Dooley hire a triumph of substance over style
Vince Dooley remembers the day that his youngest son, Derek, made it clear that he wanted to be a football coach.
Derek had received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia where he played for George Welsh. He then attended law school at the University of Georgia.
His mother, Barbara, had seen her husband dedicate their entire married life to the coaching profession. That was enough heartache for one family. Her son–the baby of four children–was going to someday be a partner at King & Spalding, one of the biggest law firms in the country.
There was just one problem. Derek Dooley did not enjoy being a lawyer. He loved football. He had seen his father’s level headed, methodical approach to the profession and decided that was who and what he wanted to be. So, just like his father, Derek Dooley put together a game plan to convince his parents that leaving the legal profession–and the financial rewards that came with it–to make NO money in coaching was the right thing for him to do.
“He put together a compeling argument and had all of his bases covered like a good lawyer would,” Vince Dooley told me. “Finally, I stopped him and told him that he had convinced me. The real challenge was going to be talking to his mother.”
Barbara Dooley knew it was coming and knew what her response would be. Birds gotta fly. Fish gotta swim. Coaches have gotta coach. As Lou Holtz often says “Only coach if you can’t live without it. It’s just too hard.”
Derek Dooley couldn’t live without coaching and today he is the head coach at the University of Tennessee.
“Obviously, I am very proud of him as a father,” Vince Dooley told me Friday night. “As a coach, I know how hard these jobs are and I know what the challenges will be. There is part of me that wishes I could take some of the hits for him. But Derek is his own man. He proved that long ago.”
Some Tennessee fans may not be excited about this hire. They wanted a sexy name like a Will Muschamp or a Jon Gruden. First of all, neither of those guys were coming. Secondly, you have to understand that with this hire AD Mike Hamilton had to go with stability and competence over flash. Tennessee didn’t need somebody to win the press conference. They need somebody to run the football program. They didn’t need somebody to tweak Urban Meyer and get the chat rooms humming.
It was that desire for sexyness–of style over substance–that got Tennessee into trouble in the first place.
Here is what I mean by that. There seems to be this notion that in order to recruit the modern day high school football player you have to offer him some kind of show-business, NFL draft camp, MTV new-age mentality approach to the game.
The reality is that what has worked in college football for over 100 years still works today: You recruit good players with the opportunity to improve themselves educationally as people and professionally as athletes. You hire good coaches and you set high standards. You demand that everyone in the organization meet those standards. You understand that you work for the institution and not the other way around. You never do anything to embarrass the institution and you honor its history and traditions. You put together the plan for success and implement the plan. Those who do not wish to follow the plan are free to leave or will be asked to leave.
And that’s it. As the head coach, you do those things well and the rest will follow.
Is Derek Dooley going to have some rough spots ahead of him? Sure, because when everything shakes out, there may be more damage done to the program by Lane Kiffin than currently meets the eye. There were obviously some misgivings by others, who turned down the opportunity, that there are some real problems in this program.
But in the final analysis, the younger Dooley is not only the right kind of coach, he is the right kind of MAN that Tennessee needs to lead its football program at this point in history. Tennessee got away from the things that made it great–the fundamental principles of General Neyland–with the hire of Lane Kiffin. It went reaching for something that was totally out of character for the institution hoping to keep pace with the University of Florida and to get back to the top of the SEC.
Tennessee is Robert Neyland, Bowden Wyatt, Doug Dickey, Bill Battle, Johnny Majors, Phillip Fulmer and Peyton Manning. It stands for something fundamental and unchanging. It does not alter its mission and values hoping that talented players will come. It offers talented high school students an opportunity to be part of something special–something bigger than themselves.
Tennessee forgot that for 14 months. With the hiring of Derek Dooley, UT now has a chance to get it back.
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348 comments Add your comment
VanDSIRROM
January 16th, 2010
9:00 am
Just ran into Mike Slive–you know SEC Commissioner…
He was on his way back to Costco to return a giant-size box of Depends but he stopped when I greeted him…
“Commissioner, you must be the happiest person in all the South?”
Mr. Slive, “You bet I am. In fact, that’s why I’m here returning these…this box. Won’t be needing them afterall. And I give my best wishes to the Kiffins as they relocate back to the left coast.”
VanDSIRROM
January 16th, 2010
9:04 am
As a Vanderbilt fan, all I have to say is, “Shucks, I was hoping they’d hire another Lane Kiffin.”
