Derek Dooley- Year One

#76
#76
BigPapaVol said:
This class is one of the best in the conference, period. I might give AL and AU a slight nod, but we did exceptionally well. People are going to be very surprised at how good this group is.
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I'm certainly optimistic too; I believe we will see a lot of on-field impact.
 
#77
#77
Vercingetorix said:
Incomplete.

If he builds off of it and goes on to have a successful career here, then the takeaway from this year will be how he held the team together when it could have collapsed. If he's a failure, then all people will remember about 2010 is 13 men on the field, Rommel, and shower discipline.
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This is a very, very good point actually.

And the truth is, five to six teams will be more talented than us next year, and we play them all without the senior leaders which made this team click (when it clicked). So we will have to overachieve / catch a lot of folks on their bad day to be significantly better record wise next year.

I will say this though, Dooley has earned patience IMHO, unlike his predecessor.
 
#78
#78
KingtUT said:
Yea those games didnt help, I was bothered just as much by the timing of bringing Bray in against Scar. I would have rather seem him start against them, but Matt was having his best game and the feild position was horrible. Poor timing on that move if you ask me.
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He wasn't having a great game hanging onto the football. The sack fumble in the redzone in the first half was inexcusable-he had tons to time, and then he followed it up with another fumbled to start the 2nd half. The timing wasn't great, but Bray had been eased in the week before, and we all expected him to play against the Gaspumpers.
 
#79
#79
zjcvols said:
Derek Dooley's first year is complete. The football is done, Dooley has his first full, true recruiting class, and we are already looking to year two. So, how did he do in year one? Let's go over some things and give him a final grade.

1. How did he do in-game coaching? Obviously the most important thing for a head coach is...coaching. Well, this one has mixed reviews. In late game situations (LSU, UNC) the team failed miserably. From not running a QB sneak with inches to on 4th down to letting UNC drive down the field and get a FG (albeit some controversial calls), the team could not close out games. Doesn't 8-5 sound a hell of a lot better than 6-7 for the program? The team played solid against the SEC East champion the entire game, and competed very well in the first half of Oregon/Bama and had good gameplans. The sidelines were a zoo till later on the year, and we had too many illegal formation/shift/offsides penalties in my opinion. He did well rallying the team from a bad start and getting to a bowl. You can't put a lot of blame for Dooley against UNC. It was just a lot of help for UNC from the officials. The LSU game you can blame him. Letting Jarrett Lee convert a 4th & 13 just can't happen. And that thirteen men thing.

2. Did the team improve? Yes and no. The offense became better when Tyler Bray was named the starter and had some explosiveness to it. However, against a decent team we probably lose the final two games of the season if we play the way we did. Luckily it was Vandy and Kentucky. The Ole Miss game was impressive and the best game all year, and everything went our way. That was a solid win for this team. The defense didn't seem fixed and while the offensive line gelled pass protection wise, the running game was significantly worse.

3. How much can be blamed on the talent/depth of the team? A lot of it. To be honest, the defense was pathetic talent wise. We had very few bodies at tackle, and our ends were disappointing till late. The backers couldn't run with Bama's offensive line it seemed sometimes and our most consistent corner was playing wide receiver in the spring. The offense had talent, and had good moments, but with a green offensive line (three true freshman and a redshirt freshman started the UNC game), there just wasn't any consistency for the run game. This was, in no way, a nine or ten win team.

4. How did we do against the best team? The most exciting part of the Lane Kiffin era was how we played against the top tier teams. After getting destroyed by Bama and Florida the two previous years, Kiffin was a healthy kicker from shocking Bama and a decent quarterback from beating Florida. This year? It wasn't pretty. We played four good/solid teams (Oregon, LSU, Alabama, USCe) and went 0-4 with a total combined score of 143-61. That's an average loss of 36-15 (21 point loss on average). The team wasn't as good this year, and the depth hurt us a lot. However, we played Oregon and Bama well in the first half. But there is a first half and a second half.

5. How was the recruiting class? For a 6-7 team in the SEC getting a top ten-twelve class...very good. He addressed almost every need (still short on LB's) and pulled in very, very good players. There are guys who can contribute immediately and some interesting prospects for the future. You can't really ask for much else other than a better NSD finish, but it's not like we picked up nobody that week. We obviously need to see results, but in terms of getting good prospects ranking/offer list wise, it's look like we'll be solid as long as Dooley is here.

