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Maybe it was just a bit of football gravity.
I spent the holiday weekend on a Lake Erie island surrounded by Big Ten fans. When it would be revealed I was a sportswriter from Knoxville, three questions invariably followed.
First question: What did you think of Lane Kiffin?
He was interesting, I would reply.
Second question: Who did Tennessee hire to replace him?
Pause. Third question: Where was he from?
Louisiana Tech.
My point is about the perception of Tennessee football from afar.
Everyone knows who the former coach was, never mind that he was here barely long enough to do laundry.
Six months into the job, meanwhile, Kiffin's successor isn't a household name.
Dooley told us in his introductory press conference in January that he wasn't into sound bites. And, frankly, after some of Kiffin's sound bites, that wasn't unwelcome news.
So, you're thinking, why should UT fans care whether a bunch of Buckeyes and Badgers know who Derek Dooley is?
Because there was a time when any college football fan from Richmond to Redondo Beach could name the coach at Tennessee.
But when you bunch together 5-6, 5-7 and 7-6 and start changing coaches right and left, well, details do get fuzzy.
However, a couple of details about UT football have rung out loud and clear in the past 48 hours. A brawl. Some arrests. A dismissal of a promising young player.
Yep, the Vols were back in the headlines. But in this case, no news would have been better than bad news.
UT's unwanted publicity was welcome in some quarters. I heard a Georgia fan call a Nashville radio show Friday and gloat, "At least we're not talking about red panties today.''
(No, they're talking about the arrests of two Bulldogs, Dontavius Jackson and Tavarres King.)
But back to Dooley. While he's been studiously avoiding sound bites, he's been quietly working to change the culture of the program.
Make that two cultures. On the field and off.
The culture on the field is daunting enough. Chief rivals Alabama and Florida are living large. Even at the lower end, the SEC is as competitive as its ever been. Overtime is required to beat Kentucky these days.
Off the field, UT hasn't been plagued by an inordinate amount of incidents. But when they happen, they're doozies.
Big Ten fans remember the parking-lot stick-em-up in November. The Jan. 1 basketball arrests resonated from the Sun Belt to the Mountain West. Is every Vol packing a gun or what?
Now, the Bar Knoxville brawl that sent an off-duty police officer to the hospital.
Dooley has talked at length about his desire to change the culture off the field. He was asked Friday where that culture is.
"I don't know how you define it,'' he said. "I just know it's not where it needs to be.
"We have some great young men who want to do right and are doing right,'' he continued. "But there have been enough incidents to know we can't stick our head in the sand and say, 'Oh, we're really OK. Just one or two guys did this.'
"I don't ever stick my head in the sand.''
In dispensing the first disciplinary penalties associated with Friday's brawl, Dooley reiterated his pledge:
Build a program that won't just win games, but will also represent the school in a way to make the fans proud.
He's clearly got his work cut out on both fronts.
Winning games is the quickest way to enhance his name recognition, whether it's on an island in Lake Erie or a high-school stadium in Texas. Nothing wrong with that.
Building character off the field is worthy work, too. And if it doesn't generate any headlines, isn't that the point?
Mike Strange may be reached at strangem@knoxnews.com or 865-342-6276.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 25
KJVol writes:
Nice article, Mike.
Bigger_Al writes:
Strange rocks! Adams ...... not so much.
west_tn_volfan writes:
This is getting so old. These guys have been given the opportunity of a lifetime and they just throw it all away and make the university look bad. Its a blatant disregard for your coaches,teammates,and family. Of course it never helps to have the excuse makers kick into high gear either. These guys are not kids, they are young men. There are guys their age and younger representing this country on the battlefield right now and they are men not kids. Maybe the problem is that they aren't expected to act like men so they don't. At any rate its an embarrassment to many faithful fans that certainly deserve better.
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
And ALMTHPS can rip from KNS headlines:
Strange: Dooley can rip from the headlines
VolinCalif writes:
Chasing Duck's can get one to drown and kicking Gators one could lose a leg. With that said I think we have a good chance to beat both those teams. I know it's not likely to happen but I think we have a great bunch of players and a great Coaching staff. If we were playing these teams in late OCT or Nov I'd say we would beat one of them for sure. It's still going to be a winning season for the Vols.
Go Vols
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Oregon.
Season maker.
Hang on.
Southland writes:
those that are still talking about the season haning in the balance in the Florida or Oregon game just dont get it. We are talking about changing a culture of winning at all costs to winning with class. This season will be a rough one but so be it. Lets give Dooley the time to clean house and rebuild.
