Poll: How would you grade the coaching staff that Derek Dooley has put together at Tennessee?
| Response | Percent | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 52% | 4369 | |
| A | 38% | 3150 | |
| C | 8% | 675 | |
| D | 0% | 51 | |
| F | 0% | 31 | |
| total votes: 8276 | |||
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Softball: Tennessee 2, Georgia 1
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
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Comments » 32
AFVol423 writes:
at first glance, I give the staff an A for the time allowed. Then I start to look at them more in detail. Guess what. We have a great mix of recruiters, NFL experience and skill experience. Reality is we have an class A coaching staff and an young but Class A head coach.
SEC__Headgear writes:
We graded the last group of coaches based on what they should be able to do. Those guys pulled off the unthinkable. They disgraced themselves and their collective potential. Lets just grade this group on getting the job done. Style points count for nothing. Getting the W's talent level dictates and demonstrating the class UT tradition demands will earn the A. No grades are yet deserved or offered. Only time will tell.
VolAlum2003 (Inactive) writes:
Right now, I think that you have to give the coaching staff a "B." HUGE potential, but lots of unproven commodities (especially when it comes to SEC play) keep them from receiving an A grade. Still, if recruiting is any indication, we are in for some bright days ahead.
I commend Coach Dooley on his outside-the-box thinking, especially regarding the hiring of DC Wilcox and DL coach Smith. That's not to sell coaches Chaney, Thompson, or the rest short...I just think that Wilcox and Smith were two extremely important "gets" for our team.
VOLinAthensGA writes:
Its nice to get up in the morning and not worry what your Coach has said or done now. "A" for class, potential, AND experience. I don't want a staff that their best years are behind them(Monte Kiffin). Let's write a whole new chapter in BIG ORANGE FOOTBALL!!!! GBO!!!!
jobrando#216494 writes:
I voted A just because of the positive vibes around this staff to date.
al2476 writes:
Comparing to the last staff, "THE KITTENS "X" STAFF" they would have to be rated an A+ staff. With only 2 weeks after the wannabes who departed in the middle of the night, they done an excellent job. Just to maintain what they did was terrific.
lahvolman2 writes:
JMO.. It doesn't mean Di** what our opinion or grading of this staff is.. fact is , we all sleep a little better at night just knowing CDD is at the helm and will be there for a long time... See a lot of characteristics his father had as a coach.. calm, level headed and not looking for the spotlight... time alone will grade his success without any input from us or the pundits....
PennVol writes:
Hey, they're undefeated so far.
marinevol writes:
These coaches were hired with a sense of urgency. I don't think anyone really believes that this is the coaching staff we would have if Kiffin had waited until after February 3 to resign. Therefore, this may be as good as we could have done under the circumstances. They certainly did a great job of holding the recruiting class together. But, when all we have to judge them on is past experience, with a head coach who went 4-8 in the WAC last year, and a DC who was fresh out of college and a graduate assistant in the WAC 6 years ago, I don't see how you can go higher than a C.
badkarma01 writes:
A solid B...earn the A on the field, verdict is still out on at least three of these staff members...definetly on Wilcox and Smith
wayoutwill writes:
Chuck Smith put this bunch over the top as a Coaching Staff;it's all over for the rest of the SEC;here we come,you Gators and tide boys are done"
96_Vols writes:
Very, very nice job Coach Dooley has done....I am very optimistic about this staff and think we're going to play very well under these guys. No small part either is that after a year hiatus, integrity has returned to Rocky Top!
volsmanning16 writes:
BOTTOM LINE--when the night CLK said he was leaving and the main coaches was leaving with him and more to leave afterwards and as THE GAS was being poured--he left 2 weeks before signing day.--Coach Dooley has done one hell of a job with the time left on the table to get who he got and still take time land BIG recruits. this guy has done more in one MONTH THAN CLK DONE IN 14 MONTHS-THERE IS NO GRADE FOR BEING A MAN OF INTEGRITY AND HONESTY. THAT GOES A LONG WAY WITH ME--LOOKING FOWARD TO A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE AND MANY SEC WINS!!-GO VOLS
Volunatic writes:
Georgia worries me a lot more now that Willie Martinez isn't their Defensive Coordinator.
