Da’Rick Rogers suspended, Dooley still cleaning up from Kiffin (UPDATED II)
Da'Rick Rogers was top SEC receiver in 2011. (Raleigh News-Observer)
(Second update with Derek Dooley saying he doesn’t expect Da’Rick Roger to play this season.)
Two years ago, when new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley made his debut at SEC media days, I made note of the first three subjects he was asked about: 1) His mother; 2) His father; 3) A bar fight that included several of his players. Suffice to say, he would welcome more questions about his mother and father again.
Dooley inherited a mess at Tennessee after the sudden departure of Lane Kiffin. That’s no secret. The fact that the guy’s job might be on the line this season is unfortunate because the image of the team and the character problems of too many players that he inherited takes a while to overcome.
The latest example: Da’Rick Rogers. The talented but often troubled wide receiver from Calhoun, who nearly signed with Georgia in 2010, was suspended indefinitely Thursday by Dooley. No reason was given, other than the standard, “violation of team rules.”
UPDATE: Dooley told the Knoxville News that “our expectation is” that Rogers won’t return to the program. Translation: Expect him to transfer.
But given that there has been no report of an arrest — or another bar fight — use your imagination.
The suspension appears open ended for now, but Rogers is not listed on Tennessee’s depth chart.
Tennessee probably wasn’t going to challenge for the SEC East title this season, anyway. But it has (or had) the potential to be decent and upset some teams. From a talent standpoint, Rogers’ loss would be significant. He led the SEC last season with 67 receptions, and was second with 1,040 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches.
But don’t blame Dooley for what’s going on in Knoxville. If we still don’t know how great of a coach he is, we can at least be certain Kiffin left him a rather large and malodorous bag.
(Many point out that Da’Rick Rogers was a Derek Dooley recruit in 2010. That is technically accurate. However, Rogers initially backed off his Georgia commitment to hear the recruiting pitches from then-Tennessee coaches Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron. It was Kiffin who offered Rogers and high school teammate Nash Nance the opportunity to go to Tennessee as a package deal, an offer that Dooley confirmed after he got the job. So, yes, Dooley shares some responsibility. I also wanted to added that rumors circulated that Rogers was interested in transferring to Georgia State in the spring, but that obviously never happened.)
In May, Dooley dismissed sophomore tight end Cameron Clear (yes, a Dooley recruit) following an arrest for felony theft charges. Last year he kicked off safety Janzen Jackson (a Kiffin recruit). Dooley said only that Jackson’s “personal issues” led to the suspension, but added, “I will always be there to help him as a person, but there comes a time when a player’s actions preclude him from the privilege of playing for [Tennessee].”
There have been multiple other suspensions. Sophomore safety Darren Myles Jr. was dismissed from the team and others were suspended for the aforementioned bar brawl, which took place not long after his hiring.
Rogers also was involved in that incident. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. But the charges ultimately were dropped and Dooley chose not to suspend him. That was one time when giving a kid a break backfired. Rogers was banned for two weeks this past spring for offseason activities for unspecified reasons.
Referencing Tennessee’s problems in 2010, Dooley said, “I wish I could snap my fingers, but it just doesn’t work that way. It takes time.”
Problem being that SEC coaches don’t get a lot of that, regardless of whose fault it is.
By Jeff Schultz
•
Some recent typings (no charge)
– Now on Internet: It’s Mike Vick Injury Bingo! (ouch)
– MLB’s drug policy too soft — teams should be docked wins
– VIDEO: Augusta National forges ahead into the 1900s
– If Braves serious about East, they need to beat Nationals now
– NFL is damaging its own product with replacement officials
– Falcons’ defense still showing reason for concern
– Donnan goes from Hall of Fame to ‘real SEC’ Hall of Shame
– Hanson not buying into talk of decline, looks to win spot
– Countdown: Mizzou’s paranoia, Mora’s rant and my new Petrino shirt
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
349 comments Add your comment
Mark Richt's Goatee
August 23rd, 2012
3:21 pm
I guess Mark Richt lost control of this guy too.
