Dooley calmly moving from one fire to next at Tennessee
Derek Dooley, son of the former Georgia coach, is still smiling despite facing a difficult job in turning around the Tennessee program.
HOOVER, Ala. – The first question was about his mother. The second question was about his father. The third question was about the bar fight.
At some point, Derek Dooley might become just a football coach but for now he’s a novelty.
His mother, Barbara, has all but started the first Athens-based Tennessee fan club (“She made no bones about it in Atlanta at a ‘Big Orange’ caravan event, walking in with an orange boa.”).
His father, Vince, the Georgia icon, views orange as the color of the walls in Hades.
The bar fight? It defines the mess Dooley has stepped into. He left a law practice to coach football, not the typical career transition. He left Louisiana Tech, where he went 4-8 last season, to take the head coaching job at Tennessee. Whether that’s a step up right now is a matter of debate. A once-proud program slid under Phil Fulmer, morphed into a cartoon under Lane Kiffin, and then became a target of scorn and a source of embarrassment two weeks ago with a late night bar fight that left an off-duty police officer on the ground after allegedly being kicked by Volunteer players.
When news of “Vol Brawl” broke July 9, Dooley was vacationing with family and friends at Lake Burton. He had seen his parents during the July 4 weekend, but Vince and Barbara then returned to Athens. When Derek began the drive home, he phoned his father.
“He called me when he was driving back to Knoxville,” Vince Dooley said by phone Friday. “I got angry, and I think he thought I was mad at him. I wasn’t, but he preferred talking to his mother. He thought I was chewing him out.”
It’s easy to project Derek Dooley as a great football coach one day. He is football smart, street smart, book smart. He has been a player, a coach and an administrator. He has a law degree, leading him to crack at SEC media days: “I’m able to read the NCAA manual and understand it the first time.”
A byproduct of the law background means he’s also equipped to interrogate players, which has become an unfortunate part of his profession.
But his coaching potential notwithstanding, even his father projects “it will take three or four years” to turn around the Volunteers. This being the SEC, there’s no guarantee he’ll be extended a long lifeline.
Tennessee doesn’t just have a football problem, it has an image problem. Imagine taking the top MBA from a Wharton graduating class, putting him in charge of Enron and saying: “Fix it.”
“I wish I could snap my fingers, but it just doesn’t work that way,” Dooley said. “It takes time.”
Referring to Tennessee’s image, he said, “It’s not where we want it to be now. Whether you have two incidents, four, five — you don’t want any in your program.”
It’s believed up to a dozen Tennessee players were at a Knoxville bar on the night in question. Details remain fuzzy because while the university police have issued their report, Knoxville police are still investigating. Darren Myles Jr., a safety from Atlanta, has been kicked off the team. Two other players were suspended indefinitely. The fate of freshman Da’Rick Rogers from Calhoun remains uncertain because Dooley isn’t certain of his role, even though he’s facing disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges.
Sound like the big career break every coach wants?
When Dooley returned to Knoxville, he questioned every player involved and tried to sort out the details. He also reamed out the team. Everybody on the team.
“He told us what we’ve done, how we’ve embarrassed not just the university but our whole state, and I agree with him,” linebacker Nick Reveiz said.
Here’s the kicker: Reveiz wasn’t even there that night.
Dooley is trying to find the balance between good cop and bad cop.
“I’ve made plenty of bad decisions,” he said. “We’re human. There are bad things out there. It’s been that way since the Bible.”
He added, with remarkable candor: “We put so much emphasis on football and so much emphasis on academic support, which we should. But there’s a little area out there that sometimes we neglect. We talk about it, but what are we doing structurally to really emphasize what we’re saying? That’s your personal growth as a man.”
He has moved from trying to put out one fire to the next, presumably with little sleep in between. Recruiting, staffing, planning, coaching, counseling, selling. He impressed a roomful of cynical media members Friday, expressing his vision and sharing anecdotes about his parents.
Asked later off stage if this has been overwhelming, he said: “It is if you allow it to be. But if you go in knowing there’s going to be crisis, there’s going to be exposure and you’re going to get scrutinized, you can manage it pretty well.”
The games may seem like a welcome relief.
♦
Previous SEC/Georgia posts
♦ SEC media days: Tennessee and Dooley take center stage
♦ Spurrier’s lament: Team is better academically than on field
♦ Richt’s words, actions haven’t changed ugliness at Georgia
♦ SEC media days: Waiting on Richt as NCAA hovers at Georgia
♦ NCAA inquiry is the last thing Georgia and Mark Richt need
♦ It’s no coincidence Saban suddenly is concerned about agents
♦ SEC media days: Hey, who let the BCS in here?
