When Dooley was hired, I was skeptical of his track record. Who wasn't? But he said all the right things, and he was in a bad situation, so I gave him time, even after the losses continued to mount. He never promised we'd be back in three years (Process! Bamboo!), but that doesn't mean he didn't give us any hints as to what was important to him and what values he would instill in his program. Most people here feel like he can be judged solely on win total. Others are still in the sway of the process talk and still see the possibility of a two to three game improvement from last year. I'd like to propose a different metric, for your consideration. Like I said, he never promised we'd be back in three years. He did promise growth, and there's been enough of that to convince some people. But I propose a metric that everyone should be able to agree on: how well Dooley has installed the things that are most important to him. If you can imprint your top values your team, then I have hope that, in time, you'll be able to imprint more and more, and your success will continue to grow (see: Cuonzo Martin with defense and being a man off the court). So I'll throw out what I consider to be the three biggest promises made to me, as a Tennessee fan, by [ddiapos]. If you feel he promised other things, please share. 1. We will build high-character young men. They will represent Tennessee with class off the field. This was one of Dooley's most repeated lines after his hiring, so I can only assume it was one of his highest priorities. 2. We will show incredible attention to detail and get the little things right. I'm not sure if Dooley said this right out, but his dedication to detail was the most commonly cited reason that he could succeed at Tennessee, so I'm counting it as a high priority for him. 3. We will focus on the process. We won't get too high when good things happen or too low when bad things happen. We'll just keep pushing forward. Perhaps the #1 most-emphasized maxim by [ddiapos]. And for the evaluation: 1. Officially reported that several key players had work to do in the offseason to get eligible for this season. They would've missed a bowl game, had we played in one. Problem child Da'Rick Rogers got endless second chances and never shaped up. Cameron Clear was arrested for theft weeks after his propensity for theft was known by [ddiapos]. I think it's safe to call this 0/1 2. Illegal formation. Illegal formation. Too many men on the field. Illegal formation. What's more, the recruiting office is a mess. The attention to detail doesn't exist. As I've mentioned in another thread, I have two cousins that are D-I scholarship players. One of them is a senior DB and a current Auburn commit. His little brother is a freshman QB and a Southern California commit. Their high school team put several players in BCS programs last year and has two former Vols on staff. My Dad spent months trying to get the recruiting office to return his phone calls, and my Uncle complains that despite his best efforts, Tennessee won't show any love to his kids or their teammates. 0/2 3. Let me quote from a blog post I wrote on another site this afternoon: 0/3 It is my opinion, upon evaluation, that the biggest of Dooley's failures have been in instilling the values that he considers his highest priorities. And if he can't teach his highest priorities, there is no reason to believe he will teach his teams to win. [Preaching to the choir, I know, but I thought it was worth approaching the discussion from a different angle, considering that the discussion still exists at sites other than this one] Discuss.
Great Post. I think everyone understands the situation that Dooley stepped into. There was a huge talent gap, especially in the first year. This is ridiculous when you think about we have came closer to big wins in 2010 than we have at any point during Dooley's tenure. I just can't be get past the constant mistakes we make on offense. That has nothing to do with talent. That is coaching and preparation. My high school team does a better job of substituting players onto the field. I'm tired of seeing the player's quizzical looks every play as they try to figure out what is going on. Dooley is known for his attention to detail and his organizational skills, yet I am 110 percent positive that George Quarles could do a better job than Dooley in this department. All of these great skills that Dooley is supposed to have should translate to an upset win or two, instead of being 2-27 against teams with a winning record.
Anybody interviewing for a $2+ M a year job is going to blow so much smoke up the interviewers asses the could float above Neyland Stadium for a week. He is an attorney, he promised everything he could think of plus some to impress them so they would write the contract. He traded on his daddy's name and Saban's coat tails and got the job. His words then and now mean nothing except for self preservation. He is done. He is playing it out as long as he can for the money/buyout.
Good point. I hadn't looked at things from that point of view. It was definitely a time before they realized that they despised Dooley.
My personal though is that he had every intention of following through with those things (sound great from a business perspective by the way) but bit off more than he could chew. Simply put, he wasn't ready for SEC football (and everything that goes along with it) and is simply in waaaaay over his head. That catch though is that I don't blame him for taking the job. If I were in his shoes I'd do the same thing. This of course would be Hammy's fault and any other person that gave the thumbs up. I think Dooley really is putting his best effort forward, it just simply isn't good enough. Now that's been established it's time to find someone who can get this sleeping giant rocking awake and rolling again.
That's my idea too. I'm not going to ascribe malice to him when incompetence is a reasonable explanation. But if he's failed in instilling the values that were his highest priorities, he's probably not going to succeed in instilling much of anything. At least not anything good.
I've heard that the shower discipline on the team is better than it has ever been. Some coaches might teach players proper technique and how to handle the ball. Dooley just teaches them how to wash them.
That was a lot to read, did you also mention that he said we would not be kicked around in the SEC anymore? Doofus suck dong!
Forgot about that. I was thinking of promises made back when he got the job, but he did add one or two this year.
That will be his legacy at UT. Every time a taint is properly washed, people will think of [ddiapos]. If you need your memory refreshed: http://blogs.knoxnews.com/ward/2010/09/dooley-quoted-hitting-the-showers.html
I think if Dooley hadn't come in when he did (when the fanbase was so devastated by Kiffin leaving) he'd have a lot fewer supporters and would have lost his support much more quickly. I think people got emotionally invested in Kiffin and to cope they bought in even harder with the rebound and convinced themselves they'd upgraded and were better off.
Very good point here. When he was hired and everyone was like "who?" there seemed to be warranted skepticism (especially with his record); however I was surprised at how quickly perception shifted and the buy in occurred. I had never considered the emotional aspect as you laid out, but maybe that does explain the irrational support he continues to hold from many. I can understand supporting the program and the coach, but 3 years later with minimal to no improvement...
