I would largely agree with that. By the time Jones was hired, it seemed to be an open secret that Dooley had tried to get a settlement to leave the year before. Morale across the program was probably as low as it could be. No one wanted to be part of the perpetual funeral service that was Dooley's staff and locker room.
That doesn't mean that Jones didn't have a recruiting situation that was unique in all of my time watching UT football. I can't say that he didn't go out and win some battles. He definitely found and won Dobbs. He brought Kamara in... and ultimately wasted his ability. Jalen Hurd was one of the worst wasted potentials to ever sign with UT. Just the homers and legacies for those two years created almost certain top 10 classes.
I'm not saying he didn't do anything. Being a used car salesman before people realized he couldn't coach was definitely his "best" trait.
I think we agree here pretty much. My point is that you don't often have a class at UT with a foundation of Hurd, Malone, Kelly, Barnett, Wharton, Bates, BerryX2, Gaulden, etc. Outside of Dooley, I think every coach UT has had from Majors forward would have had them on NSD.
It is kind of sickening is to think of what Heupel could have done with a roster that had Kamara, Hurd, Malone, Pearson, Jennings, Dobbs, etc. My problem with Jones has always been that I think he squandered great opportunity.