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Did Dooley leave UT better than he found it?

  • A few weeks ago I would have said definitely yes. Now I am beginning to wonder. I'd still lean to yes, since the NCAA black cloud is mostly gone, and our roster is a little deeper. However, with the presumed departure of our entire offense to the NFL, a recruiting class near the bottom of the SEC, embarrassing losses that damage the perception of the program, and a potentially divided locker room, it's not looking as good as I first thought.

    smasher423

  • You can't tell the shape the roster is in. He spent three years just trying to get them to play hard for four quarters. Who knows what they'll look like with a real coach at the helm.

    JPSke

  • Still better than when He-whose-name-I-will-not-say (that lost yet again today in CA) left it...at least there are some good athletes and next year will be senior heavy. Let another coach come stoke the embers and create some fire.

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    Its not a stupid question until you ask it.

    Ram_Lock

  • I have been on record all year here saying that if you couldn't see that we are better because of Dooley you were just being blind. : don't want to jump to conclusions based off a game where the team never tried to win but that being said that its harder to say yes than before tonight's game.

    Puddin Gooden

  • If nothing else, the next coach will have an O-Line with depth, at least 2 good RBs and should have a fairly good LB corps and a solid D-Line. Now, if we can just get someone that can put together a competent gameplan and make halftime/in-game adjustments . . .

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    "Old School"! A strong defense wins championships!

    volviking

  • Talent wise, we're probably in better shape. But not too sure overall. Next coach will inherit a team with no expectation of winning.

    GoBigO

  • Made it to a bowl game with a different coaches' players and did not make a bowl with 2 years of his players. I know we have more depth but we might not have the same top end talent. Hard to say after watching the last few weeks.

    Jetervol

  • Dooley built a program that was 21 point dogs to Bama @ home.
    Dooley built a program that needed 2 4th quarter touchdowns to beat a mid-level Sun Belt team @ home.
    Dooley built a program that gave up over 40 point a game in league play.
    Dooley built a program that lost by 23 to Vandy.

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    http://twitter.com/Volocaust

    VolPett

  • With every coaching change comes attrition. If no one left that isn't graduating, it's a clear yes in terms of roster.

    He's also set the table up rather nicely for the next coach: the fan base is hungry for wins, and if that coach were to beat Bama/Florida/Georgia/South Carolina/Missouri/Vandy/Kentucky he'd instantly be legendary in comparision...

    Baugamania

  • smasher423 said...

    A few weeks ago I would have said definitely yes. Now I am beginning to wonder. I'd still lean to yes, since the NCAA black cloud is mostly gone, and our roster is a little deeper. However, with the presumed departure of our entire offense to the NFL, a recruiting class near the bottom of the SEC, embarrassing losses that damage the perception of the program, and a potentially divided locker room, it's not looking as good as I first thought.

    More talented roster...check.
    VFL Program...check.
    Financially better from a football perspective...no
    Better coached and developed players...no
    Nationally more relevant...no

    Overall...we're probably worse (I'm sorry to say).

    This post was edited by Agent Orange on 11/17/2012 at 10:33 PM

    Agent Orange

  • About the same.

    dave50

  • nick danger

  • While you can point to individual things that are better, such as better off the field issues (far fewer arrests), better running game (O-Line and backs), I don't think the team is better. This team and Dooley leave knowing that they have the worst loss to Vanderbilt since 1954, and the first loss to Kentucky after 26 straight wins, and most consecutive SEC losses. I'm not seeing much evidence of a rebuild.

    jbsmbp

Tennessee
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