KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Even in Tennessee's worst seasons, the Volunteers found a way to end on a strong note, be it with a win in their final game of the regular season or a trip to some bowl game.
The Vols finished the 2011 season by finding a new low.
"Sometimes you don't always get what you want, but a lot of times you get what you deserve. We're not a good football team," coach Derek Dooley said.
With a 10-7 loss to a Kentucky team that fielded a wide receiver at quarterback, Tennessee (5-7, 1-7) wrapped up back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in a century, saw the end of a 26-game winning streak against the Wildcats and finished at the bottom of the Southeastern Conference East Division.
The Vols, whose 49 bowl game appearances are tied with Texas as the second most in the nation, also won't be playing in the postseason for the third time in seven seasons.
"I feel like we let a bunch of guys down — this team, and definitely the Vol nation," wide receiver Rajion Neal said.
It's rock bottom for a team that's had a rough stretch of seasons on Rocky Top.
The Vols have been in rebuilding mode since the firing of Phillip Fulmer and quick exit of Lane Kiffin left them with back-to-back coaching turnovers after the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Eighteen recruits from the signing classes those seasons — the Vols who would have been juniors and seniors this season — left Tennessee, were kicked off the team or never qualified in the first place, leaving Tennessee short an entire signing class worth of players. Freshmen and sophomore outnumbered the upperclassmen on the team two to one this year.
When sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray and sophomore wide receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers lit up the Neyland Stadium scoreboard in a 45-23 win against Cincinnati on Sept. 10, expectations rose for the team. The young Vols appeared capable of outplaying their youth and outscoring many of the opponents on their schedule with a dynamic passing game.
But Hunter suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the next game and a broken thumb kept Bray out of five games, exposing Tennessee as a team with hardly any depth and one that relied a bit too much on a few key players.
The injuries couldn't have come at a worse time. Tennessee faced five teams that finished the 2011 season ranked among the Top 25 without Bray and Hunter and was outscored 158-35 in those five losses. Two of those losses were to No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, both teams with clear shots at playing in the BCS championship.
Still, the Vols beat each of their nonconference opponents and managed to pull out a 27-21 overtime win against a now bowl-bound Vanderbilt team on Nov. 19, keeping alive their hopes of salvaging the season with a postseason trip.
They just didn't play like a team that deserved to be in a bowl game against a Kentucky team in the midst of its own disappointing season. With nothing to lose, the Wildcats went with wide receiver Matt Rourk in place of injured quarterbacks Maxwell Smith and Morgan Newton.
CoShik Williams ran for a touchdown, and Roark had 124 yards on 24 carries while attempting just six passes. An ill Bray, who hasn't quite looked like his previous in the two games he's played since breaking his thumb, couldn't do enough to keep Tennessee from suffering its first loss against Kentucky since 1984.
"At some point we had to hit a real low point with where this program is," Dooley said. "I knew we were going to hit one. I knew. I hoped we wouldn't, but it's inevitable. You're going to hit a bottom."
Dooley has had a little more leeway than most coaches these days when it comes to wins and losses because of the program's turmoil in recent years. That won't last much longer with a Tennessee fan base that expects nine-win seasons and bids to bowl games played on New Year's Day or later.
There's some promise for the Vols. They lose just a few seniors who made significant contributions to the team this season and return all but three starters.
Hunter, linebacker Herman Lathers and safety Brent Brewer will return from injuries, while Dooley's third recruiting class is shaping up to be among the top 20 signing classes in the nation.
Dooley knows it won't just take warm bodies to return Tennessee to its former glory, though.
"We've got a lot of work we need to do to be a good football team. We have to work at that. We need to know there's a lot of things you have to do to be a good player. There's a lot of things you have to do to be a good team.," he said.
"We're going to begin our climb."
___
AP Sports Writer Colin Fly in Lexington, Ky., contributed to this story.
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Comments » 160
kjvols writes:
Toney Dungy to stock the shelves for Peyton
TommyJack writes:
do whut?
LJS1984 writes:
Thank goodness to no bowl bid. It would have been torture and embarrassing to have to watch that bunch play in a bowl game.
