The CheckerBoard

Exactly.... and many times, especially in the 90's and early 2000's, we were that school that got players to flip when they had committed elsewhere. I think we get back to that (North and Dobbs just tip of the iceberg). As far as next year, I think we get a stud class, maybe even rivaling what Ole Miss did this year. We have this potential "Legacy Class" going for us, and if we can convince them to want to be a part of something big, 2014 could be a special recruiting class!

He would have been a VOL if CDD could coach at all. It was hard to stomach watching them at times. Do you blame a recruit for changing their mind????

True statements both. Not really sure what Dooley did to engender such disdain, say what you want about him, he was not a bad recruiter. Every one of his classes was better than the class we just signed. His three classes were ranked 9, 13 and 17 by Rivals..

those same high school coaches complained about Fulmer and Kiffin too...

Not disagreeing with that, nor do I want to defend Kiffin, but Fulmer did win so it was a little different. Saban isn't considered the most likeable guy but does it matter?

You have a point but far too many things have come out recently that make you question Dooley and staff's dilligence while recruiting. I'm told (didn't see it but heard Doug Matthews say he saw it) that Dooley admitted while serving on ESPN as a recruiting analyst that he had actually never seen Vonn Bell play. Numbers of nearby coaches have said they had no contact with UT staff. Several said they never received tout request sheets which recruiters routinely send to HS coaches asking for potential recruits. I know when you leave the naysayers come out of the woodwork, and Dooley did have a wholesale turnover in staff last year, but it doesn't look like his staff was out beating the bushes the way you have to do to compete in the SEC. Will Jones do better? I think he will. I think his staff has a work ethic. Dooley? My one contact with him at an alumni function, he blew me off like I was nobody. No other UT coach I have ever met, Dickey, Majors, Fulmer, Kiffin, and numerous assistants have ever treated me like that. If he was that way with others, including recruits parents and coaches, and there is evidence that he was.............aloof, is a kind way to put it, then I'm not surprised at his lack of success on the recruiting trail.

Wes rightfully asks that info posted inside the "VIP Room" should stay on this board. It's only fair to the guys on TOS, that their info should be treated the same way.

Lack of success on the recruiting trail? If there was one area where Dooley had success it was in recruiting. UT had four very high draft picks who left this year's team. Next year Stone, James, Richardson, Maggit, Johnson, McCullers, and Fulton could all be drafted. Some of them could go very early. Aren't those guys all Dooley recruits? Dooley couldn't put together a winning team on gameday, but he recruited well.

You just don't get it, do you?

Even though we're down we're still Tennessee we still have some pull to our university (tradition,sec,pro players,fan base, facilities) the one thing we were missing is Winning which Dooley tried to promise people was gonna happen till this year if Dooley would still be here this class would have been a flop IMO he's recruiting success would have run out yes he did get some good players while he was here but weve slowly been losing out on others because of him as well and with this staff and hopefully a winning season (hopeful upsets) these doors will open up and it'll show just what winning can do to a program and dooleys classes won't look as good anymore

There is absolutely nothing wrong with what the OP posted.

The first class he only had 2 1/2 weeks to affect, and the EEs were already on campus when Kiffin bailed. The second class Kiffin had started working on, and Dooley just filled in the blanks. That third class is the one where Tennessee found itself fighting off numerous other schools for recruits, and had some big last-minute defections to other schools (Santos for one). You can say that on paper the classes were better than Jones's lone UT class, but you can't deny that the quality of the classes decreased as Dooley had more and more involvement from start to finish with each class.

When Jones took over the program, the UT class was ranked in the high 30s/low 40s, depending on the service. To get this class back up to a top 25 DESPITE the recent lack of wins, DESPITE the negativity surrounding this program from media and fellow coaches alike is arguably a far better job that Dooley pulled off in his tenure. And to be honest, until we start seeing these 2013 players on the field, you really can't make any legitimate evaluation of this class.