Photo by University of Alabama
University of Alabama Former Alabama assistant coach Sal Sunseri instructs linebacker Dont'a Hightower, right, during practice last fall in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Sunseri on Friday was named defensive coordinator at Tennessee.
More than a decade later, a relationship forged during one year still stuck in Derek Dooley's mind.
That by itself certainly wasn't enough to convince the Tennessee football coach that Sal Sunseri was the right guy to fill a vacancy on his staff.
But that shared experience together at LSU in 2000 definitely helped, and on Friday the two officially resumed working together with Dooley hiring his old colleague to become the new defensive coordinator for the Vols after three seasons as Alabama's assistant head coach for defense/outside linebackers coach.
"That (year) was very important, because when you're on a staff together, you develop a pretty close relationship — either good or bad," Dooley said during an afternoon news conference. "We had a great relationship, and I had an awesome year with Sal. That was important, knowing that you had a guy in your staff room that is going to be bunkered in and going to be ready to go for you.
"That played a big part of it, I know what Sal's about, I know what his character is, I've seen him coach, and so there's a lot less risk."
Familiarity with Sunseri eliminated some of the gamble for Dooley as he set out to hire a replacement for Justin Wilcox, who left earlier this month for the same position at Washington. And that extended to the boss they shared at LSU in Nick Saban, the same guy Dooley worked for with the Miami Dolphins and Sunseri helped lead to a pair of national championships with the Crimson Tide.
But that was just part of the evaluation process with Sunseri, a 27-year coaching veteran who doesn't have extensive experience as a play-caller but boasts an impressive résumé from his time in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and is a widely respected recruiter.
While working with the Panthers, Sunseri's defensive lines sent three different players to the Pro Bowl. During his stint at Alabama, three different linebackers were named finalists for the Butkus Award, with Rolando McClain claiming the trophy in 2009. And in 2011, Sunseri picked up some hardware of his own, with 247sports.com naming him the recruiter of the year.
Ultimately, everything added up for Dooley. And with the 52-year-old Sunseri apparently ready to take on another challenge with a talented but young UT roster, it appeared to be a perfect fit for a both sides — with a program source not authorized to speak publicly confirming a three-year deal worth a total of $2.4 million that locked it in.
"I think all coaches are like that at some point," Dooley said. "If you have aspirations of being a head coach, at some point you have to go out there and stick it out there and do it on your own. I know Sal, ever since we were together in 2000, his next step he wanted was to be a coordinator at a high level. To his credit, he didn't want to just rush into it.
"He was in there grinding with (former Panthers coach John) Fox for seven years, and then when he got an opportunity to go with Nick, he viewed it as another way to grow professionally. Some coaches want to get the title, and that's good and a lot of times it works. But other coaches want to learn and grow so that when they do get the title, they're ready to go."
After the Crimson Tide put the finishing touches on a second national title with Sunseri on staff on Monday with a shutout of LSU, the time to make that jump arrived.
And a familiar face with a desire for the aggressive, versatile defense that Sunseri will install was there to offer a soft spot to land.
"I think Sal wants to coach at this level and probably would rather have an impact at this level than being at a different part of the country or different league," Dooley said. "I think the SEC and the NFL is appealing to Sal Sunseri as an assistant. I just think the appeal of the NFL kept him there and then going back (to college) with Nick knowing he could go compete for a national championship and a SEC championship at a program like Alabama.
"I think he's got the same sort of thinking about coming to Tennessee."
Austin Ward covers Tennessee football. Follow him at http://twitter.com/Vols_Beat and http://blogs.knoxnews.com/ward
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Comments » 94
Dalton writes:
I'll admit that Sunseri wasn't my first choice...Randy Shannon was...but each moment gets me more and more jazzed with this pick....true Vol fans are waiting for good things to happen and no one can sway them from this course...if Sunseri can be part of the ultimate success of Dooley with his recruiting and knowledge of the Saban Bama magic, then great for orangebloods...that's preferred to another coaching search next year...so here's hoping GO VOLS!!!!
scvols writes:
Oh, you think Sal is funny, he makes you laugh ....
frblalack writes:
Good article, Mr. Ward!! Coach Sal is not only an All-American linebacker in college, a former Coach of NFL pro bowl d-line players, but is also known to be a GREAT recruiter!!!!!
UPGRADE! UPGRADE! Coach Dooley & Coach Hart could not have done better! Welcome Coach Sal!
On another note, I hope & pray we can keep Coach Lance Thompson & give him the recognition and pay raise he deserves! We are on the cusp of greatness!!
Go Big Orange - Always - Vol Forever!!!
FLVOL_79 writes:
I have more confidence with this unproven DC hire than the Boise State one...cuz it was Boise State..c'mon..
