So all of Sabans assistants are awesome except...

[sjt18]

If Dooley had been an exceptional coach, his chances of survival would have still been slim.

He took over a team with no... as in zero QB's. No DT's. Depth issues everywhere else and talent issues in many places. He took over with less than 3 weeks remaining until NSD. He took over with the NCAA cloud overhead. The program had just been very publicly rejected by Kiffin after he flaunted his disrespect for UT as a historic program even as HC. In the few years leading up to his hiring, Vols were more likely to make police blotters than all conference teams. Team discipline on and off the field was nil.

He obviously was not up to the task... but if he'd been significantly better than he was... he still would not have been. The hole was just that deep.

Jones DOES take over a better situation. The roster was not ideal and there were academic concerns. But overall, he stepped into a more achievable challenge by far.

 

[Orangedogsrule]

He kinda sucked there too. He seemed to have some seriously bad luck at UT. The LSU/UNC losses were unbelievable.

Actually, no, he didn't kinda suck there. Took a losing program to a bowl his 2nd year. Was HFC and AD. Third year he had over 20 bad injuries on his team. (Look what just a few have done to us over the last 3 yrs).
He left their whole athletic program in better shape than when he arrived.

But, I agree on the bad luck at UT. Players he inherited, the 'short leash' from Hammy that Hart promised CBJ he wouldn't get that no ones ever explained, his DC MOVED HOME, others left, that jacka$$ strength and conditioning coach let players just sign off their rep cards, ad nauseumall the way down to..broke his hip.

Even with all that he fielded the third best points per game team in Volunteer history.

He wasn't ready to be an SEC head coach. He wasn't a good game day coach.

It was time to replace him and Hammy in particular for that 'short leash' ... whatever that was.

 

[thebjd]

Dooley was a good dude, just bad football coach I blame the AD more than Dooley for the mess DD was about the 4th or 5th choice, when KIFFEN left the local dude at the YMCA turned our job down, till the day I die I think DD WENT TO THE 3-4 DEFENCE so he would get fired.

DD was not a good dude and wasn't trusted by the players. The folksy southern charm was fooling you.

 

[thebjd]

If Dooley had been an exceptional coach, his chances of survival would have still been slim.

He took over a team with no... as in zero QB's. No DT's. Depth issues everywhere else and talent issues in many places. He took over with less than 3 weeks remaining until NSD. He took over with the NCAA cloud overhead. The program had just been very publicly rejected by Kiffin after he flaunted his disrespect for UT as a historic program even as HC. In the few years leading up to his hiring, Vols were more likely to make police blotters than all conference teams. Team discipline on and off the field was nil.

He obviously was not up to the task... but if he'd been significantly better than he was... he still would not have been. The hole was just that deep.

Jones DOES take over a better situation. The roster was not ideal and there were academic concerns. But overall, he stepped into a more achievable challenge by far.

This is BS. Dooley inherited one of the best recruiting classes in the country. His first day of coaching the offense he had consisted of three NFL receivers, NFL tight end and two NFL QB's on offense. The offensive line we are losing with the exception of Tiny were part of his first class that he inherited. Swap Stone with Chaz Green so that is a wash. He didn't come into a great situation but the class he inherited was stout even if he didn't hold on to everyone.

 

[GLDunlap]

This is BS. Dooley inherited one of the best recruiting classes in the country. His first day of coaching the offense he had consisted of three NFL receivers, NFL tight end and two NFL QB's on offense. The offensive line we are losing with the exception of Tiny were part of his first class that he inherited. Swap Stone with Chaz Green so that is a wash. He didn't come into a great situation but the class he inherited was stout even if he didn't hold on to everyone.

The 2010 class which was rated 9th by rivals was severely overrated. There were 4 (4 star) players in that class that never put on a UT uniform and 1 (4 star) that didn't contribute and left after one year. That class had absolutely zero defensive talent in it. Even if was a great class it would have taken 2-3 of them to make the roster Dooley inherited even half way respectable.

Dooley wasn't ready to be a head coach in the SEC but he had no chance with what he walked into.