GerryOP writes:
55 -- Fear The Dooley Dude...
johnlg00 writes:
What you said. The entire future and reason for being for our entire program is hanging in the balance right now. UT could have the greatest on-field coaching staff of all time and the Vols would still not be picked any higher than maybe fourth in the SEC East by most observers this season.
So let's at least take the opportunity to build a solid base of talent AND off-field character from which the program can steadily rise to the level of on-field success all Vol fans want to see. CDD didn't promise that we would be world-beaters right away, but he DID promise that he would field a team that would be WORTHY of winning by doing things right. For now, that is certainly enough for me. The wins WILL come soon enough if we give CDD enough time to do what has to be done.
BillyVol writes:
Great article, anyone for some foooooootballlll.
BIGORANGEDOG writes:
"REMEMBER THE ALAMO" The call to arms is now! We must remember the couage it took to stand against the stronger force. To hold fast the ground you are protecting, and never waiver. Stand your posted position until reinforcements can arrive. THIS IS THE REASON FOR THE "TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS" CDD teach these young men the reason for who we are and challenge them to hold this ground. Defend with your last breath and write this teams names in the Volunteer book of CHAMPIONS!
Pompey writes:
The stupidy of some fans is mind boggling....didn't the caller know that this is a in every college sports program?
It is not possible for me to care any less than I do about what Big Ten fans think or do....not possible.
Finally, understand this: "Dooley aint no dumb coach"...and some will discover this fact the hard way!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Very true.
There are no "throw away season or games"...
murrayvol writes:
Hangin' on over here boss.....barely.
murrayvol writes:
May be time for CDD to give Andre Lott a sidekick i.e. Al Wilson.
Andre gets first shot at attitude transplant. Failing that, meet Mr. Wilson.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
How many hard boiled eggs can you eat?
GvlVol writes:
I would still like a statement from our new "character" coach. He has not been there long. How is he going to change the culture?
Colliervol writes:
What we got heah is failuh to communicate.
silicon28 writes:
You hit it on the head. One of the reasons my trips to Knoxville anymore are few and far between. At least the mid-major college near my home graduates its athletes and is a place where you can walk through town after dark. Cumberland Ave. anymore? Not from what I read.
Ralph_Crampton writes:
Dooley is an unknown and we all know that..for example we have no idea if he can recruit players to compete in the SEC. Of course we hope he can...I am sure that he should and he knows this..keep pounding the idea of a pro career to the recruits...make that the theme...PRO FOOTBALL future. The Vols have historically sent many to the pros...but they have to work hard while here. The new Kentucky basketball coach lures recruits as a step to the pros. Its working big time.
VolAlum2003 (Inactive) writes:
I'm not sure I understand how we have a "good chance" to beat those teams if "it's not likely to happen." I'm sorry to constantly be the realistic voice of reason on these message boards, but both Florida and Oregon are teams that have experienced defensive and offensive lines, proven coaching staffs, and offensive schemes that have historically confounded the Vols. Dooley is trying to coach his way out of a hole right now and just becuase he recruits "character" players (of course he didn't recruit Da'Rick...oh wait...) we are still at a MASSIVE disadvantage. We were much, much more experienced on the offensive line last year and UCLA still found a way to score on us with a back-up QB. We held Florida to a respectable score, but our All-American, once in a lifetime Safety is no longer on the team. These are both teams that, if given even the slightest opportunity, will rip our heads off. Oregon knows that they won't have a shot in hell of going to the NC game if they don't beat us and Florida...well we all know about the Gordian Knot that Florida seems to present to every UT football coach.
I know I'll get ripped for this dire (but sober) review of our upcoming football season, but if you bash on my post, just make sure that you are really 100% positive that this team is as good as you might want to think they are. This is SEC football, not NeverNever Land and no matter how much you want to clap your hands and say "I believe in Coach Dooley" it won't make an inexperienced team going through one of the worst coaching transitions in Vols history magically come back to life.
The Vols may be on their way back, but fellas, it ain't gonna be this year. You guys better prepare yourselves for some harsh realities. As for me...I think UK has a better chance of beating us than we have of beating either Oregon or Florida.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
He's a good boy but he's got to get his mind right.
Lizardgrad89 writes:
Don't bet the rent money.
JACK8254 writes:
There are at least two local writers with the guts to tell it like it is. Mike and Frank Munger have the courage to pose the difficult questions to the Imperial court. Bravo .
JACK8254 writes:
I never thought that I would ever dread the opening of a Vol Football Season because it used to be the thing I enjoyed most about Autumn. Even in the lean years, one could still be proud of the team . Those days are gone for the present. I think I will take this season off and wait for better times and better people . This last thing is too much to sweep under the rug. Nine huge , muscular guys pounding on the head of one man? Despicable ,trashy, thuggish,etc. They should all be gone.
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