♦ We’re LIVE at SEC media days (with no shortage of storylines)
♦ NCAA reportedly investigating Florida (but temper excitement)
♦ Can Dogs end Alabama-Florida monopoly in SEC title game?
♦ Listen up, Ole Miss: I’ve got Colonel Reb’s replacement
♦
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134 comments Add your comment
Army vet
July 23rd, 2010
4:53 pm
Don’t worry about ol’ Da’rick. He’s a usless thug….always has been, always will be. There’s plenty of future arrests and mugshots for the POS! He would have fit in nicely at thUGA. I guess winning means everything in college sports.
VolForLife
July 23rd, 2010
5:08 pm
The Vols image……what do you think a drunk, cheating, athletic director does to reflect his (former) school’s image ….worry about your own backyard dawghouse mess.
Drunkyard Dawg
July 23rd, 2010
5:13 pm
“He left Louisiana Tech, where he went 4-8 last season, to take the head coaching job at Tennessee. Whether that’s a step up right now is a matter of debate.”—jeff, that is one of the most ridiculous things you have ever written. vandy is a step up from la tech. even as a uga fan i can admit, that ut is one of the top 10 programs of all time, its a great job in the best division of the best conference in the country. to debate whether or not it’s a step up from la tech is just plain dumb.
also, it pains me to say this, but ut drubbed us last year 51-33. they’re still ut and have good players on their roster, even when theyre down. i expect dooley to have them turned around very quickly.
Bama man
July 23rd, 2010
5:15 pm
That’s what UT gets for firing my childhood hero, Johnny Mamors.
Steve "The King" Spurrier
July 23rd, 2010
5:15 pm
The Bulldawgs are the STATE champions. Georgia is a mighty big state too. Wow
Steve 'Washed Up' Spurrier
July 23rd, 2010
5:22 pm
The Gamecocks are the STATE champions. South Carolina is a total dump too, aren’t we all impressed.
Delbert D.
July 23rd, 2010
5:42 pm
This man sounds intelligent, expresses himself clearly, is strong-willed and acts like he is a leader. Every team would be fortunate to have a coach like that.
Bulldog
July 23rd, 2010
5:58 pm
I wish he were coaching at UGA!!!
sec fan
July 23rd, 2010
6:11 pm
Yeah Bulldog, if he were at UGA, players would never be punished for gang banging, etc.. Underage drinking, no problem. Gang banging? Guess they only do that stuff at UT, but still he could do nothing and blame it on the school administration just like he is doing now at UT. So far he has done a great job of demonstrating he is spinless. One could see why you would wish he was anywhere other than UT.
sec fan
July 23rd, 2010
6:14 pm
Spelled it so UT folks could understand. Correct is SPINELESS.
indianman
July 23rd, 2010
6:28 pm
derek orange is not good red and black get that
Jaydawg
July 23rd, 2010
6:32 pm
My God, a man ends up in the hospital because of a beating!2 players are arrested,1 is dismissed from the team,and the coach absolutely refuses to address or even bring up the name of the other!I have a lot of respect for the Dooley family but this is very disappointing on Derek’s part.He suspends a couple of players that were NOT ARRESTED but has to wait on the police investigation before deciding his punishment on the 1 that was?Something is VERY wrong here.
Bubba
July 23rd, 2010
7:35 pm
Hey Jeff-
Did Dooley’s words do anything to help the ugliness of his Tenn program and the players allegedly beating a cop until he’s unconscious, and leaving him for dead, do you think his words changed that tarnished image for the better?
Bubba
July 23rd, 2010
7:36 pm
One can only imagine the feeding frenzy by Georgia media on Mark Richt had the Tenn incident happened to Richt instead of Dooley. I guess since it’s a non-Georgia team, they get a pass.
Jesse James
July 23rd, 2010
7:38 pm
Best of Luck Coach Derek Dooley! Except against your Dad’s Dawgs!
clickdawg
July 23rd, 2010
7:38 pm
bravesfan79, you’re no dawg fan, and no school needs a fan such as you, racist loser, and by the way stop calling the kids thugs, just say what you really wanna say _issy. Wanna know some thugs? I can surely get you in touch with some.
Jam
July 23rd, 2010
7:50 pm
DDooley is a .450 winning percentage.
MRicht got a .770 winning percentage.
People being sweet to the lovable loser, and tearin down the relentless winner.
Please.