6. Is there stability? Yes. We only had one coaching casualty with Chuck Smith, but replaced him with someone inside the program who played in the pros. We had some players leave, but that was going to happen no matter who was coach. We haven't had any legal incidents in a while (knock on wood) and the fanbase is at peace for a moment (the first time in a while). Dooley has done a good job calming the storm.

Conclusion: So what's the final verdict? Dooley didn't do anything spectacular for the season. There wasn't any sort of stamp on the season. When your best win is against a 5-7 Ole Miss team, what does that say about the year? The team was young, didn't have a lot of talent, and had to go through another type of system however. The recruiting will help this year and in the future. The talent base is getting better. Jim Chaney and the offense has a bright future and I believe that it will only get better. I'm not sold in any capacity on the defense and Justin Wilcox. You can't show me anything that says Derek Dooley is a championship coach. You can't show me anything that says Derek Dooley won't be a championship coach.

My final grade for year one: B-

Go Vols!!! :hi:
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1) Considering it was his first year(in the SEC, with these players, with these coaches), very little talent or depth, our schedule and the situation he inherited, I think he did pretty good in his free pass year.
2) I guess I would have to go with No on that one, but our schedule at the end of the year did which allowed us to gain some invaluable experience for a bunch of our younger guys.
3) Most of it. You can't win in the SEC without true DTs, but they converted a transferred DE that ended up doing pretty well considering. Just one example BTW.
4) Losing EB, another first rounder and the other draft picks makes the comparison to our last coach immaterial.
5) I have to admit I was a little disappointed in not getting at least one of the guys we were wanting so bad on NSD(especially the one that was turned away by one of our players, IF true), but after really looking at it, I am very happy with where we ended up. Signing a top 10-12 class with all the big uglies we signed is downright phenomenal. We filled many needs and didnt have one decommit on signing day.
6) I am very comfortable with the stability factor right now even knowing in the back of my mind there will more than likely be many teams trying to raid our staff for the next few years. I trust CDD to replace any we lose with comparable (or better) replacements. On top of this, after this most current bit of attrition player-wise and considering the type of player we are recruiting, this will become almost a non-factor compared to the last few years.

My Conclusion: I will agree with what you said about CDD not doing anything spectacular for the season if you are talking about on the field results anyway. However, off the field, he has been a God-send for UT Football considering where we were a few days before NSD just one year ago. He is, hands down, the best in the country in interviews. The VFL program will pay dividends to us for many years to come. The character that he exudes, and in turn demands, is starting to bring back a little bit of respect to our program. To pull off number 5 above in his first year after our second losing season in a row(if his talent evaluations are right) shows he has the ability to be a great recruiter. If his on-the-field coaching ability even comes close to the intangibles he brings to the table, IMHO, we are in for one helluva ride. Considering the state of the program, him having the cajones to accept the job knowing all of it, the talent and experience level this year and all of his intangibles, my grade for him for this year would be a solid V, B.
 
#81
#81
zjcvols said:
I wouldn't call it outstanding by any means. What helped was he ripped off a 60 yarder, but still, I didn't think we played great by any means. That team was not a juggernaut.
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It was better than you think. I actually ran the numbers after it happened. In the 57 minutes that were not two-minute defense, UNC averaged 4.6 yards per play, significantly under their average of 5.7 (actually, we held them under their average, even including the two-minute drill). For perspective, Alabama's championship defense in 2009 held opponents to 4.8.

In the last three quarters, again subtracting the two-minute defense, we held them to 3.0 yards per play. For perspective, New Mexico was last in the country this year averaging 3.9.

So I stand by my statement that the defense in the second half was outstanding, minus the two-minute drill, which was horrific. I think this shows improvement in the defense as a whole but that our depth/talent issues in the secondary came back to bite us.
 
#82
#82
B- fair grade. I like Dooley and hope his game management skills grow as his team does. He may have been around SEC football most of his life but now he lives it.
 
#83
#83
I can't give a 6-6 team anything but a C. Losing to UNC could bring it down to a C- but given the circumstances, I'll stick with a C. If the team could've pulled out one signature win or major upset (LSU), I'd bump it up, but the fact that the highlight of the season was beating four other cellar dwellers in November kinda puts the whole season in perspective. I'd rather look ahead than back.
 
