The CheckerBoard

Quit settling for mediocracy. Actually, mediocracy would mean that we would have played in a bowl game last season. We are no better now than we were in 2010.

In what aspect of football are we no better this year than last year?

Dooley took over a program in ruins. Kiffen left in the middle of the night; only a few weeks before national signing day. He tried to take recruits with him to USC. Orange nation was in panic. Because the AD was cheap - did not want to pay on par with Alabama and other SEC powers and did not want to buy out Kiffen's assistants so Cutcliffe could bring own staff - and that there is not a ton of in-state talent to recruit (although may be changing) each year, UT was a tough sell to big name coaches. NONE of them wanted the job. The program is light years ahead of where it was in 2010. When UT went to LSU in 2010, nearly two-thirds of their team had Never dressed for an SEC road game. In 2010, UT only had about 65 scholarship players when, generally, all other opponents had the 85 NCAA max. There was very little speed on the team - particularly compared to 2012, Simms was avg at best, LBs were small, and the 2-deep was filled with underclassmen. The list goes on. Dooley is a good organizer and surprisingly good recruiter (given the W-L state of the program). The jury is out as to whether Dooley is a good in-game coach, but this program is in much better shape now than in 2010 and is headed in a positive direction. To be fair, one can debate whether it is moving fast enough or faster than the other SEC programs they face. But - unless UT suddenly grew a money tree and can pay $3 Million plus (minimum) annually for a head coach, will allow them to hire their own assistants, and has a big name coach lined up and ready to go, firing Dooley would be a disaster. In the absence of $$$, a suitable big name replacement, etc., we need at least one more year to make that assessment/decision.

Further thought. Dan Mullen took over in 2009 following Croom's last year, a year that saw MSU finish with a 4-8 record including losses to La Tech, UK and a bad UT team. In just his second season Mullen guided the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record, a bowl win and a final AP national ranking of 15. He currently has his team at 4-0 and ranked 23.

It is also worth noting that Mississippi produces A LOT of HS football talent - is actually closer geographically and demographically to Memphis (arguably the primary HSFB talent bed in TN) than Knoxville is - and MSU a relatively easy school to get into (no offense meant to MSU). MSU also did have the full 85 scholarship player allotment when Mullen took over (not 60-65 players like UT). MSU also did not have the murderous schedule like UT (SC, UGA, AL, FLA, ARK, LSU - back to back to back to back to back).

Actually the bulk of that ms state team are croom recruits right now

What can you show me that proves we are better?

This! He had the toughest part of the rebuild and made it a lot easier for Mullen. Croom is a class act and a good coach. He got the ball rolling for the program. From what I remember their defense was great under him just didn't have the play makers on the other side of the ball.