BamaVol writes:
I was scare Steele was coming in after being release, I admit I said as much. You guys can kick me later. Glad this work out like it did.
I had talk with this Alabama alum yesterday and even he didn't know and he donates alot of money to Al. So it was quite. I think Dooley has upgraded his staff. May be a good year.
CroKev writes:
I think we just locked up Santos, Peters, and possibly a few others! I wonder if McCullers knew about this hire? Should be a great weekend with the recruits. Any chance of Sunseri son following him and taking a year off?
Btw, looking forward to the trolls and nega-Vols piping down for at least a day after this news. Probably hoping for too much though...
TNVolunteers57 writes:
Great Hire! Welcome aboard Coach.
GBO!!!
VolsFanInAfghanistan writes:
I just hope Lance Thompson says and rides the Vol train. Good things have to shine on this man for being so loyal to the Volunteers thru all the junk that has happened. Stay Lance stay. The big orange train is about to roll full steam ahead.
MrBullet50 writes:
I like this hire. All great coordinators started with one person giving them the chance to see what they can do. I hope/believe that this is a beging of a legend.
A__B writes:
Things next year will either go really well or really bad for DD.
I think the man is in over his head but, then again JoePa has been a figure head for years and an empty chair so anything is possible with the right team surrounding you.
volfaninutah writes:
any word on the 2 position coaches vacancies left? IS Green still in the mix? IF Sal does defense and LBs, where does that leave Lance?
Orange_Pants_Buy_One_Get_One_Free writes:
Must read for all Vols:
http://outkickthecoverage.com/meet-th...
Good stuff!!
OldVols68 writes:
Yeah, now if only we could get Saban away from Alabama!!:)
MidTennVol writes:
I agree with you guys who hope we can keep Lance Thompson. And I hope he gets a raise. Dude is an asset to our program. He'll be a DC some day himself, no question.
Just stick with us, Lance, and help take us to the top. Your name will come up some day soon.
volaholic45 writes:
That you, Tarzan? Go Vols.
wigmeister writes:
Great hire! Movin forward in a very positive direction.
Fall_Creek_Vols writes:
Well, he certainly has the resume', doesn't he? He may well be the guy to get the "D" where it needs to be.
Welcome, Coach. Make us proud.
ShaversChoicewasbanned writes:
You would rank as a moron and a troll for supporting that blog...the same blog that promoted itself through baseless recruiting conspiracy theories this year. Let me guess, you are a Ron Paul worshipper, too.
jobrando#216494 writes:
A huge step up from the confused Wilcox and Sirmon.
jobrando#216494 writes:
Seems like I have seen quotes from Lance that he does not want to be a DC at this time. Does not feel he's proven himself ready for it. So I think he'll be around if they give him a good raise.
3rdn8 writes:
I suspect that Dooley just made one of the best hires of his tenure.
I've followed Bama football for a long time, and have never seen better LB play in Tuscaloosa.
Sunseri also happens (make that happened) to be one of the top two recruiters on Saban's staff
VolFanInTheBoro (Inactive) writes:
I will not go to that site because I know the writer is anti-Vol scum like you
VolFanInTheBoro (Inactive) writes:
Toadboy you don't know diddly
timetotellthetruth writes:
That guy is an idiot. How someone can make hiring proven coaches from excellent programs a negative is beyond me. He is just looking for attention.
gatorstomper writes:
I'm glad it is over. I am pretty ashamed by the way I jumped on every rumor that came out. Turns out all I had to do is trust coach Derek Dooley! I think I learned my lesson and hope others do to. I also think that Lance Thompson should be give something for his support for the vols. he was here when that PUNK ruined our beloved VOLS and stayed to fix it. GO BIG ORANGE!
VolFanInTheBoro (Inactive) writes:
Clay Travis is attempting to become Nashville's version of Paul Finnebaum
jimr07 writes:
Great stuff? From Clay Travis? You have to be kidding.. Pompous wind bag self- appointed know-it-all..
jimr07 writes:
Clay is no Paul Finebaum.. thank goodness..
TennVolgal writes:
Most Vol fans (alumni) think Clay Travis is a troll. Comments after by John Pickle and Anthony Wayne Turner are my fav!! GBO
VOLinTX writes:
I'm more optimistic on the hiring of Sunseri, Pittman, and Graham than most of the coaches hired by Dooley prior to this year. A big step in the right direction. Is it CDD or AD Hart? Also, in this article,"a talented but young roster". I think the emphasis should not be placed on the "young" any longer. We've heard enough of that and they're not young or inexperienced at this point except for the in-coming recruits. Welcome to all the coaches and recruits.
Prostar writes:
Lance Thompson is our DL coach, moved to that position after Chuck Smith left and Peter Sirmon moved from grad. asst. to LB coach. Were Sunseri to also coach LB's then we only need to name a Special Teams coach.