To Mike Hamilton, “Even a blind pig can find an acorn if he looks long enough.”
To Pat Summit, “Good tip to Hamilton when you mentioned Coach Dooly.” BTW, take the AD job when it’s offered.”
Kenny Powers
January 16th, 2010
9:06 am
you vol rednecks will let the Kiffin embarassment calm down with Dooley and then Fire him when he doesnt return a NC in 2 years….shaming him just like Fulmer.
Ohio State fan
January 16th, 2010
9:06 am
Everyone clamored that Kiffin ended up on third base without hitting the triple.
This guy may come from a stellar family, be a great man and end up being a role model to young me – but none of that matters if he can’t coach, and he has a losing record and is leaving a fan base not at all convinced that he could coach. We all know he was not in their top five choices.
Tennessee should have maintained Kippy Brown as interim for the entire next season. And then they should have waited until the end of next year when they would have had first dibs at all candidates. Tennessee is a great job with great tradition – what killed them here is timing.
Instead of having one bad year and then turning the page, Tennessee may be married to a poor choice for three or more years now . . .
Hamilton has made a poor choice.
Jesse James
January 16th, 2010
9:06 am
Jim – You are so right. The true fan knows what kind of job he did. That is one thing that is wrong with college athletics. We have boosters and even people in administration that wouldn’t know a solid program if they saw one. All they look at are the wins and losses. Believe me the wins will come to Tennessee. As a Dawg fan I am alot more concerned than I was a year ago.
FBR
January 16th, 2010
9:07 am
Big Time?? Not Glad you remembered.. Don’t ever stop posting that!!
wgwilk
January 16th, 2010
9:10 am
DD will be a breath of fresh air for the VOLS after Kiffin. The integrity that DD brings to the program will be much more important over the long run than the “flashy sexiness” that Kiffin displayed. For those of you that think the VOLS were turned down by Cut you should do a little research and you will find that TN eliminated Cut because of his demands to bring his staff from Duke.
BamaGrad
January 16th, 2010
9:12 am
From a Tide fan, congratulations to UTn fans on your new coach. CDD seems like a genuine, unpretentious Southern gentlemen. I smiled watching the press conference when he uttered one of those unique Southern colloquialisms – “it’nt”. I was waiting for him to say we are “fixin” to do some great things at Tennessee. He is a good man. I am also proud as ever that Nick Saban is now Alabama’s coach, with all the praise and credit Dooley offered to him last night. I wish most of the Bama/Saban haters will now recognize there are many in the coaching world that have tremendous respect for him professionally and personally (would the Dooley family be friends with an evil person?). And it’s becoming increasingly likely that one of these coaches is connected to the program that you support (FSU, UGa, UTn). Please stop bashing the man (see a lot of Satan references on these blogs) for basically making one bad career move and perhaps not handling his exit from that situation in the most graceful manner possible (if at all possible). Heading over to Bryant-Denney today for the National Championship celebration – how sweet it is! Roll Tide!
JB
January 16th, 2010
9:13 am
I find it more than a tad ironic, and funny, that UT has turned to a UGA guy to lead them out of the mess that is UT football.
HBTD!!!
Eric
January 16th, 2010
9:15 am
I’ve been reading this column for years, and this is the best one I’ve ever seen. I still think Cutcliffe would’ve been a better hire, but this one looks good too. Can’t wait to see Vince and Barbara wearing orange and singing Rocky Top.
Spike
January 16th, 2010
9:16 am
Are you UT fans trying to convince yourselves this is a great hire or convince the rest of us? Forget his name is Dooley for a minute. You just hired the La. Tech coach after the DUKE coach, your former assistant and OC told you all “No, thanks.”
Happydawg
January 16th, 2010
9:23 am
Dooley is stable, hate to say it but UT made an excellent hire here. If UT fans are patient, and they may have to be very patient, Dooley will build a heck of a program.
Steve
January 16th, 2010
9:24 am
Kippy Brown has substance, but was overshadowed by Derek Dooley?
Kenny Powers
January 16th, 2010
9:31 am
Kudos Spike…..
Mike
January 16th, 2010
9:45 am
Tony, can’t you see UT getting “Kiffined” again in a year or two? Listen, Richt is already on shakey ground at best at UGA. If he loses 4 or 5 games again in 2010 he could be gone. Should Dooley do well at UT in the short term, I see UGA coming after him and have a hard believing he wouldn’t go home. His last name after all is Dooley. You gotta believe his destination job is in Athens, not Knoxville.
