The CheckerBoard

Regardless of what happens to the rest of the staff, I really hope UT retains the services of Palermo and Pittman. Our offensive line is amazing this season, easily the best in the SEC and Palermo has made the defensive line consistent and solid. No one has really been able establish an interior run game against the Vols. I personally feel that Dooley's inability to get over the hump and Sunseri's scheme are the only true coaching failures this year.

i agree mikeltn the O line has really come of age with and being coached up my the O line coach. D line has played better with better personel and coaching but LB and DB coaches have to go. dont forget to keep our only VFL running back coach as a keeper

Rookie coaches at DB and safeties. And it has been the Achilles heel of the defense. Wow.

If we take an honest look at our coaching staff compared to others at schools that we want to be as good as (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, etc.), what would we see?

1. DC - No previous coordinator experience. UGA went through this same scenario when they changed to the 3-4, Richt hired one of his buddies to do that. Didn't work out and Richt changed to a DC with NFL experience. Can Sunseri do the job, right now the evidence is no.

2. OC - None better than Cheney. Offense has improved each of the last three years.

3. OL - Lots of experience, great improvement.

4. DL - Lots of experience, DL has not been our issue on D.

5. LB - I think Sunseri is handling this group, who knows with the injuries we have had.

6. RB - Jay Graham, no issues, backs are getting better. Should be able to recruit with anyone.

7. WR - Hinshaw, no issues, other than a little focus issue by Hunter and Patterson, others have improved and are playing well enough to win. Long term, will he keep the WR's at a high level? Don't know. Recruiting seems to be okay for long term viability of the position.

8. DB and Safety - Both coaches have no major college level experience. Do they get in the players faces? Don't know. This group has probably underperformed more than any other position on the field. Certainly does not match up to Saban coaching the positions at Alabama. Recruiting has not gone great hear the last few years. McNeil, top notch. Izunea and Moore, not great JC transfers. Randolph, hurt and that hurt the D a lot. Gray and Bonner, jury still out. Needs lots of help.

9. HC - Dooley has done a lot of good things. The facilities are better because he is here. The program is clean. Apparently this year the HC has gotten the attention of the players and attitudes have been better. I think he gets a C at best for his coaching selections, but he may have gotten the best that he could under the circumstances.

Has there been an upgrade in talent? Absolutely. Has the play on the field gotten better? O yes, D no. In conclusion, I just don't know if this collection of coaches can get us to where we want to be. That is a sad thing to be saying in Dooley Yr 3.