Wilson Pickett
August 23rd, 2012
3:25 pm
Wish all you and your favorite teams much success this year. Support those coaches that attempt to do the right things because college football needs these type people at this time. I recall Coach Stallings telling the HC at NC State in 96…”just hate it that we’re leaving the game to folks like you”! You look at what is comingi(recruits) into college football and you really have to wonder how long before the coaches just can’t manage the process. Just a thought.
Roll Tide
7576DAWG
August 23rd, 2012
3:26 pm
There were eye witnesses that said they saw Da’Rick kick the security guard in the head. The security guard said it but I heard dropped any charges because he was a Vol. fan. But I don’t care who you are if a mob has a guy on the ground and you are kicking him in the head , what does that tell you about his values.
Dooley lost all respect I ever had for him when he decided to tell Da’Rick it was okay to half kill someone. You are a Volunteer now and we will have your back. The problem that I knew Dooley was going to have after he decided to give Da’Rick a free pass was , from that point on Da’Rick had no respect for Dooley. I’m sure he told his friends that he owned Dooley because Dooley can’t do without him.
@M R's Goatee
August 23rd, 2012
3:26 pm
Now you know good and well this is on Bobo, not Mark
Delbert D.
August 23rd, 2012
3:26 pm
I lived in Knoxville during the ’80s, and I used to listen to the TVA guys argue about whether Nashville or Knoxville was better. I was like, “Come on, guys…it’s Tennessee, it ain’t New York. And it really isn’t the World’s Fair.”
CK
August 23rd, 2012
3:26 pm
Very likely during or after this season this statement will be made by the Tennessee Athletics Director, “our expectation is” that Derek Dooley won’t return to the program.
Wilson Pickett
August 23rd, 2012
3:32 pm
Dooley will need a lot of help from his defense and new DC Sal Sunseri just might help save his job. I have UT a trap game for Alabama since we travel to UT and Sal knows all about Bama’s defense. I have no problem with DaRick gone…LOL
Al
August 23rd, 2012
3:34 pm
@Wilson Pickett
Could not agree more!!
Too much attention is given to these star recruits. First day they walk on campus, they are patted on the back on how great they are and how great they will be. It goes to there head and then they think I am untouchable, do what I want to, where I want to, and so on.
They get caught doing something wrong, 1-2 game suspension, extra laps in practice or whatever and all is good again.
1eyedJack
August 23rd, 2012
3:36 pm
Fire Mark Richt!! He has lost control of Tennessee’s wide receivers.
Ft Benning Dawg
August 23rd, 2012
3:37 pm
Some of the laziest and most biased reporting I have ever seen. This is a 100% on Dooley. Kiffin never signed DR. Didn’t coach him. You need to grow up Mr. Schultz. You sound like someone that is bitter that Mr. Kiffin is laughing at you and the others of your ilk out at #1 USC.
Kramer
August 23rd, 2012
3:38 pm
Soooooooo glad this bonehead signed with UT instead of UGA. If Dooley is lucky he will be allowed to leave that crap hole and go onto somewhere else to coach. He does not deserve this garbage.
Kramer
August 23rd, 2012
3:38 pm
Soooooooo glad this bonehead signed with UT instead of UGA. If Dooley is lucky he will be allowed to leave that crap hole and go onto somewhere else to coach. He does not deserve this garbage.
Kramer
August 23rd, 2012
3:38 pm
Soooooooo glad this bonehead signed with UT instead of UGA. If Dooley is lucky he will be allowed to leave that crap hole and go onto somewhere else to coach. He does not deserve this garbage.
Kramer
August 23rd, 2012
3:39 pm
Sorry about the threepeat. I don’t know why it happened. GO DAWGS!
Layilow
August 23rd, 2012
3:40 pm
First off, all top sec schools lose big time players every year for discipline reasons so I’m not feeling sorry for Dooley. See- crowell and marshall at Uga, dyer at aub, and Lsu lost a preseason heisman candidate. Second, Dooley proved that he was a mediocre coach with his 17-20 record in 3 seasons at la tech. Urban Meyer won big at bowling green in just three seasons and brought Utah national prominence in just 2 seasons. Why can’ t we just admit the truth, Vince Dooley was a good coach and his son is not? Personally, I’m sick of the good ole boy network Uga fans crying that if richt stumbles were a bringin ole Dooley home to Athens! Please. I’m no big richt fan but he is head and shoulders above the younger Dooley.
