Then hiring Dave Hart was a big mistake. This rest on his shoulders now and it will be interesting to see how he handles things.I'll reitterate;Coach Derek Dooley is too good for the likes of the vol football program. They really don't want a straight coach that won't lie, cheat or connive, phil fulmer taught them that is the way to win.
This. If I was a Vol fan, I'd advise patience.I'd think they would give Dooley at least 4 yrs before they made a decision one way or the other (its not like the cupboards were full when he got there). Switching coaches every couple of years will insure mediocrity.
Interesting post from a rational UT fan. There is really no difference in the result of having several recruiting classes gutted by a combination of convenient timing of release of information and ensuing probation, versus self-inflicted recruiting failure. Either way, you get nothing for several years, and it takes a really long time to recover.A couple of my UT friends have been posting this on FB. It's actually a pretty good read on the explanation of their downfall. If they can get this spread around, I think the writer might be right. And then we get to keep KS.
LINK
]\Hearing Tennessee has had it with Dooley due to being winless in the SEC this year. Would former Alabama Assistant AD Dave Hart make the call to Kirby Smart?
I would also think that UT would like to give him at least four years, but I would bet quite a bit that he will be fired next year if they do not show improvement. I don't think he can survive another 1-7 SEC record.Dooley walked into a mess, he will be given a minimum of 4 and maybe even 5 yrs.
TN is the 2nd most winning program in the SEC so I disagree he could do better. The program is in a bad place now but there is great potential at TN. As far as Kirby is concerned I hope he gets some experience somewhere and then comes back to Bama when Coach Saban retires.Smart can do better than TN! with the currect coaching landscape of the SEC, it is hard for a medicore coach to complete for championships. I believe muschamp will evidently be good mostly because of the instate talent available in Fla. but I don't see anyone other than a premier coach doing well at UT and Dools is not a premier coach. Smart would be a 'smart' choice as he would instantly give credibility to the recruiting of defensive studs and defensive wins championships. When Smart takes a HC gig, i hope he takes a better one than TN.
I would generally agree, but in this case I want to keep Kirby. Name him HCIW if we have to, to keep him.I never want a head coach in waiting.
How'd that work out for Texas with Muschamp?I would generally agree, but in this case I want to keep Kirby. Name him HCIW if we have to, to keep him.
I wholeheartedly agree. Dooley has not had a real chance, given injuries, turmoil, recruiting, etc. Quite frankly, I thought they played us well the first half and then wore out. This is going to sound crazy, but UA needs for UT to be strong...competition never hurts anyone. We need for a strong SEC from top to bottom so that all our wins count for something. Having UT, MSU, OM, and AU be so weak this year did not help any of us. Besides, it makes for some really good internet discussions!I know I am not on here much anymore but I do still browse from time to time.
Had to read this thread.
This is the first place I have heard Kirby Smart to Tennessee. I don't think that will happen. If it did, the fan base would be even more outraged and upset than they are right now. Not saying Smart is not a good coach but he has no head coaching experience. The fans that want Dooley gone are the idiots that think we can fire him (and pay a $5 mil buy out) and then throw $5-8 mil at a coach like Saban, Gruden, Stoops, Cowher, or <insert big name coach here>. To me this is insane. What big time coach in their right mind would come to Tennessee if Dooley was fired right now? None, I don't think. Why would they come here with the thought in the back of their mind that if they don't succeed within 2 years then they may be shown the door? Imagine the buy out that would be written into that contract if Dooley was fired and then a big name coach hired. I would imagine it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $8+ million. I am not sure if the pay out to Fulmer has been completed yet or not but to pay Dooley a buyout and then to hire a big name for $5+ million is probably not going to happen
My thoughts on Dooley. Is he the right man for the job? I don't know, I cannot fairly answer that at this point. If next year turns out in the same boat as this season I think it is probably time to go. I think next year he needs to compete for the east. How many wins is that? I am not sure. If UT wins 7 or 8 games next season who will those wins be against? Where will that put us in the SEC race? If we win 8 does that put us at 4-4 or 5-3 in the SEC? 3 non conference wins next season should be givens (Georgia St, Akron, and Troy). That puts us at 5-3 in the SEC with 8 wins. Is that good enough to compete in the east? Probably...but that is assuming we get 8 wins next year. I would like to still consider Vandy and Kentucky wins in the conference but as this year showed that is not guarantee.
I want to see Dooley succeed. I love UT football and want to see wins on the field. I want to get back to the days of stepping on the field and know going into the game with Bama, LSU, Florida, and Georgia is going to be a good game and that UT has a legit shot of winning. Right now this is not the case. We hope we can make a game of these games and others (Ark, Auburn, USC) and be in the game late with a shot of pulling it out. Right now that is not happening.
Back to the topic of this thread. I am not sure Smart would really be a smart hire (no pun intended) for UT at this point if Dooley was ran out of town.
We're not even sure Kirby wants a top job yet, so why not? Just because it didn't work at Texas doesn't mean we don't have to do it. If we do it and he leaves, then that's on him and nobody would blame him.How'd that work out for Texas with Muschamp?