Upgrayedd writes:
Neither one of them are stupid enough to subject themselves to our fanbase's unrealistic expectations.
markc2 writes:
Dooley needs to climb in a moving van and make room for a real coach.
kjvols writes:
Is it to much to expect a coach to keep some kids under contol,just check out brays and DaRops twitter,
I though Dooley learned from Saban. Not
markc2 writes:
For all you brain dead Dooley supporters:
I don't think it's an unrealistic expectation to beat a less talented KY team that doesn't even have a QB. Dooley has taken this team backwards. They have shown no improvement and have actually gotten worse as the season progressed. Good coaches get the best out of the players they have. They show improvement over the course of a season. Dooley can't motivate anyone, and then goes around telling the press how bad this football team is. He may be a great guy, but he is a terrible coach. The longer he's at the helm, the more years we spend at the bottom of the SEC.
huntined#565710 writes:
I think it is time to FORGET THIS GAME...Move on to BB
LifetimeVolFan writes:
Dooley says, "We are going to begin our climb." I don't understand. He has had 2 years to begin his climb--why is starting now? The guy is a big talker and his actions, or lack thereof, clearly speak louder. He has no resume to prove he can get this done. The facts are what they are; he's learning how to coach at the expense of UT fans. If his name were Derick Jones, or Derick Smith, etc., out of La Tech, he would never have even gotten a look. Because of his last name, certainly not his accomplishments, he gets the job--big mistake! Just ask Alabama about a last name of Shula and how that worked out for them.
FWBVol writes:
All the fans that have Peyton on their coaching wish list aren't being realistic. First, Peyton still wants to play in the NFL and if his neck heals he will. Second, while Peyton has been a great player and one of the best ambassadors the program has ever turned out it doesn't mean he would make a good coach at Tennessee or in the NFL.
Very few, if any, elite players in any sport turn out to be great coaches (baseball managers).
Third, even Peyton Manning would have to pay his dues as an assistant coach before getting a head coaching job.
And finally, while I don't think money would be an issue, Manning would have to take a huge pay cut to coach even if he was paid what Saban is making at Alabama or Mack Brown is making at Texas.
TNVOLNTX writes:
I don't know what's more pitiful: UT losing to a team that awful or UK storming the field after beating a 5-7 team. Relative to expectations, both acts speak volumes to the state of affairs in the respective programs.
BodeaneVol writes:
Look at the positives. The Vols can't lose to the basketball school at the Elton-John Bowl this year.
born2ride writes:
Why is Dooley still coaching?
yabadabadoo1026 writes:
moron, they stormed the field cause they broke the streak-------are you really this stupid????????-------is it any different our lockerroom --ie just won the national championship---celebration after beating Vandy-------Kentucky had plenty of reason to celebrAte as they did
volfan-for-life writes:
" were going to begin our climb"
cdd i have been big supporter of you and your staff i truly feel tn has alot of young talent most with 2yrs of playing time now do we as loyal fans see results in 2012 year 3 or year 4
i'm not asking for for perfect season next year but im am asking for a heck of alot more improvement will that take winning 7,8,9 10 games i dont know but what i do know is when you repeating that were a bad football team over and over the team will believe it and that the coaches players have trust each other it seems to me this should have been step #1 .after watching the postgame interviews from you and a few of the players it seems that the staff and the team are in fact not on the same page this very alarming going into next year when we should be winning more,and being looked at as a team that can play in the sec as of now it seems we are a long ways from that if we are going to begin our climb now i guess what im really trying to say or ask when do we see results that you have talked about
bigal728 writes:
What makes you think PM would be a good coach? Just because he's a good player doesn't make him a coach. last time I checked, he hasn't coached at all. Now you want him to be the head coach of TN.
TNVOLNTX writes:
That's fantasyland. Likely wouldn't work. What makes Peyton so special? It's not just his talent, but the fact that he works harder, commits more hours, breaks down More film, hones his craft more than anyone else. Which is why he probably wouldn't be a good head coach. Look at Singeltary in the NFL, or Bird in the NBA. Coaches like that want their players to be as dedicated as they were as players and that is just so incredibly rare. It's why they are named among the best ever. It's also why they were terrible head coaches. I wouldn't expect Manning to be any different.
RockVegas writes:
I just can't believe how far U.T have fallen off.I'm sorry our coaching staff do not need to be coaching SEC football,that's a fact.Kentucky over Tennessee in Football....WoW.Spend some money on a big time coach,we will get big time players untill then we will stay in the gutter.Kirby Smart would come to Tennessee over Ole Miss if the money right.Come on off that money like Bama,LSU,ARK we use to get the best players from all around the country when we were winning,now these guys will go sit on the bench at a contender than come to a school with bad coaches.Every game is like the first game of the season no progress what so ever.Kiffin was crazy but he could coach,plus that $4 million dollars a year also got his attention too.
FWBVol writes:
I am not happy about the loss to Kentucky and I agree that it was a terribly played game and most of that, if not all of it, falls on Derek Dooley and his coaching staff.
As this commentary pointed out, Dooley lost the good will he might have had for next year with the loss to Kentucky. I don't think nine is the magic number, but I have to believe we have to win at least eight games for him to keep his job.