Drock
January 16th, 2010
9:50 am
Tony, tears me up to see a Dooley coaching one of our biggest Rivals. But, you hit the nail on the head. BTW, in your spare time over the off season, please teach those two boobs, Bradley & Schultz how to write meaingful articles…they can’t hold your jock strap-er, keyboard…
Jesse James
January 16th, 2010
9:51 am
I believe Cutcliff was being loyal to Coach Fulmer and Coach Chavis. I don’t blame him. He doesn’t need Tennesee. Wow a Coach with character, that is great. Maybe the pendulum is swinging the other way and maybe morals, character and integrity are going to be important when hiring a coach. That is the way it use to be. I hope integrity is coming back to the game. Screw the boosters that think winning is everything. Vince Lombardi stressed winning so much but he would have not put up with half what some coaches put up with today. DUI and sit out one game, come on. Player caught gouging another players eyes, one game come on. Majors made up just to keep athletes eligible, come on. Good luck Coach Dooley except against the Dawgs!
jumbeauxtiger
January 16th, 2010
9:55 am
Good article Tony. The Vols were backed against a wall as at this time of the year almost all openings have already been filled and the choices are slim. They had to take a chance on Dooley. It will take a few years for them to get out of the hole they are in but in the long run I think this guy will be a very good hire. He’s going to surprise alot of people.
When LSU played La Tech last season we had all we could handle. I was there and at the time I was watching Dooley on the sidelines and was thinking then that he is a pretty good coach. He just seemed to know what he was doing and he made very good decisions like you would see from a solid, veteran coach. They were very well prepared that night.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
collegeballfan
January 16th, 2010
9:59 am
“I wish Baby Dooley all the luck in his pursuit of 2nd place in the SEC East!”
Yeah I agree. UGA & UT battling for 2nd will make the games between them even more memorable.
Maybe if we moved Alabama from the West to the East we could knock Florida out of the East title. You think?
Realist
January 16th, 2010
10:03 am
RomeDog,,,,2nd place in the East, right behind the GATORS.
Asheville Dawg
January 16th, 2010
10:08 am
I agree with you Tony. The Knoxville crowd was screaming like wild banshees when the rumor of a Dooley going north came up. While many want a “sexy” pick, it was just not in the cards. Instead they got the polar opposite of Lame Kitten, and they should thank their lucky stars.
The bad thing is I will not win the pool on when UT will go on probation.
TommyJack
January 16th, 2010
10:10 am
TB continues to prove that he’s the best sportswriter in the South.
GBO
Proud Volunteer
January 16th, 2010
10:11 am
Amen, Tony!
The nightmare is over. We can finally get back to being Tennessee. The wins will come, it may take a while but they will come.
1eyedJack
January 16th, 2010
10:12 am
The proof will be in the pudding.
70 Dawg
January 16th, 2010
10:12 am
Congrats to UT on getting a coach with integrity and character. He will make you proud to be a Vol unlike that arrogant Bozo who was an
embarrassment to the coaching profession. The whole SEC is better off
without his circus act.
Kook Kiffin
January 16th, 2010
10:16 am
Here is what one Alabama fan with class (vs a few classless Vol opponents) posted about Kiffin the Kook situation at UT:
January 16, 2010
9:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
Reply to this post
williamt1948#1378584 writes:
in response to webass:
From a Bama fan: Be glad you’ve got a coach who seems to have a level of integrity and class. I’ll look forward to him restoring UT football to be about the players and the game and not the coaches.
In case anyone didn’t catch it, your former coach was on the Jim Rome radio show yesterday. Rome asked him about the report he(Kiffin) and Orgeron contacted Tennessee recruits to steer them to Southern Cal. Kiffin’s response(exact words) was, “Those kids were coming to UT for this coaching staff, not to wear those yellow uniforms.”
How’s that for class. I hope to see a UT-SC bowl game soon.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notice Kiffinstein, even disrespected the school colors.I hope Pop,Jr and gutter mouth stay on the left coast forever!
Bill
January 16th, 2010
10:18 am
Time will tell. I’m pulling for young Dooley to do a great job and I’ve never pulled for Tenn before.
CrazyVol
January 16th, 2010
10:20 am
I will admit I’m still a little shell shock from this past week, but after watching DD last night as he was introduce as the new coach, there does appear to be signs of hope for the future. Whats really funny is that the ink is not ever dry on his contract and you already have the haters out on this blog mouthing about it being a poor choice. But not one of them as far as I can tell is a UT fan.
