The Dooley Progression

#28
#28
Vol Main said:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again; this is the best Tennessee team we've seen in years.

Yes, there are too many busts on defense and fails in the kicking game. There have been some odd decisions, bad throws and dropped passes, etc. But we watched all of those things for decades.

When Dooley came here, there was a freshman offensive line with only one experienced player, no center and zero depth. Did you get that? There was no center. There was zero depth. How long did it take to create that disaster? How long did it take for Dooley to fix it? It's fixed; the offensive line is among the very best in the nation, right now. How many years did Tennessee go without recruiting defensive linemen? That went on year after year after year, before Dooley. We have D-linemen now, some truly great players with good guys in the two deep, because Dooley got them and coached them. Running game? Sure there is a very proud tradition. But with the exception of Montario Hardesty's senior season, the running game had been pathetic for a long time, going way back through Fulmer's years. Don't tell me otherwise because I watched the games; the running game sucked for years, and that's a fact. Tennessee's running game is respectable this year; it's very much improved, producing against the toughest defenses in the conference. However spotted our passing game might be, it is feared by every team in the league.

The W/L column is very disappointing. But don't even tell me this is not the best, most competitive Tennessee team in many years. By season's end, Tennessee should be a solid middle tier team in the SEC, up from the freaking bottom. Mediocrity is not acceptable, you say. Get real people; Tennessee was not even close to mediocre when Dooley arrived; the program had hit the bottom...the bottom. It was one of the worst teams in the whole country, playing against the very best in the country. Because we don't like that terrible reality, we don't want to think it or say it or support the man who is pulling us back up from it. The fact is that this year there was exciting competition in every game but one, and that is against several top ten teams. The failures stand out, but so do the improvements. Only the frustrated blind fail to see them.

I think Dooley has the qualities necessary to be a successful coach in the SEC. He keeps working to get things right, and he's close... very close. Maybe he won't get there, but if the improvements continue then his eventual success on a higher level seems inevitable.
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best team? good grief what do u consider terrible then?
 
#30
#30
Dooley just needs 74 more recruiting classes then we will really turn the page!
 
#31
#31
I bet George Cafego is turning in his grave.

It's been a long time since I've seen our kicking game this bad.
 
#33
#33
When we are down by 30 in the fourth quarter, Dooley pulls out some trickery and goes for the field goal. That'll show em!
 
#34
#34
First, I am a Dooley supporter and think he should get another year. But I do see everyone's points and they are good ones on both sides. Yes the special teams are dreadful and yes, the D is painful to watch.

But continuity in his 3 years has been hard to come by. First he comes in off 2 coaches in 2 years making him number 3. Possible sanctions floating around everywhere. We've had great players leave, cut, etc. (and yes I know this happens to many programs), and this year he started with damn near a whole new staff.

Were ripe with JUCO players who are still learning how to play at this level, much less in the SEC.

And I keep looking at our 5 losses: Here we are knocking on November's door, the last month of the season, and the average BCS ranking of those 5 teams comes to 7.2!!

Look at the top 25 and ask yourselves how many would have lost the same 5? They are tons of them.... And we all know we could have beaten at least 3 of them had the ball bounced our way.

I don't know guys. I really like Dooley and I think he can win here. But I get the other side too so I am not blind.

I think given normal circumstances, any new coach should get 3 years. But Dooley came into anything but normal and into the SEC no less. I think patience will pay off for us but I fear it will not rule the day. We treated Fulmer like crap and got what we deserve. We may get the same for kicking Dooley to the curb....
 
#35
#35
EZE said:
This is the worst defensive Tennessee team I have seen since I have been a fan and that goes back to the mid 80s.
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since this is the worst D in the entire history of UT football, no fan need tax their memory in trying to recall a worse one.

if this abomination that consistently yields >500 ypg is due to "not having the right players for the system," then CDD and his minions are idiots for trying to implement it at this time.

if the right players for the system are in fact in place, then CDD and his minions are idiots for not being able to implement it at this time.

pick your scenario -- conclusion is the same.
 
#37
#37
This isn't the best Vol team in the last five years. The '09 team with Kiff, good Crompton, and Montario would beat this team IMO.
 
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