That said, everyone was wanting Muschamp two years ago, but he hasn't shown at Florida that he can do better than Dooley has at Tennessee. And I have to start questioning the so-called Nick Saban coaching tree.
I'll admit that Dooley has struggled at Tennessee. And Muschamp might have done a worse job at Florida considering it is Florida and he has fat Charlie as his OC. Jimbo Fisher, another former Saban assistant, hasn't exactly set the woods on fire in his two years at FSU.
I do think too much emphasis is being put on UT's streak over Kentucky ending and what a death blow it might be. In reality, we won a few games against Kentucky we should have lost. And along the way in some years Kentucky beat teams that were better than UT and still lost to us.
As the old saying goes, every squirell finds a nut every now and then. Simply put, Kentucky found a nut yesterday.
CCLC writes:
One positive is that Kentucky scored 10 points on the Georgia D. That Defense held Tennessee, Florida and Auburn to a combined 11 yards rushing!
TNVOLNTX writes:
Moron? Really? Hahaha...don't get your panties in a wad guy. How old are you anyway?
If you're comparing what happens in a private locker room to what happens on a public field...well I won't stoop to calling you names...don't need to : )
Have a pleasant Sunday
frblalack writes:
TRUE VOL FANS WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR TENNESSEE!!!
CHANGING COACHES IS WHAT GOT US IN THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! FULMER, CUTCLIFFE, & CHAVIS ALL CAN FLAT OUT COACH!!!
GIVE COACH DOOLEY THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT!!! WE DON'T NEED A COACHING CHANGE - WE NEED A SERIOUS "ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT" FROM SOME OF OUR ME-ME-ME PLAYERS & ANOTHER SOLID RECRUITING CLASS!!!
LET'S PUT TINY IN THE BACKFIELD MORE OFTEN! OUR RUNNING GAME WILL RETURN!!! JUSTIN HUNTER'S RETURN WILL MAKE ANY QUARTERBACK A STAR! HAVE FAITH PEOPLE! UT WILL BE BACK!
ALL VOLS - ALL THE TIME- FOR LIFE!!! GBO
asleep#212036 writes:
He got the job because Nick Saban told Mike Hamilton he could handle it, not because of his last name. And if you've forgotten, no other coach wanted the job, at any price. Why? Because you can't "climb" without a rope. Fulmer and Kiffin left us in base camp with no rope and a fan base expecting us to summit Everest in two years. Dooley was braver than most just taking the job. These two years Dooley's been making a rope. Lots of freshmen and sophomores playing, being way more patient than most with mistakes and poor outings, taking his lumps and pushing the players. I think he believes he now has a rope - a returning nucleus of potential stars (Bray, Hunter, Rogers, Couch, Randolph) along with a largely intact group of experienced role players, all of whom know what it's like to suffer through tough losses and who (he hopes!) hunger to change that. Add to that a more reasonable schedule and another solid or better recruiting class, and he feels like next year is his year to prove he deserves to stay. I'm sure he and Hart will have that discussion fairly quickly, if they haven't already. Has he made mistakes this year? Yes. Did he, his coaches, and his team miss some golden opportunities as well? Absolutely. However, yesterday was the first real hiccup, losing to a poorer team for the first time this year (offsetting the win over Vandy, a better team this year). Not good, it happens. A perfect storm was necessary for us to lose that game and a perfect storm is what transpired - congrats Kentucky, let's move on. There will be no HC change this year no matter what so.... either pick another team or get ready to watch again next year while Dooley leads your current team on to (ostensibly) bigger and better things. I will say I think Chaney will not return next year, Dooley certainly will. Hart will make the change when and if the time is right - none of us need worry about it. Go Vols!!!
Upgrayedd writes:
Says the guy whose team is gonna finish with exactly 1 more win than UT, a similar losing record, and with a team loaded with 4 and 5*'s. And the best part: your best 3 offensive players (who couldn't stay in the game or make a positive yard last night) are all graduating! Boy, the future sure looks bright with Moosedump and Frontbutt, doesn't it?
Don't worry, you still have your little thug Elam, getting punked last night by a midget with no helmet.
volcop writes:
Does Steve Spurrier, Hiesman Trophy winner, ring a bell?
jjsteel writes:
Zook was fired today. Rumor has it, Dave Hart has called the whole football staff to his office for a meeting.
ROCKYTOPBRAD writes:
lighten up man
BodeaneVol writes:
Actually, the tape of the Vols win last week over Vandy was more over the top than the Cats storming their own field.