Some of you state its funny that we had to go after a Georgia boy, to come pull us out of the fire, yeah I guess that is as funny as you guys going after an Auburn boy to pull you out of the fire, DD’s daddy Vince.
One of the things that DD said last night really struck a chord with me, He stated he would have been higher on the food chain for UT picks if he had stayed with SABAN and gone to Bama with him, but instead he left Saban, became his own man, and tried to acquire the skills to become a leader in the SEC one day. Says a lot about the guy. Could have the glamor of being with Bama, yet went to LA tech.
Dooley best of luck and I will be there opening day to cheer you own. Run through that T with pride brother!
.
January 16th, 2010
10:23 am
Kook kiffin, what about the 9 are so that had started class 3 days before Kiffin hauls a@@. Now they’re stuck!
70 Dawg
January 16th, 2010
10:34 am
I still Kiffin and Orgeron violated the NCAA “quiet period” for recruiting when they invited recruits to follow them to USC. This would
be a USC violation since they were acting as USC recruiters. This was mentioned by more than one recruit after Kiffin’s cowardly exit. I’d love to see USC take another hit for that violation. I haven’t disliked a coach this much since Woody Hayes punched the Clemson player
Ryno
January 16th, 2010
10:36 am
Seems like a nice southern gentleman who’ll get his tail kicked by the reprobates at UF and Bammer…and maybe LSU and Georgia and Auburn and S. Carolina. I’m afraid so many are so complimentary because they have no reason to fear the new guy.
70 Dawg
January 16th, 2010
10:41 am
Don’t underestimate D Dooley just because he coached at La Tech. His
background is extremely strong
kauai dawg
January 16th, 2010
10:44 am
Stability, character, integrity…. wow in Tennessee now. I may be in the minority, but I liked Fulmer for the same reasons. Boy the days of Spurrier and Fulmer jabbing seem like candy compared to these days.
I am a huge DAWG fan and was really looking forward to little ole Kiffie coming to Athens next year. One blogger said it right, Tenn. is probably how some feel about GA now. Quality character coach makes it hard to dislike except when you play them.
Now the Tenn. game doesn’t have the same flavor. Congrats Dooley and Go DAWGS!
Simply the Truth
January 16th, 2010
10:48 am
It doesn’t take much of a man to lie to a young kid. In Kiffin’s narcisissitic mind, he really does believe that he’s God’s gift to football recruits. What he’s really done is show what his true character is and will always be, a selfish, self centered, untrustworthy , below average coach. He’s never finished anything, people are always cleaning up after him, and he definitely belongs in California. He’ll fit in nicely with the Hollywood crowd. All things there are plastic and phony too.
Scott
January 16th, 2010
10:49 am
Finally, we get back to grinding it out again. Sure the weasel was sexy and sparked life back into the program but I hate the way coaches just leave to go somewhere else and then leave their old programs in turmoil. These colleges need to start standing up to these coaches and hold them to their contracts. I though that’s what contracts are for. When a player in Div. I wants to transfer to another they must sit out 1 full year but what about coaches? If the schools would hold them to their contracts and not let them out of their contracts then all this stuff would stop finally. If they decide not to coach the team then they don’t coach period until the contract is up…period. If you refuse to coach the team, you don’t get paid but you still can’t coach anywhere else because of the contract you signed. I guess what I am saying is that what is good for the players should also be good for the coaches. I am a true VOL fan and let me say WELCOME COACH DOOLEY!!! I hope you trash USC in a Bowl game somewhere down the road and show “The Weasel” that his loss was your gain.
Big Bob
January 16th, 2010
10:50 am
Tennessee’s program is in such shambles after hiring Kiffin. They have been the laughing stock of the SEC. I can’t stand Tennessee, but for the first time since Johnny Majors was the coach, Tennessee has a coach with integrity.
Dan
January 16th, 2010
10:57 am
Great article Tony
PaulC
January 16th, 2010
11:13 am
Tony, the only thing Kiffin didn’t do is honor Tennessee’s traditions. Everything else he was executing. The real problems with the program had and have to do with a poor instate talent base that requires our coaches to work harder than the rest just to keep up. Don’t get me wrong, I hate Kiffin now that he has trashed us, but I didn’t and don’t see anything wrong with Kiffin trying to shake up a program that had been driven into a ditch by Phil Fulmer.