Harold out of touch
August 23rd, 2012
3:42 pm
Are you even a football fan? Your wrong why ad was fired. Funny thing is everyone here has a rumor. How did everyone become the press!
7576DAWG
August 23rd, 2012
3:48 pm
How do you know that? Show your source? Are you even a football fan?
7576DAWG
August 23rd, 2012
3:48 pm
How do you know that? Show your source? Are you even a football fan?
Matt
August 23rd, 2012
3:53 pm
Prediction: Georgia State actually keeps up with UT for a half.
WDE
August 23rd, 2012
3:54 pm
@1eyedJack that was funny !
STUDENT ATHLETE
August 23rd, 2012
3:55 pm
I BE TAKING MY TALENTS TO ……………………………………………………………………………………………
DA UNIVERSITY OF……………………………………………………………. TENNESSEE.
Doo Yah Wreckin
August 23rd, 2012
3:55 pm
Trouble followed La”Dick at Rocky Top. Makes you wonder how long he would have lasted if he had come to Georgia.
collegeballfan
August 23rd, 2012
3:55 pm
Rogers was recruited by Kiffin, Dooley and Richt and many others. In fact, according to most UGA people, Dooley stole Rogers from UGA.
GB's Hamburgers
August 23rd, 2012
3:57 pm
I believe most UGA fans would rather see Tennesee playing respectable SEC football. It’s not much of a rivalry when it get’s onesided. I believe Dooley will do better than predicted this year.
JHawks
August 23rd, 2012
3:57 pm
UGA still has had more players kicked off the team so anyone bringing that to the table is ill informed. In addition, every major program has things like this happen. Also, I am a VOL fan and to think even with Da’Reck (great name choice parents) was going to make that much of a difference is also ill informed. This is the greatest conference on Earch for a reason. Even Vandy and Kentucky are respectable teams these days.
Dawg Poop
August 23rd, 2012
4:00 pm
Looks like the Vols are trying to catch up with the Dawgs for the most scumbag thugs on the team.
JHawks
August 23rd, 2012
4:02 pm
Also LOL @ whomever said that Athens police are out to get UGA players. Difference is, Knoxville would be a city without UT, the same could not said about Athens.
Doo Yah Wreckin
August 23rd, 2012
4:05 pm
Somebody said Barbara had DD a job lined up in Athens selling cars at the Kia place.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2012
4:05 pm
We got left at the altar by DaRick and used the scholly to get Kenarious Gates, our starting left tackle
Everyone who laughed at Richt then is now in hiding or posting under another blog handle
Bob
August 23rd, 2012
4:05 pm
Mark Richt has not only lost control of Georgia’s program, but now Tennessee’s too. Hell, he was responsible for Honey Badger and Greg Reid as well. What an embarrassment the Georgia program is.
DawginLex
August 23rd, 2012
4:05 pm
Bob, clearly this was Mike Bobo’s fault
7576DAWG
August 23rd, 2012
4:11 pm
I was going by an article that I read from a Tennessee paper back when all this was going on. I can’t remember what paper but it interviewed a few of the witnesses. The actual assault happened in the street out of one of the bars , but I didn’t really care what happened after he left Georgia and didn’t think anything of it until today’s article because I remember saying anybody who has the instincts to kick someone while they are on the ground is a felon waiting to be convicted and has no business in college. Glad he decided to de-commit from Georgia .
David
August 23rd, 2012
4:12 pm
I have no sympathy for this Da’Rick guy and no sympathy for Tennessee in general on this, but it is just ashamed to see yet another kid with all this God given talent just let it get wasted because being stupid is so much more important to them. And it happens with all the teams. It is not necessarily a reflection on any of these schools, they all have these things happening. It is more of a reflection on the general attitude of kids now. And most of them eventually grow up and join the real world. Problem with these kids, by the time they figure it out, its to late. But all you trolls keep mindlessly making fun of the other schools. Seems to keep you off the streets and out of trouble, I guess.