SummittsCourt writes:
name changed or not, you are still an idiot.
cheezvol writes:
Do you know why the names Alabama, and Arkansas and the name for Auburn were chosen?? Those are the only letters that people in those states and that school can name in the Alphabet. When the good Lord passed out brains, if you didn't get one, he made sure you were big and strong and fast enough to work in the fields or play in those states and that school. The best things that ever came out of those states is the interstates. This is for orange-pants and his cousin, I mean his wife.
SummittsCourt writes:
pis ant but wipe
CoverOrange writes:
Won't matter one bit if Sal is the greatest DC since, well, since John Chavis, if the offense doesn't find a way to move the ball.
genocards#1381209 writes:
I just moved last year from Springfield, Ohio an hour from Columbus. They had a kid that Ohio Stae thought they had locked up who was a great football player. Sunseri recruited him for Alabama and all of us thought he was wasting his time since the kid had never been out of Ohio and his family could see all hhis home games at Ohio State. Wrong. He signed with Alabama and had two big plays tackling Jefferson in the title game. Al Sunseri was the recruiter. This is a great hire by Dooley who will turn this program around.
bobbarbilly writes:
OPBOGOF...this article is a 50% piece.It only speaks to egress with no entry story provided. Does CNS reach into his personal locked storage bin and pull out a whistle-clean, neophyte assistant coach each time that he needs one, or does he hire proven quality.I think that the author went to the land of hyperbole for a visit and stayed too long.
allvol8 writes:
Nacho..I love your posts! GBO!
rtrchatt writes:
Trey DePriest is the Fr ILB you speak of. Actually Coach Sal was not the position coach for McClain or Hightower, they were ILBs and he coached OLBs.
He is an accomplished recruiter but is only bringing in 3 of the kids in the 12 class, and
on paper this looks like a comparable group to the 08 champioons.
Make no mistake about his goal of becoming a HC. I imagine Pitt regrets picking Grantham over Sunseri last year, and the guys bolts after one year. Sunseri will not turn into your new Chavis. Roll Tide
nocleats writes:
Steele is a GREAT recruiter and position coach, Wouldnt mind seeing him in that capacity at Tennessee at all.
nocleats writes:
As a position coach that is.
grumpyfiftynine writes:
Great hire. The weeping Willies will have to find something else to whine about.
Noogaorange writes:
At first I thought that Shannon was the guy we needed but I'm getting pretty pumped about Sunseri. He definitedly had the talent at Bama and it's certainly easier to recruit there than UT but....he's had a lot of sucess and it seems he's bringing a mind set to the hill that was definitely missing.We've got some pretty good talent especially on the defense side lets hope he can get them playing the way Tennessee defenses have played in the past! GBO
Hound_Dog69 writes:
excellent hire, as for CDD people seem to forget that he took over a team that was depleted of talent after CLK skipped town after having gutted the team of the few good players left to him by CPF. CDD is just now getting to the point where he has some depth so he can rotate players instead of having his first string players petering out in the 3rd and 4th qtrs due to fatigue, or having no one to replace injured players without a significant drop off in performance. If nothing else if he is fired after this upcoming season he has at least put the Vols in a good position to get a great head coach because of the players he has brought in, unlike last time when none of the big names wanted anything to do with a team that would require 3 to 4 years to get it to a level where they could really compete in the SEC.
Noogaorange writes:
I agree with you on everything you posted.I don't understand why Lance is not being given the recognition and pay raise he deserves.
Hell he deserves a pay raise for his loyalty alone!
Especially when you consider all the money we've been throwing around to everyone and his dog!
Does anyone have any insite into why Thompson is overlooked and not getting any raises?
GBO
eepwlg writes:
Maybe some more whine and cheese will get the taste of sour grapes out of your mouth.
jobrando#216494 writes:
He still gets this season so get on board for one more season. It wil be fun or we'll be hiring Kirby.
volnvette03 writes:
BS article, we've been raiding Alabama for years for football. UT had Battle 40 years ago. Maybe he wasn't the best coach, but he was Crimson. What about Cutcliffe too? Didn't Majors have a respected DC cordinator from AL during the 85 SugarVols season? Oh, Holloway too was from Alabama. Yeah, and Tee Martin, Richmond Flowers, Joey Kent as well! What's the point of the article other than to ridicule the VOLS for snagging Alabama people! Whether coaches or players, bring in anyone from Alabama who has character and wants to bleed orange. Just saying
pcorange writes:
Why would you want him? He's never stayed anywhere over four or five years. I'd kinda like to get something going and keep it going for a while.
volforeverandever writes:
That is wrong, Shannon was never offered.Even his own people say so.
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