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It would be unfortunate for Vols fans to run Dooley out after 2 seasons, but as I said, they do tend toward such behavior.

Fortunately for Dooley, David Heart is probably not inclined toward rash decisions.

To put it another way – If we had Saban/Miles coaching the last two years, then how many more wins would we have? Not much more than with Dooley. Dooley has been on a 3-4 year rebuilding plan from the beginning. He has not gone out and tabbed a lot of Jr College players and is rebuilding the program from within, and not trying to do a quick fix. He was told that he would have time to rebuild the program and is using the blue print used by Saban at LSU.

As for the UT being tough school to win at, it was just in referrence to the fact that you cannot just show up and build a fence around the state and win like you can at OhioSt., Florida, LSU Bama, Texas and other schools. You have to recruit nationally against schools from all over the nation. UT is different and what make it a special place.

I don't think anyone suggested Tennessee fans "enjoy" losing. At the same time, it's called patience. If you're sick, you go get treatment. The treatment isn't pleasant — in most cases — but if it works, you do it for as long as is necessary.

A rebuilt roster should be ALL that matters right now. Dooley is restocking it well and has a #12 rated class right now. Would you rather try to win next year and start back at Ground Zero again… or would you rather go 6-6 next year and turn a full roster over to a new coach who's be more willing to take the job next year?

It's short term versus long term thinking.

John

The only reason to keep him around is that UT would have to pay him 5 million to leave.

1. Kippy Brown should've been retained as an interim coach after Kiffin left, and been given a full season to try out for the job/give UT time to conduct a year-long search. Dooley was a panic hire by Hamilton/Cheek/Board of Trustees.

2. Historically, UT is not a tough place to win. We are the second best all-time program in the SEC, and have been winning for a hundred years. Do we have recruiting disadvantages? Of course. But we have three things that make it a great job: facilities, fanbase, and money. We should never be this bad.

All of this being said, however, I think there is no chance Dooley gets fired now. He will get one more year and I guess we'll see how that turns out. Recruiting class seems OK for now, although most of our SEC opponents have classes ranked even higher.

Get real Tennessee fans. I don’t care who you are…. when you are forced to select a coach who is something less than a proven champion on your level (SEC), you never really know if he is going to be able to do the job or not. Sometimes not even that is enough (e.g. Rich Rod) as the fit is bad. Two years ago when Dooley was hired, Tennessee did not know what he would be capable of in his current position.
Two years later we know that DD is probably a good fit culturally and can recruit well. He appears to have reduced the “bad apple’ count significantly. This is about half of the picture.

For the other half, can he lead the team to a championship level?, I still think Tennessee does not know any more or less than we did when he was hired. So in reality Tennessee has half of the boxes checked yes and the other half are blank. Two years ago all of the boxes were blank yet a portion of the fan base with no perspective somehow thinks the program is in a worse position now as opposed to then. Vol fans should not be ready to check any boxes “no” just yet. It’s easy start to nitpick every bad guess or decision when you are losing. Everyone has them – e.g. pick one of several by Nick Saban in the LSU game. This shouldn’t be confused with any kind of realistic analysis on a Dooley’s ability to have long-term success in a program. That “first date” that passed gas may end up making a great wife.

True, Dooley has proved he can lay an egg. Again this is not a deal breaker (see Nick Saban – Monroe, Utah). Dooley hasn’t done anything to let you know he can gut out wins with lesser talent (see Brady Hoke, Al Golden). Had he, he may have proven he can win. But the fact that he hasn’t won without talent is not proof he can’t win with it. If the coach can recruit, he won’t have to win without SEC talent. This man will have the talent to compete perhaps as soon as next year.

Vol fans that is what you need to wait for to reserve your judgment.

Florida is as bad this year as they will probably ever be. South Carolina and Georgia are both good, but beatable when UT played them. UT isn't even on the same planet as LSU, Bama, and the Hogs, got taken to OT at home against a 6-6 Vandy team, and then the terrible loss to UK. Yes, they are young. So is Florida, so is Georgia. Arkansas lost an all-American tailback before the season even started, and are in the top ten. Carolina kicked their QB off the team. UGA has suspended about 20 RB's. John Brantley was a complete bust at UF. LSU has had more distractions than anyone in the country. Alabama has a first year starting QB. Vandy is coming off a 2 win season with a first-year head coach. And again, Kentucky doesn't have a healthy QB on the roster. The point is that everyone has excuses, whether they are youth, injuries, bad luck, whatever.

Dooley has regressed and at the bare minimum needs to make some staff changes to at least keep the wolves at bay. As this site said the other day, UT is probably the 11th best team in the league right now, ahead of only Ole Miss. Next year UT will be the 13th best.

Fire Dooley.