The CheckerBoard

I'm sorry your high hopes were dashed. So you really expected Dooley to take one of the worst teams in the country and have them beating top 10 teams in such a short time? He hasn't even had a full senior class yet. So, fair shot? I disagree. I'm not happy with things, but Dooley hasn't had a fair shot.

Don't get me wrong. I do note hate Dooley at all. I loved his quotes. I loved the orange pants. But that's about all we've gotten. I think he has done his best and really cares about UT, but is that all his job calls for? No. He was hired to win games. Guys we're 0-5 in the SEC. If we win out, which is not guaranteed, we're still 3-5 in the SEC. That's not acceptable at UT. Our schedule was set up this year for a minimum of 8 regular season wins. Mississippi State is garbage. Kevin Sumlin proved that. Besides the D-line, USCe is very average. Without Lattimore like they were for a half, they are not very good. Should've won both. Yes we beat Troy, but are you kidding me. That was an embarrassment. I hoped Dooley would get it done and I believed it until my trip to Starksville, but I just do not see it, and believe I've seen enough to support that.

Excellent rebuttal SV. There's a lot of good things Dooley has done for the football program and for it's image. Unfortunately, winning the tough games has not been one of them. But as long as he is HC of the Vols, I stand with you. +1 and GO VOLS!

when hired I said he needed 5 years to see if he could transform the program to being competitive. I still think that is a valid tmieframe for anyone taking on this program at that time. unfortunately, the fans are streaming away in droves. more and more aer giving up each day.

I agree going into season, most everyone felt UT would be more competitive and have a chance versus several schools we have lost too. I think the D is far worse than anyone, including Dooley and majority of fans, every had idea it would be. I also think that 3 teams we have lost to are better than most anyone thought they would be.

Makes it very difficult on the decision makers when revenues are plunging and it appears there would be a pretty siginificant drop in ticket sales if CDD back.

Same question. Different day.

I simply wish the keyboard coaches would tire of berating Coach Dooley on a daily/hourly basis. I would think we are ALL frustrated as hell and arguing among ourselves is not going to influence Dave Hart in any way.

To be fair, Dooley inherited the implosion of Fulmer's final recruiting class and Kiffin's only recruiting class. It was so bad that UT could not even fill out the 85 scholarship NCAA limit (they were at about 60-65 players). In 2010, when UT went to LSU, two-thirds of their team had never even Dressed for a college road game (much less played in one). Dooley's takeover at UT was not just a simple case of a big name school fallen on a couple of tough years. The situation that Dooley inherited was more akin to a program bouncing back from the NCAA death penalty. We are just now at the 85 scholarship limit.

Don't get me wrong, the defense is horrible. I think Sunseri should have been fired - or at least demoted to LB coach - This Morning (with Conklin the new DC). I am still not convinced that Dooley is a good in-game coach (although I think he is a good organizer - which is perhaps what the program needed following Kiffen's departure). However, anyone who thought that this mess would be cleaned up in three years either did/does not have a real view of the state of the program that Dooley took over, is in denial, or just like to bitch. The team IS better than it was 4 or 5 years ago. The problem is - so are AL, SC, LSU, etc.

Again, I am not 100 percent sure Dooley is the answer, but this situation was not simply a matter of a new coach coming in, talking a good game, installing a new offensive/defensive scheme and going out and winning like UT used to. The program was literally a disaster when Dooley took over. And I mean disaster (Earthquake, followed by massive fire, followed by Tsunami). No One wanted this job (yes - there is room to bitch about what $$ were offered and to whom). However, the disastrous state of the UT program after Kiffen left can't be overstated or overlooked in this discussion - particularly unless there is a sure-fire, can't miss, big name head coach ready to be the next head coach at UT. At this point, I don't see one.