SEC Fact Finder
August 23rd, 2012
4:12 pm
Check in and around the SEC and see what the coaches say about Coach Kiffin and Ed O and that alone would tell you about what his peers think of his recruiting and what type people he attracts.
The truth hurts sometimes!
Georgia Coach
August 23rd, 2012
4:13 pm
Dooley got the job solely on his name. He has earned nothing.
David
August 23rd, 2012
4:14 pm
But I do agree that Kiffin is slimy. Glad he is no longer part of the SEC.
Beast from the East
August 23rd, 2012
4:15 pm
At least they still have their storied HC with his magical pants.
True Dawg
August 23rd, 2012
4:21 pm
Cmon Schultz Kiffin doing pretty good at USC- what is the point of this pathetic article. Why didnt you just say “UGA is not the only one loosing big time recruits” !!!! You can give UGA that kind of break can you? It looks to me like Dooley Stinks and is not SEC coach material! Anybody with me?
Beast from the Least
August 23rd, 2012
4:23 pm
At least Florida still has Will “Deer in the Headlights” Muschamp.
Go Gator!
Layilow
August 23rd, 2012
4:23 pm
Georgia coach your statement is spot on! A guy with a 17-20 record at la tech isn’t suppose to get the tenn job I don’t care how freakin desperate they were. He got that job solely on his last name. I think this will be his last season.
Dee
August 23rd, 2012
4:26 pm
Man, now I don’t feel so bad he snubbed UGA way back when. He did us a favor.
ShoeBooty
August 23rd, 2012
4:27 pm
Why didn’t Dooley just not sign him since he is such a judge of upstanding citizenship??
SEC Fan
August 23rd, 2012
4:28 pm
Dooley had little to nothing to do with DR being suspended. This was a NCAA action which UTk is appealing. Since the viloation is an NCCA issue and is pretty straight forward, the Dooley ‘attaboy’ is not appropriate at all in this instance. Fact is, he is leading the charge to get the NCAA to reconsider. Unlikely the Dooley begging will work though. Hence the Dooley comment that it is doubtful he will return.
CC
August 23rd, 2012
4:30 pm
Who did he murder??
Pitbull
August 23rd, 2012
4:30 pm
Glad the kid didn’t sign with UGA. Like IC, he has talent but no character.
Hope UT runs off Dooley. He has the qualities to be a good coach and build a solid program. I would rather have a Kiffen type loser in Knoxville.
Not So Fast
August 23rd, 2012
4:34 pm
Kiffin has his team that just came off a 2 year bowl ban ranked #1 in the country and you want to blame him for Dudley Doolittles mess in Rocky Top. What a load of crap.
ShoeBooty
August 23rd, 2012
4:37 pm
I sort of think most of these reporters/columnists get in an uproar over Kiffin because he more than likely could give to rats rears about them and now he is out in LA killing it!!!! I have never been a Kiffin fan, but the more stuff like this comes out I sort of hope he goes 14-0 and wins the MNC. Hate to tell you this, bu most any major level football coach would slap their granny if they could get a win. Look at Paterno. Media held him in such high regard over the years as the shining example of what a coach should be and he was harboring a child molester on his staff and around his school, all for the sake of his “good name” and to get his wins.
dean
August 23rd, 2012
4:37 pm
Hmmm, #1 USC.
I wonder when the last time was that a preseason #1 ended up #1?
I could look it up but I’ll let an expert do it.
Not So Fast
August 23rd, 2012
4:37 pm
Just heard Tropical Storm Joyce is growing larger and may reach hurricane strenght, I blame Kiffin.
Da Moose
August 23rd, 2012
4:38 pm
Huh?? Where am I?! Sorry, I just passed out for a minute when I think I read a previous poster describe Knoxville, TN as a, “A GREAT COLLEGE TOWN.” Went to school there, used to live there…Knoxville is a small city with no identity and it has a middle-of-the-road state university town in it. Great college towns: Madison, WI; Chapel Hill, Athens.. Knoxville? Nope.