Buck Strickland
January 16th, 2010
11:31 am
This hire doesn’t make a lot of sense. He may be a great guy and all but what does he bring as far as recruiting and winning at UT? Bama gets Saban. Fla gets Meyer. Guys proven winners at any level they coach. I would be disappointed if I were a UT fan. Who knows, it may work out. I was thinking he would clean up the program a little but after hearing he’s a “players coach”, that may be a stretch too.
Our Guy
January 16th, 2010
11:32 am
Tony-
You nailed it. Guys like Kiffin are a disgrace to the game we love. They don’t have a foundation for their confidence. Theyt don’t have anything substantial to point to as proof they know what they’re doing. Kiffin didn’t win in Oakland, didn’t win much in Tenn, got into all kinds of trouble with the NCAA, nd left Tenn in the dust and took his assistant caches with him. One of the most UNETHICAL things I have EVER seen in ALL THESE YEARS of watching college footabll.
So glad Tenn got them a substance guy. You can’t buy ehtics. Ethics are the foundation for a great program. A venture capitalist would never invest in a guy without impeccable ehtics. Kiffin would never get a dime. It would go to the Dooley’s of the world. Ethics mean people can trust you to do what you say you’ll do.
A guy like Pete Carroll had substance AND style, so you CAN HANE BOTH, but style without substance is hot air.
RUSS GATA
January 16th, 2010
11:36 am
“Dooley’s Blue Tick Hounds [Dawgs}?
Horrible association Hillbillies.
Bad enough we have to border you hicks. Quit copying us.
Lame Kitten
January 16th, 2010
11:41 am
Sing with me now….
Rocky Flop
You will always be
the underachiever of the SEC
good ol Rocky Flp
Rocky flop Ten u see…
Lame Kitten
January 16th, 2010
11:42 am
And… I dont have to wear yellow jackets now…
woo hoo !!!
Mikey In The SAV
January 16th, 2010
11:43 am
Lame, they are Orange and you sir are a disgrace.
HardTruth Soldier....
January 16th, 2010
11:45 am
Kiffin, Dooley, Holtz,Carroll, all left abruptly, All left kids who believed in them. for MONEY. Don’t sell a kid a dream and then exclude them in it. This coaching carousel is doing nothing but leaving a trail of tears and dissappointments. This is and embarrasment to all these programs!
01HAWK
January 16th, 2010
11:46 am
I am so glad BAMA will win the majority of recruiting battles in a head to head against Tenn.
It is hard for UGA fans to go against DOOLEY…………………………Only due to their loyalty to Vince. Look in the mirror and admit that you sweated more when KIFFIN was there. KIFFIN was hated, but he would have taken TENN towards the top.
The most hated coaches are the ones that WIN. SABAN, and MEYER.
DOOLEY is a feel good story for UGA. Vince’s son makes good
Fat American
January 16th, 2010
11:51 am
Never liked Tennessee but I always respected them. But how could you respect them with a HC who didn’t even respect UT (McNeil’s article).
Good riddance to Kiffin and good luck Coach Dooley.
Bob/ Okeefe
January 16th, 2010
11:53 am
Tony You got it right.Good for Dooley and good for Tenn.I’m not particularly a Tenn Fan but darned if I wanted to see a great and honorable program go to pot,which it was real fast.Also, good for Cutcliff–there are some coaches out there with some class ,aren’t there.HE’S NOT FINISHED AT DUKE.Good for him and good for Duke and good for college football.GO JACKETS
Nativebird
January 16th, 2010
11:54 am
As a lifelong Gator I love this hire. Good for our respected foes and fellow SEC school in Knoxville.
Now if South Carolina will just come to their senses and fire that sob Spurrier, the SEC could finally purge ourselves of classless jerks in college coaching.
Denver Dog
January 16th, 2010
11:55 am
Hey 01 Hawk, I didn’t know anyone hated your coaches there buddy boy. Everyone dislike the antics of Kid Rock Kiffin. It is the fact that he is gone from the SEC that we should all be happy about. Who knows what waits for UT from the NCAA after Kool and the Gang left. We will all know, I hope that it is not much, but time will tell.
The two coaches which you mention are liked not hated. Kiffin was hated for the disgust he brought to the conference and the the UT. Let’s be glad that they hired somone with integrity, born in traditon and with a solid head on his shoulders.
Farewill balloon boy kiffin, may the force be with you.