven distance on KO's. Check. Kick/Punt returners to go with DY - Patterson/Howard. Check.

The roster is strong. It's up to the new staff to get their act together and develop them. Generally like the experience and backgrounds of them so I feel they have been around the block and know how important it is to be a team as a staff. Don't believe that happened with the last staff. That's why I am cautiously optimistic it could happen.

 

Roadtrip, I think you have given a sensible defense of your position. I agree in parts and need to be convinced in others -- especially the run game. But this is well-thought out and clearly written. Nice job. I just hope you are right.

 

can't seem to get quote function and my iPad on the same page, but road trip certainly pu a lot of thought into that, which is appreciated. You are, however, certainly a glass half full sort of fellow.

I hope your view is right and mine is wrong. I think you give a lot of credit to a guy who hired a bunch of coaches two years ago you don't seem to think were very good. I think you put a lot of stake in your analysis of YouTube clips above pretty much everyone elses opinion on the planet. I think your position is naive and a little foolish, but I do hope it is right.

 

I think Hinshaw and Graham will be the only two coaches retained after the 2012 season.

I agree that Coiner is an upgrade over Russell.

Sunseri appears to be a good coach, but he's also been able to "coach up" Julius Peppers, Brentson Buckner and Kris Jenkins in the NFL and Rolando McClain, Donta' Hightower and Courtney Upshaw at Alabama. I might have a decent resume with those guys. I don't buy into the "great recruiter" because look at every single Saban disciple's recruiting prowess after leaving him. I'm skeptical on Sal but he can win me over.

Hiring a coach to do half of Terry Joseph's job is a plus, but he's not even a full year removed from being a GA.

Pittman has been mediocre everywhere he's been. His stops at Oklahoma and UNC were especially average.

Palermo's resume isn't bad, but what does a nomad 60 year old coach have left?

I would have loved for Tennessee to have been able to hold onto either Santos or Peters, but that's recruiting.

I really want Dooley to win and win big here. I don't think he ever will.

 

What's wrong with liking CDD? BPV hit the nail on the head - liking him (personally) and believing him to be the best (or even qualified) to be our HC is another matter, entirely.

He's smart (quick-witted may be more accurately stated), kind of a [Penis], looks the part, sounds right, seems to have a plan that he's going to see through (for well or ill)....there are some definite positives there....if he was winning, which he is not. Those attributes + a losing record = gone after this season. Those attributes + a winning record = he makes it 4, maybe 5 years.

He just has to win. Period. If he wins, nothing else matters. If he doesn't, nothing will save him.

Here's my prediction:

1. Next season: He wins 9 games, including winning 1-2 games where we won't be easy favorites / even money. The offense is too potent and the schedule is too favorable to avoid it, really. He'll beat two of the following: GA, FL, SC. He will not beat Bama - and no, it won't matter if they play in Neyland Stadium or Mama Dooley's front yard, so scratch any notion of that happening.
2. Everyone will begin climbing back on the bandwagon, and he'll actually get a contract extension and maybe a slight bump in pay. Doubt it? Just watch.
3. Bray / Hunter / Rodgers and maybe a few others leave early.
4. Barring a Top 3-5 signing class, and where there are 2-3 players on each side of the ball (each with similarly high, if even raw, talent of Bray / Hunter / Rodgers) who will make an immediate impact (game-changers), 2013 sees us return to 7-5 (at best).
5. And barring consistent Top 5 (not 10, not 15 - Top 5 - signing classes) that record will maintain, with an annual fluctuation of +/-1 game (one year at 7-5, the next at 8-4), and a 4-year anomaly of +/-2-3 games (once every four years, we go 9-3 / 10-2 or 6-5/5-6)

Could all or some of this change? Absolutely and wildly. But with everything we now know, and as far as we can see forward, I don't know how you can make a case, otherwise, in either direction.

The question will become - would the following be acceptable:

Season 1: 8-4
Season 2: 7-5
Season 3: 10-2
Season 4: 6-6

To me, the answer to that would be, a resounding, "No". If you're not adding a sizeable trophy to the case once every 5 years (or at least playing for it), then it's time to move on. And that, in my opinion, is where Dooley is going to end up living.

 

Call me a simpleton...but this never gets old to me.

Hitler's reaction to Tennessee Football - YouTube

 

My wife would say his reaction is tame compared to mine to the 2011 season.

 

Don't know if you watched, but this was Hitler's reaction to losing Hunter and Bray.

 

Tenny, if we still had Mike Hamilton as AD, I'm put money on exactly what you predicted. Dave Hart is a new face though, and he didn't hire Dooley, so I'd be a bit surprised with an extension at 9-3 (unless it was a nominal extension that didn't affect the buyout, which is possible, because raising the buyout might be impossible). I'm not sure what happens after a 9-3 season in 2012 and a regression to 7-5 in 2013, but I would hope it'd be a change.

Also, your "would the following be acceptable" question. . . Mike Shula?

 

I watched it and that was pretty much my reaction to every game from Florida onwards.

 

Don't let good be the enemy of great.

 

I think Tenny is exactly right. I'd be shocked if Dooley doesn't get an extension if he goes 9-3.

 

I have little doubt that many of our fans will think he's a miracle worker. It's sad, because Tennessee will be more talented than at least 8 opponents this year.

 

this is exactly how i feel. People will be satisfied with 8 or 9 wins when in reality we have the talent to compete with everyone (besides MAYBE Bama) on our schedule. I wanna see him beat a team he isn't supposed to beat, and there is no reason we should get blown out in any game with an offense this potent.

 

I'm not sure I understand this. You're saying you think we will win 9, but we're only more talented than 8 teams. But, winning 9 would be sad. I fail to follow that line of thought.

 

I don't see anything wrong with being cutthroat, the problem comes when you don't know how to wield the knife and you get your own jugular. I think Dooley naively mistook the UT fan base's patience with stupidity.

FWIW I don't think Dooley ever tried to act like a choir boy. I think those are characteristics that were attributed to him because of his educational background and because he "appreciated the history" at UT more than the previous regime. Regardless, moral high ground is generally a crutch for weak programs anyway.

None of this matters. If he doesn't win next year, he will be looking for a job.

 

I agree with all of this.

 

The way I read it, and this is just me, Tennessee is all but guaranteed 8 wins and finally beating one team that's favored over you is not something miraculous.

 

9 wins won't be sad. It would be sad that people would consider 9 wins a great coaching job.

 

You read it correctly. And in all honesty, Tennessee should beat Florida at home this year.