Impressed with Derek Dooley

[NorthernTide]

I'm sitting here watching the replay of Derek Dooley waiting for Coach Saban to come on and am quite surprised at how impressive he is. It is apparent how much both his father and Coach saban has influenced him. I really liked how he got up on his soapbox concerning scholarships being a contract both sides had to live up to. It was as if Coach Saban was using him as a hand puppet!

 

[SavannahDare]

He makes me almost want to find Tennessee tolerable again.

Almost.

 

[NorthernTide]

He makes me almost want to find Tennessee tolerable again.

Almost.

I'm not "there" yet !

 

[lafella]

lol not ever going to happen here.

 

[bamanut_aj]

guy still seems in over his head to me. I don't doubt he's a nice guy, but I'm far from impressed. And it has nothing to do with him being the ut coach.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

He makes me almost want to find Tennessee tolerable again.
Almost.

With the departure of Fulmer & Kiffin, Tennessee became tolerable.
I like Derek Dooley. He learned a lot from his father and Coach Saban.
CDD's trying to do things the right way. He's got his work cut out for him.
CDD inherited a team of problems created by CPF and CLK.

Alabama will always be my favorite...
Followed by: LSU and Tennessee (I know it's almost a sin to say that, but I used to live close to LSU and I nearly went to Tennessee back in the 60s)
No apologies forthcoming...

 

[BamaFanVA]

Dooley may be tolerable but I hope he never wins another game while at tennessee.

 

[BamaCorvin]

Dooley may be tolerable but I hope he never wins another game while at tennessee.

Bingo!!

 

[Crimson Cat]

I like Dooley...if they give him enough time, he might make UTee respectable again. He's got his hands full with that program though...

 

[teamplayer]

I agree that Dooley seems to be a solid individual, but I am like a few others here who hope he doesn't win much at UT. I do agree with him about the scholarships. Scholarships should be one year contracts in my opinion. Kids' ability and high school accomplishments earn them scholarship offers to begin with, but their work while in school is what helps them keep it.

 

[CrimsonBeachBum]

I like Coach Dooley, too. A lot of my hatred and contempt for UT subsided after P. Fulmer was canned. The guy was a real back-stabber and was infatuated with bringing Alabama football down. Kiffin was a fluke and a joke. Dooley, I like and can respect.

 

[ddd]

I like Derrick Dooley too, but as long as he is wearing Tennessee orange I cannot wish him any success.

 

[BamaFossil]

I recall vividly the unbridled glee of Vol fans as Alabama struggled with NCAA issues. The alliance of Tennessee Roy and P. Fulmer (plus a stupid booster... ) conspired to bring Alabama football to the brink of near-extinction. We spent almost a decade in the wilderness due to (1) the shadow of pending sanctions; (2) coaching carousel; and (3) results of sanctions. Vol fans celebrated every hiccup along the way as they gleefully predicted the demise of Alabama football for decades to come.

Then karma. Delicious karma.

Fulmer got lazy. Mal Moore pulls a rabbit outta' the hat. Bama football rises from the ashes. Vols drop to mediocrity. Vols fire Fulmer. Vols hire Kiffin(!). Vols well-positioned for at least a decade in the wilderness!

Then Kiffin bolts and Vols hire Dooley. I'm not pleased. I want them to enjoy the wilderness at least as long as we did. However, I suspect Dooley could be the coach to short-circuit their sojourn in the wilderness.

So yes... I think he's an impressive coach. But I don't wish him success while at TN. Except against non-SEC teams. I'm still an SEC homer...

 

[CrimsonBeachBum]

Same here. I'll wish TN success every time they play an out of conference team, but hope we continue to beat them for years to come.

 

[ccc2259]

Like others on this thread, in my eyes UT has transitioned from a hated, depised, wish-they-would-rot-in-hell program under Philip Full-of-it to a respected fierce rivalry under CDD. I agree with AJ in that CDD seems to be over his head at times, but that's to be expected when you compare what he inherited to his experience. I actually could enjoy seeing them lose every year on the 3rd Saturday, but win the East so we get to beat them again in December.