#84
#84
Incipient said:
It was better than you think. I actually ran the numbers after it happened. In the 57 minutes that were not two-minute defense, UNC averaged 4.6 yards per play, significantly under their average of 5.7 (actually, we held them under their average, even including the two-minute drill). For perspective, Alabama's championship defense in 2009 held opponents to 4.8.

In the last three quarters, again subtracting the two-minute defense, we held them to 3.0 yards per play. For perspective, New Mexico was last in the country this year averaging 3.9.

So I stand by my statement that the defense in the second half was outstanding, minus the two-minute drill, which was horrific. I think this shows improvement in the defense as a whole but that our depth/talent issues in the secondary came back to bite us.
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Except there are two halves in football.
 
#85
#85
utgibbs said:
I'm certainly optimistic too; I believe we will see a lot of on-field impact.
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We should all be optimistic. Heard Antonio Richardson is a monster of a kid. Honestly, I cant wait to see the impact all of these new guys have on our next season, especially the defensive backfield. B- overall.
 
#87
#87
With his second recruiting class in the books - which is his stand-out success - and his two seasons coaching, I give him a B +. He has proven that he can recruit in the hellish recruiting world of the SEC. He is also on the path to restoring stability and integrity to the program. The on the field success will come as he and his staff develop the talent that they have recruited. Success won't come overnight. We will all need patience. But, given the general condition of the football program when he arrived he has done a good job.
 
#90
#90
zjcvols said:
Except there are two halves in football.
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Okay, then I stand by the statement that the defense in the 57 minutes that didn't include the two-minute drill was outstanding. Even with a really terrible play in that stretch (the big TD run), we held UNC more than a yard under their YPP average. That's pretty damn good. The two-minute defense is pretty damn bad, but we definitely saw progress on that side of the ball, even if our secondary was in obvious need of help.
 
#92
#92
B+ for sure here.

We lost a lot of ground late in games due to lack of depth. A tired defense is a beaten defense. Still, the improvement as the year went on (from rumors of disgust of the underclassmen watching the seniors "quit" during the Oregon game to more consistent play.).

A lot of people overlook that some of the responsibility for the LSU loss lays with the refs, too. They set the ball and started without giving our defense its allotted sub time since the offense sub'd. Thus setting the stage for panic and mass confusion.

The loss to UGA was a stiff one, though. I would've liked to have seen that one stay close. We played well against USCe and Bama slobberknocked us (as expected). And we were really a fake punt away from keeping that Florida game in hand...

Recruiting, IMO, has been fantastic. I don't buy into a lot of services because we have had early commits and Rivals (for one) simply didn't re-evaluate them. We're in a much better state than last year at this time, and our glaring needs and gaping holes are being cleaned up and tended to.

..my worthless :twocents:
GBO! :aggressive:
 
#93
#93
I give Dooley a C+ in his first year. He passes but he doesn't excel. I think the year pretty much went as expected. There were no real surprises to me except for..

1.) The LSU game being as close as it was and...

2.) Getting throttled by GA the way we did.

In both cases those games turned out to be exact opposites from what I expected. Besides those 2 games, the season pretty much went as expected. We finished 6-6, went to a bowl, and blew it in the end. The biggest problem with this team right now is that they don't know how to finish games. Of course, a lack of depth is a contributing factor to this, which I concede. However there's a LOT of work still to be done with the psyche of this team. Knowing what it takes to win. Having the mental toughness to compete for 4 quarters without giving up. And eventually going into a game with the confidence that you can and will win!

I think recruiting has been solid, not spectacular. I haven't spoken much on this subject but I honestly do believe stars matter overall. Yes it's true that top ranked classes can be busts. However if you look at the last few SEC/National Champions (same difference), the years that preceded those teams had top 5 recruiting classes consistently. Finishing in the top 10-15 in recruiting might get you a Big 12 championship. It will not get you an SEC championship and that's the conference we happen to be in. Dooley has got to light it up on the recruiting trail for the 2012 class. If not, we will be sitting at 2nd - 4th in the east every year.
 
