The real measuring stick for me is recruiting. In the SEC your schuduling top quality opponents every year. Weak recruiting interest in an athletic program that grosses $100,000,000.00 a year on a bad year is what our coaches are facing. Not ideal. Not fixable in less than 5 years. People seen AL hit pay dirt with Saban & now everyone thinks that's obtainable right off the shelf like a box of wheaties. 1st you have to spend money on your facilities (check). Hire a proven winning staff, then recruits will come and then UT will right the ship. Dooley is never going to work in this era of Football and everyone knows it but I don't see any Top talent coaches lining up for UT at the moment cause everyone expects a National title in less than 3 years. If you want to be the best you gotta hire the best. AD M. Hamilton ran off Fulmer and alienated all past coaches and players. Made a ballsy hire in lame kitten that back fired. UT got stingy and decided to stop the bleeding rather than write a check for quality staff. Well, that has not paid dividens nor will it. If we have 2 more seasons of this coaching staff we are going continue to maintain mediocrity or worse decline. If we aren't part of the conversation for producing top rated athletes and NFL draft picks this program will continue to suffer losses. Dooley blames his athletes and that is just not ever a good sign of a leader, period. The teacher has to bear the burden if his team is not prepared to succeed. Bad coaching is not overcomable no matter the level of athlete. Spend the money, get a proven winning staff, coach up the players (who aren't terrible as the record reflects) and right the ship. Ask your self why hasn't UT landed a quality coach? Because our previous AD was in way over his head. Current AD Hart, if he is smart, will drop some coin next season. Just a few realistic suggestions would be Jim Tressle, Bobby Petrino, Paul Johnson, Troy Calhoun then maybe:
Dabo Sweeney
Mark Dantonio
Charlie Strong
Would take a chance on any of these before hiring Dooley: Kevin Steel, David Cutcliffe, Randy Sanders, John Chavous or Randy Shannon.