Jesse James
July 23rd, 2010
8:14 pm
Jam – I am a Coach Richt man and I hope he is in Athens as long as he wants to be. He was a great hire by Coach Vince Dooley. But don’t let Coach Derek Dooley’s winning percentage fool you. He was outmanned in many games, but his opposing coaches will tell you his schemes are solid and his preparation is well thought out. He will be successful. Good luck to Coach Richt and the Dawgs!
Tennessee players turned to Google to get to know Derek Dooley – Monroe News Star — Baton Rouge Real Estate
July 23rd, 2010
8:27 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Bull
July 23rd, 2010
9:46 pm
Schultz and Bradley please quit writing about sports….ANY sports… go join Terrance Moore or fly a kite. We need to usher you guys out of this state and back to wherever you came from. Just leave! Go Dawgs
Dawg '88
July 23rd, 2010
9:51 pm
Lousy biased article again.
Coach Richt doesn’t like you because of your childish rantings and stupid questions. Now I can see why. Plus its the reason that you continue to put little dings in his armor but you will never produce a dent. Your treatment of CMR is shameful and a disgrace. You are not and never will be even half the man that CMR is. You’re to immature to do what he does. You wouldn’t be able to handle the situtations that have arisen for CMR any better. If anything, you would be so scattered brained that you wouldn’t have a clue as to what to do. Keep hammer at CMR…it only raises him up and makes you look petty and vengeful little man.
BTW what happened to your prediction of a dynasty at Yech or at least the thought that Yech had become better than UGA? No what happened… it got trashed in Nov.
30-24!!! WE RUN THIS STATE!!! And don’t you forget it!!!
goatD
July 23rd, 2010
9:54 pm
Man, are you guys boring………….
jimmymack
July 23rd, 2010
9:57 pm
with all due respct i believe that your ill conceived article yesterday should serve as notice that you might have to the way to go the way your friend terrance
meme
July 23rd, 2010
10:05 pm
Since Vince is really an Auburn turkey buzzard what can he say. Me, next to the Bulldawgs I am a big T fan. In fact at one GA TN game in Athens I sat in the Tennessee end zone seats (before we had season tickets between the hedges) and had a Georgia flag in one hand and a Tennessee flag in the other and pulled for whomever had the ball. The TN fans couldn’t believe it. One of the most fun games I ever attended. The one thing that took a lot of the fun out of Saturday in Athens is when the student center took away our parking.If Georgia can’t find a replacement for Erk I may just pull for the Vols. Bulldawg strength used to be DEFENSE – DEFENSE – DEFENSE Where did it go??
Dr.Phil
July 23rd, 2010
10:14 pm
Big mistake in taking the Vols job! He will never be given a chance to put together his own team!! Gone in two years!!! “Hang down your head young Dooley”!
thunderbull56
July 23rd, 2010
10:35 pm
Vince’s boy no doubt.Pure Cane Sugar.Oh silly me, Tennessee.
Another silly AJC blog
July 23rd, 2010
10:53 pm
Barbara wearing orange is terrible, but Vince wearing orange would be worse than red panties.
northcyde
July 23rd, 2010
11:17 pm
As long as nothing drastic happens next season . . ( get blown out by Oregon at home, lose to Vandy, etc ) Coach Dooley will get the benefit of the doubt for at least one season, if we post a .500 or better record. Win one big game, and he’ll definitely get the benefit of the doubt.
But he only gets one year. By year 2, we in the Big Orange nation will have to see improvement. Georgia ties or not, just improve the squad and get us back to where we belong . . at the top of the SEC.
I will say this
The Vols WILL WIN A SEC CHAMPIONSHIP in the future, before Georgia will. You can take that to the dang bank !!!
bitter larry munson
July 23rd, 2010
11:55 pm
in my day a good ole hob nail boot for DA’slick rogers 900–100 yard sprints and a half gallon of moon shine would put him on the right path, run linsee run
BobVol
July 24th, 2010
12:27 am
“Here’s the kicker” is form of expression, it doesn’t mean a linebacker is a kicker!
RHB
July 24th, 2010
12:33 am
I love this article particularly because it follows the Richt skewer job from yesterday.
In the mid ’90’s as a married man Derek was a Buckhead bar hound trying to pick up single women ( he was married). This guy is the “man” Schultz prefers over Richt who I assure you has never tried to pick up a woman in Buckhead.
Whopper Dawg
July 24th, 2010
12:48 am
When he was hired, I thought what a stretch, man, they could have done better.
After watching him at media day, not so sure. I thought he handled that situation great, TN may have gotten themselves a good one, of course I don’t know if he can coach or not, but I suspect he can, he certainly believes in what he is doing.
