The CheckerBoard

The narrative that Tennessee doesn't have the homegrown talent like some SEC schools is correct by the numbers, but UT has never, never, never been unable to recruit when its coaches put the work in. Tennessee has the largest recruiting budget in the SEC and the facilities which were the standard for quite sometime are trending back to the top of the heap. It has been reported that the problem, in recruiting at UT, is that coaches lose time with their families traveling all over recruiting, and alot of coaches, specifically established coaches don't want that grind. My understanding is that Dooley has reigned that in a little and UT coaches only recruit worthy players in certain states that have shown an interest in UT already. I give Dooley credit for putting in the work, but I believe most competent coaches and staffs can recruit top 15 talent to UT. The real test is can a coach do what Fulmer did and get top 5 classes. Fulmer was let go in 2008 and prior to the drum beating his 2009 recruiting class was in the top five on Rivals- only four years ago. I have no doubt that Kiff's 2010 class would have finished in the top 5, based on reports at the time and based on who was already in the fold.

So, yes UT doesn't have the backyard talent pool like some, but it has the resources to go get talent and over the years has consistently been able to do it. The real factor is the amount of energy UT coaches have to expend to get the same talent along with probably more personal sacrifices. I think sometime fans get caught up in repeating certain narratives and the narrative evolves into an implicit expectation that UT can't recruit with the big boys of the SEC and that's not true. It just takes more resources, which the AD, donors, and boosters provide, and more effort and sacrifices on behalf of the coaches than say Fl, GA, AL, or LSU coaches.

Agree the program has definitely improved. Can Dooley move the program beyond significant improvement to contender to champ? In my opinion he's got to 1. Win a game or two he is not supposed to win (Things might be totally different around here had he gotten the wins against LSU and UNC); 2. sign an elite back or locate one on his roster; 3. Consistently recruit consensus top 10 classes (assuming he gets the chance). I used to believe that top 15 classes could do it but when I look at LSU, Bama, Florida and GA (questionable coaching here at times), I just dont' know if top 15 consistency is going to cut it in the SEC.

Compared to last two years: Better run stats, better passing stats, 3-1 record with win over team picked by many as the dark horse to win the ACC, and only loss to 11th ranked team in the country (that will likely go up as weeks pass). Also - much more SEC quality depth at many more positions. Of course, you never know how things turn out until you play the games, but I don't feel like the last two years where because you lost to Florida you just suck and will be pounded by the rest of the SEC teams on your schedule. I think UT stands a better than realistic chance of beating SC and MSU and Missouri. I don't think a win at UGA this weekend would be comparable to the "1980 miracle on ice" in upset status. UT has a good offense (or at least talented pieces). They just have to get it done and the defense has to stop giving up big plays. I still think 8-4 (or even 9-3 with the right breaks) is entirely possible.

UT's Points per game, Total Offense, Pass completion rate, Avg per pass attempt, passing per game, Yards per rush, and Rushing Yards per Game are all currently the highest they have been in the past 7 years. Going all the way back to the 2006 season (because that is as far back as I looked), we have not been better statistically in these key categories than we are now. Does that mean we are great? No. Does that mean we will finish the season with these same numbers? No. But each stat is good enough that even with tail off through the SEC schedule that we are statistically doing very well. The team needs better mental toughness and to learn how to finish games, but I definitely believe that the facts show we are better. Much better than we were from 2008-2011. I have stat breakdowns for those too if you need. The team isn't where we want them to be, but no one can say that they haven't improved.

Even if Kiffin had stayed at UT, 2011 would have been a rough season. That was known as far back as 2009.

I hear you, but there are reasons outside of the name of the coach many of the kids Meyer got at Florida or now at OSU wouldn't have gone to Utah when he was there. There are reasons why Saban couldn't get the same kids he's getting now at Bama when he was at MSU. There are also reasons, outside of the coach that allow Dooley to get kids to come to Tennessee that would never have played for him at La Tech. Many of those reasons are location, some of it is conference, but a good amount is the school and the resources the school makes available to the coach to recruit these kids.

I don't think Dooley's going anywhere after this year, because I think he wins 8 games, and if he doesn't he'll be here due to the prohibitive 5 mil buyout and the buyouts of the staff, but if the donors finance a change after three years with this buyout, the smart money would have to be on them also willing to spend money on a big time coach.

Lack of in-state talent is not a narrative - unfortunately, it is fact. I mentioned that because we were talking about Mullen at MSU. He walked into a state school where there is usually plenty of talent. Much easier to recruit in-state talent than out of state. That stated -- yes - in years past - when UT was Winning - we got plenty of bigtime out of state talent. We have not won for three or four years ( a players whole high school career). That makes this task much harder to accomplish. That is why UTs recruiting budget is the largest in the SEC. They need it. I say this as someone who freely admits it was a mistake to fire Fulmer (which I wanted at the time). However, the fact is he was fired and the program was at a very low point when Dooley got her (not even enough scholarship players to fill out the 85 man limit). Point being - that Mullen inherited a situation that was actually (somehow?) better than what Dooley got. And it is too early to start talking about firing Dooley (which to be fair your post was not - but plenty of others are) when he has not even had a seniors class yet and UT is 3-1 on the year with a victory over NC State - whom many picked as a dark horse to win the ACC and only one loss to 11th ranked Florida (who may rise much higher by season's end).

So true. A very thoughtful post.