AllVols writes:
It is true that you can only grade a recruiting class based on results. However, if you must put a grade on this recruiting class it can be nothing other than an A in my opinion. Coach Derek Dooley and a partial staff accomplished the unthinkable given the circumstances. Credit Dooley, Kiffin and his staff, the UT image, whatever it may be, Dooley held it all together under extreme adversity. I couldn't think of another coach or staff or university that could put together a recruiting class in 3 weeks because it hasn't been done.
Kiffin did well with USC, but when you put one of the most prestigious programs along with some of the best recruiters in the nation, thats what you get.
537081 writes:
Well I guess time will tell, however I liked the offence last year, and the cordnater is back, and this kid comming in For the defence seems like the kind we will be lucky to keep he is on his way up he will be somebodys head coach in a few years. I like some on the other guys Smith is a great add. Thompson is a good linebacker guy look at what he did with the injurys we had. I think all in all its as good if not better than expected.
jesusvol4 writes:
I think any coaching staff has to be judged over time. Even the ones we had in place in times gone by, there is always adjustments that have to be made. Of course, some adjustments are not made, and it can cost the head coach his job. If a head coach learns that any coach on the staff, is not fitting in and has his trust to handle his responsibility, he has to let that coach go. I really believe that is where Phil Fulmer messed up for years with Randy Sanders. Randy was a fine offensive coordinator, however, Fulmer and him butted heads in too many crucial times even during the game. That is why we struggled to have that offensive continuity for so many years. Clutch times make for great measuring sticks for coaching judgements. Give it time, and we will see how good THIS, or ANY coaching staff is. Thanks for listening. GO VOLS! Coach Dooley is doing a GREAT JOB!
Summerfield_Vol writes:
I would have to give them a A to start, but the proof will be at the end of the season and the type plays that are called. By the type plays called I mean for example 3rd and 15 and you run off tackle. To me that shows very little confidence in your offense and your players, I believe you have to give yourself a chance and most players think that way too. Just let us try. I believe the Coach for the Saints last night showed the team and everybody that was watching the game he came to win the game not to just look good. In the past, I think we had some Coaches that coached not to lose, instead of to win. There is a big difference between, you came to win and you came not to lose. It tell the team the confidence you have in them. So to start I give them a big A.
hueypilot writes:
I think I know what you mean regarding some play calls last year in close games and particularly early in the season, when Crompton was not playing well. Sometimes 3rd and 15 inside your own twenty against a team that will drop 8 and can effectively rush with 3, isn't a bad call. In that regard I appreciated some of the play calling by LK when we were trying to keep from getting blown out by Fla or stay close to UCLA. Later when Crompton was more confident, I think LK got more confident in him and loosened up the playbook. In that regard I don't really fault LK, and next year I hope Dooley does the same. The guys who always try to pick up the first down no matter what the score, field position, time remaining, down and distance, usually wind up like Hal Mumme. The ones who never go for it if it's a little tenuous wind up like Sly Croom. Trick is to know when to hold em and when to fold em.
Vols1998 writes:
I gave this staff an A, X is everything that is wrong with College Football and College Sports. There is a lot to be said about respect and integrity. I realize that W and Ls are important to ALL SEC schools, but why can't we have a top rated program and still maintain some "principles"?
I don't care what you say, but that whole Kiffen clan lost any respect that they might have achieved by coming to UT. IF they fail at USC, that will be the end to Lane's career and his dad will have to find a new NFL job.
Lane never proved he could coach in his whole career...I'm betting USC underacheives.
Say what you want, but I loved what UT had and I think CDD will bring that back with a winning tradition.
GBO and all of the UT Football Staff!!!
tennrich1 writes:
Truth is...its too early to tell....just on reputation...solid B.
marinevol writes:
Like you, I hope your assessment is wrong. But, it is kind of scary when you consider the lack experience on this staff. The head coach is coming off a 4-8 season in the WAC. The DC is very young and inexperienced, and he'll have a very inexperienced DL coach. Maybe it'll work. I sure hope so. Go Vols!
ric1958 writes:
I gave them a B....only because I would like to a little more of what they can do before I rank them as an A
skyhawk836 writes:
"Rediculous": Is that as opposed to green-iculous?