MyPatooti
July 24th, 2010
1:02 am
DD lost a lot of his credibility right off the bat by protecting “his boy” he stole from GA, Duh’Rick Rogers. Apparently he knows somebody in the court system too as his hearing date has been pushed back to Sept. 14. I do believe the season has already started by then. Well I’ll be darn, how convenient!
Dooley calmly moving from one fire to next at Tennessee
July 24th, 2010
1:12 am
[...] [...]
Red Dog 77
July 24th, 2010
1:18 am
Jeff………Sure sounds like you have a “girl” crush on ‘ol Doley Jr………Wow, if this had been about Mark Richt, the story would have been a whole lot different………..Time to come out of the closet, Mr. Jeff Shultz, and admit, you hate UGA………..but just love GT and Tenn……….With warmest Best Regards, RED
Hunker Down
July 24th, 2010
1:41 am
I am first and foremost a Dawg fan. Secondly, I am a SEC fan. Thirdly, I am a Dooley fan, especially since he comes from a pedigree of Vince and Barbara. But for the life of me I do not understand the bar room brawl incident. While Myles was kicked off the team and rightfully so, still adeqate punishment has not been admonished in my estimation from the UT coaching staff. No one to date has been charged with the cop who was unmercifully beaten who tried in vain to intervene. My understanding from what I have read is that some high dollar lawyers are representing players. Still no charges have been filed against anyone of the cop beating. Is the Knowville PD so inep that in this length of time they can not come up with any suspects of one of their own beaten unconscious? Is there some reason that charges have not been filed in a town that happens to be the same as the UT campus? If Derreck Dooley is a good lawyer how come he can’t seem to get to the bottom of the issue find out the guilty parties and remove them from the program?
Bulldog
July 24th, 2010
2:10 am
@ sec fan:
Are you drunk or…never mind.
Whatever you say…
Bulldog
July 24th, 2010
2:16 am
@ jam:
Richt a “relentless winner”? Really?
Maybe. He relentlessly held on to Martinez. How that qualifies him as a “winner” I’ll never know.
» SEC: Kadji leaving Florida; Dooley on spot at Media Days John Clay’s Sidelines
July 24th, 2010
8:56 am
[...] Derek Dooley calmly moving from one fire to another at Tennessee, writes Jeff Schultz of the AJC. [...]
balismith
July 24th, 2010
9:01 am
…hope ut will be patient and give him time to turn the program around..
Pi$$onaDawg's Top
July 24th, 2010
9:36 am
Don’t mind him I was rough on him last night. He doesn’t even like football. He is just mad at me and is taking it out on people here. I will make him pay tonight in pound town
TommyJack
July 24th, 2010
9:51 am
Bull (9:46) Lay off these two. They make the AJC readable.
To all the whiny TN bashing GA fans, I’ll refer you to our dysfunctional, limited talent team of last year. Whooped the dogs azzez with apparent ease.
GBO
Spike
July 24th, 2010
10:01 am
Dooley seems like a class act and a nice addition to UT. Certainly a lot better than that idiot they had who could not wear a shirt with the shirttail in. But forget his name is Dooley. UT hired the LA. Tech coach with a 4-8 record. Wow.
superDawg
July 24th, 2010
10:25 am
The good thing is “good ole rocky top will not be in the top forty parade this year.”
Buddy El
July 24th, 2010
10:56 am
Pi$$onaDawg: Can you read this?????????????? How many fingers am I holding up???????? Yup, just one . The middle one…………..Idiot!
Jesse James
July 24th, 2010
10:58 am
Derek Dooley is a class act. He is the son of a coach that was a class act. Look at the leadership that UGA has now and we realize how much we miss Coach Dooley as AD. Hell I wish he was President. It is not just in college, but your best administrators in high school are former coaches. You see less and less of them and that is why Education is in the shape it is.
Jesse James
July 24th, 2010
11:00 am
Don’t worry about Pi$$onaDawg! He has to squat to piss!
joe
July 24th, 2010
11:01 am
@honestdawg…guess you hate UF and UT cause they both regularly beat your fleabag a$$. 41-17 and 45-19…very impressive.
Buddy El
July 24th, 2010
11:06 am
Bulldawg: Averaging 10 wins per year while coaching in the SEC definitely qualifies CMR as a winner. Also, there are obviously many things you’ll “never know”…. IF you were sober when writing to this blog @2:16 am.
Buddy El
July 24th, 2010
11:10 am
Joe: Who do you hate??? Obviously you don’t have a decent team of your own to talk about(probably a Bunglebee). Who did you anemic little team lose to?