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#94
#94
zjcvols said:
Derek Dooley's first year is complete. The football is done, Dooley has his first full, true recruiting class, and we are already looking to year two. So, how did he do in year one? Let's go over some things and give him a final grade.

1. How did he do in-game coaching? Obviously the most important thing for a head coach is...coaching. Well, this one has mixed reviews. In late game situations (LSU, UNC) the team failed miserably. From not running a QB sneak with inches to on 4th down to letting UNC drive down the field and get a FG (albeit some controversial calls), the team could not close out games. Doesn't 8-5 sound a hell of a lot better than 6-7 for the program? The team played solid against the SEC East champion the entire game, and competed very well in the first half of Oregon/Bama and had good gameplans. The sidelines were a zoo till later on the year, and we had too many illegal formation/shift/offsides penalties in my opinion. He did well rallying the team from a bad start and getting to a bowl. You can't put a lot of blame for Dooley against UNC. It was just a lot of help for UNC from the officials. The LSU game you can blame him. Letting Jarrett Lee convert a 4th & 13 just can't happen. And that thirteen men thing.

2. Did the team improve? Yes and no. The offense became better when Tyler Bray was named the starter and had some explosiveness to it. However, against a decent team we probably lose the final two games of the season if we play the way we did. Luckily it was Vandy and Kentucky. The Ole Miss game was impressive and the best game all year, and everything went our way. That was a solid win for this team. The defense didn't seem fixed and while the offensive line gelled pass protection wise, the running game was significantly worse.

3. How much can be blamed on the talent/depth of the team? A lot of it. To be honest, the defense was pathetic talent wise. We had very few bodies at tackle, and our ends were disappointing till late. The backers couldn't run with Bama's offensive line it seemed sometimes and our most consistent corner was playing wide receiver in the spring. The offense had talent, and had good moments, but with a green offensive line (three true freshman and a redshirt freshman started the UNC game), there just wasn't any consistency for the run game. This was, in no way, a nine or ten win team.

4. How did we do against the best team? The most exciting part of the Lane Kiffin era was how we played against the top tier teams. After getting destroyed by Bama and Florida the two previous years, Kiffin was a healthy kicker from shocking Bama and a decent quarterback from beating Florida. This year? It wasn't pretty. We played four good/solid teams (Oregon, LSU, Alabama, USCe) and went 0-4 with a total combined score of 143-61. That's an average loss of 36-15 (21 point loss on average). The team wasn't as good this year, and the depth hurt us a lot. However, we played Oregon and Bama well in the first half. But there is a first half and a second half.

5. How was the recruiting class? For a 6-7 team in the SEC getting a top ten-twelve class...very good. He addressed almost every need (still short on LB's) and pulled in very, very good players. There are guys who can contribute immediately and some interesting prospects for the future. You can't really ask for much else other than a better NSD finish, but it's not like we picked up nobody that week. We obviously need to see results, but in terms of getting good prospects ranking/offer list wise, it's look like we'll be solid as long as Dooley is here.

6. Is there stability? Yes. We only had one coaching casualty with Chuck Smith, but replaced him with someone inside the program who played in the pros. We had some players leave, but that was going to happen no matter who was coach. We haven't had any legal incidents in a while (knock on wood) and the fanbase is at peace for a moment (the first time in a while). Dooley has done a good job calming the storm.

Conclusion: So what's the final verdict? Dooley didn't do anything spectacular for the season. There wasn't any sort of stamp on the season. When your best win is against a 5-7 Ole Miss team, what does that say about the year? The team was young, didn't have a lot of talent, and had to go through another type of system however. The recruiting will help this year and in the future. The talent base is getting better. Jim Chaney and the offense has a bright future and I believe that it will only get better. I'm not sold in any capacity on the defense and Justin Wilcox. You can't show me anything that says Derek Dooley is a championship coach. You can't show me anything that says Derek Dooley won't be a championship coach.

My final grade for year one: B-

Go Vols!!! :hi:
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I would give him a B- as well, because character-wise, he is a dramatic upgrade from Lane Kiffin. That in and of itself goes a long way. Football-wise, everyone knew that this was going to be a tough year, and we didn't necessarily turn many heads. However, Dooley has pushed all the right buttons when it comes to how one can win a championship. He is doing it the right way and refuses to cut corners to do so.
 
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