I don't do that to everyone, but if you are going to be a naysayer all of the time then you should be held to a standard, also. You want perfect, then be perfect.
Alwaysavol writes:
I assumed the poll intended to find out how we feel about the staff RIGHT NOW, about who we have hired - not about their record. Obviously they have no record to judge yet. But based on what we know at this point, I gave them an A. I like the hires - no one has mentioned Hiestand yet, but I think he was an excellent addition to the staff. Also like Baggett and keeping Chaney and Thompson. Not as sure about Hinshaw. In the end, we just have to trust that Dooley knows good coaches when he sees them. It seems like he has the staff he wants, so for now that means they get an A from me.
DennisVols writes:
I would give this staff an A for what I see at the moment. Bringing in Smith to coach the D line was what put them over the top. The true grade will have to be developed as the year progresses. I want and would expect to see continued improvement not only on the field but in the classroom and off field behavior. My concerns with this staff mirror in a lot of way the ones I had at this point last year.
Many of the players on this team have been through a lot over the past two years. They saw a coach, even with his faults, who was well loved and was dismissed and another coach who came in and won their collective trust only to betray them.
Dooley has a large task ahead of him in winning that trust back. There are several players on this team whose professional career in football depends on it. The 2010 schedule will not allow for this team to develop as the season goes on if they expect to maintain at least the record they had by the end of the regular season (7-5). Six of their first 8 games are against quality opponents and UT has to win no less than 50% of those 6 games to have any chance of going to a quality bowl this year.
Smith will bring a toughness, meanness back to the D line which should cause a great impact on field position. Developing another starting QB for the 2nd straight year is also a daunting task. The chemistry needed in the passing game is essential to be developed coming out of Spring practice. We cannot go into fall camp with there being a question as to who the starter is going to be. This freshmen class has to be ready to play come fall camp at many position. The continued development of last year’s class is also a must. Players will have to step up not just at the play maker positions but at key line slots on both offense and defense.
I do feel better about coach Dooley and his staff being able to do this than I did Kiffin based on who he learned from. V Dooley and Saban are great teachers of the game. Dooley also has more common sense than Kiffin ever will have.
Time will tell with this staff as with any new staff. We are just at the starting line, again, and the true grade will have to be determined long term. Last year many of us, me included, wanted a change so bad that we failed to see the warning signs. Overlooked the childish behavior of an immature coach who could not stop provoking other coaches that already had better records than he ever will have. I am willing to give my Orange Blooded support to coach Dooley and his staff but not as blindly as I was foolish enough to do last year. I want to see results in every phase, game results, player development, classroom improvements and accountability for the players when they are not under the coaches thumb.
Keeping it Real (for the 2000th post)
Go Vols
woodwr#217203 writes:
No really old father and no brother-in-law hires.
No former head coach who was fired for bad player behavior and whose team did WAY better the year after he left.
volsoutlaw writes:
Kiffin had a losing record as head coach
Monte had his best yrs coaching a team loaded with drafted stars. Not recruits.
Really the only coach from the previous staff with Blue chip credentials (Resume), was/is (current) Offensive Coordinator Chaney.
I'm not saying the current staff is going to set the world on fire, although I would say many match or exceed in winning percentage on paper from the previous one.
Another note, most if not all coaches in the NFL float from team to team, not to mention college. An assistant coach has a lot of pressure they are either the fall guy for the head coach, or they get canned with the head coach.
vols2#227315 writes:
Do not forget that the 8 midterm enrollee are Kiffin, not Doodley when you rate this group.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
Just read the top recruiters in the nation as rated by rivals. Orgre is about 20 and Thompson around 22 or 23. Just thought I'd throw that out.
volsn3 writes:
All A"S from me...This staff will be loyal...Vols was 2 or three years ayway when the "little pri$%" was here and they still are...Vols will when one they are not suppose to next season and may loose one in the same way but our time is coming...One more great class and we are back on top.
mtnsvol44 writes:
Look-36 useless trolls from other schools voted a "D",lol.
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