They don't have to listen to Vols talking about the streak anymore...now they have to break the one aganst the Gators.
ROCKYTOPBRAD writes:
He's not dummy, the season is over.
thevoice writes:
That's what attorneys like to do, talk a lot, but say very little.
TNVOLNTX writes:
Of course I didn't comment on LSU. Why would I care what UK did against them. After all, I'm a Tennessee fan. And to your hypothetical second point...if the roles were reversed perhaps, like UK, we too would have stormed the field. Can't really say though since we've never lost 26 straight to anyone.
Did you deserve to storm the field? Of course! Your team, your field. Storm away! You and your boy Yabba are taking my comments way too personally. I understand why UK stormed the field, but forgive me if I found it amusing that a team would actually storm the field after beating us. It might very well be the only amusing thing about Tennessee football this year.
Congrats on the win!
deputy658 writes:
All and all with 4 seniors , 8 juniors and 54 highschool kids what else could you expect from this team no matter who the coach was.
I will say the UK fans are faithful even with a 26 year losing streak going they had the stands full unlike the fairweather UT fans who jump ship at the first sign of trouble. Davy Crockett would be ashamed.
Has anyone heard the rumor that AD Dave Hart met with Houston Nutt or is going to anytime soon ? As he is probably the only coach out there who would even take a call from UT.
MikeInTN writes:
Gunner Kiel, 5 Star OB, making second visit to Vandy. Are The Vols recruiting this guy?
BamaVol writes:
Nothing against A & M, but with fans like you, I don't like them already. They will be lucky to go 5 & 7 in the SEC
BodeaneVol writes:
Zook is a great recruiter and he WAS a coach at UT in the past.
TNVOLNTX writes:
I didn't even know they had a star system for Obstetricians : )
thevoice writes:
Coaching? He's still being paid, but I'm not sure he's coached in some time now. So no, Dooley is not coaching.
DavidB writes:
Watched the Derrick Dooley show today and for the first time in his career he put part of the blame on the coaches. To that I say it is about time. Now make some needed coaching changes and lets see what happens from there.
Maverickman writes:
Would you consider Raynock Thompson, A TRUE VOL.Remember he played for Tennessee. Heard him on Terry Fair's show say it was time to FIRE Dooley. Fred White, Mark Lavine, Johnathan Brown,and more explayer's all agreed. Said they would like to see Chavis get the job, I agree with them. So Are we TRUE VOLS?
daytonvol1 writes:
couch chavis,sounds good yet i like couch dooley also'
Upgrayedd writes:
You're worse than a friggin' troll. Peyton is a living legend in Knoxville. With one losing season as a coach, his legacy would be tarnished. Think before you speak, I know it's a hard concept for you to wrap your head around. R-tard.
TommyJack writes:
Former Vols need to put a sock in it.
jjsteel writes:
Iggmo! It's a joke. the firing of Zook has nothing to do with the meeting. We all know Zook coached at TN & FL.
jjsteel writes:
Bye
KFDLaw writes:
If Dooley wants to keep his job he needs to issue the following pink slips:
1. Jim Cheney, Offensive Coordinator
2. Harry Hiestand, Offensive Line Coach
3. Eric Russell, Special Teams
D60 writes:
Has Dooley resigned yet? What is waiting for?
volsmanning16 writes:
I'm amazed that so many of you still blame this on Fulmer...my goodness, 20 yrs from now u will still be blaming him....im sorry, but he may have been on a downslide..but only 2 losing seasons in 17 yrs, doesnt qualify him to be blamed for everything.....dooley is way over his head here...he blames everybody (kids) but him and his staff...everything is so comedian to him....Kiffin might have been Shady...but at least we had a shot to win each game and the players played hard (except Brown)....my goodness, he made J. crompton look amazing at times...Dooley cant even see whats wrong..like a laywer..hes out to look good even if it means defending the actual truth...he cant do this...so much smoke is blowed up our arses by him...at least Fulmer was honest and blamed himself for issues, and was a man about it...Get over it, Fulmer still could win here and 8-10 wins...chavis's defense's wud still rock as they do in LSU..all we needed was an OC..and UT is back then..say what U may, but we were better off with Fulmer or Kiffin...
ivyvol writes:
I think I'd put the line coach at the top of that list.
SECFOOTBALLE writes:
I agree, Dooley has to go. Tennessee has the largest budget in all the SEC for recruiting,there is no sense to having a poor football team. All the coaching staff needs to be gone, heck, it is so bad I am ready for Fulmer to come back. There has got to be a coach out there that can turn it around for Tennessee.
cyclonevol87 writes:
Thats the reason they have a on and off switch on your tv!
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