As the carousel turns
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| A Dooley is coaching football in the SEC
By CARL DUBOIS
Tiger Rag Associate Editor
If nothing else, the change from Lane Kiffin to Derek Dooley gives Tennessee football an upgrade in any conversations the coach might have with NCAA investigators, attorneys or compliance personnel. Dooley earned a law degree from the University of Georgia and practiced law for nearly two years before switching gears to become a football coach.
So, you know, there’s that if the Vols need it.
Vince Dooley’s son is now a head coach in the SEC, and it’s in the Eastern Division, and at a school that’s not Georgia. Barbara Dooley, who’s never had a thing for orange, said she has to go buy some clothes in that color now so she can support her son.
Nick Saban’s former assistant is now a head coach in the SEC, and it’s at the Eastern Division school Alabama - now coached by Saban - plays every year. You figure things might get a little more amicable in that border war, at least at the top.
Another of Saban’s former assistants - Will Muschamp - decided not to go to Tennessee, instead staying at the other UT. He’s coach-in-waiting at Texas, and so he’ll coach and wait some more.
Another of Saban’s former assistants - Jimbo Fisher - is the new head coach at Florida State. Years ago you figured Fisher would have to go to a mid-major and pay some dues as a head man before getting a gig at a major program. He had offers, but he waited for the right fit.
It helps if you’re almost part of the Bowden family, which Fisher has been for years, and lo and behold the first head coaching job he lands is in talent-rich Florida, where the Big Three in the state are all trying to return to glory. The situations are different at Miami, Florida and Florida State, but there’s no debate all three are in worse shape right this minute than they were a decade ago.
Saban has another national championship. It’s a good time to be him - and to be affiliated with him. Nothing against Dooley, but it’s hard to envision the coach of Louisiana Tech going from Ruston to Knoxville to run an SEC program without having a pedigree to go with the resume. Having worked for Saban for seven years and being the son of Vince Dooley is a nice 1-2 punch as far as that goes.
From this point, Derek Dooley will be judged simply by the results, and that’s as it should be.
He’s already telling people he’s not Nick Saban, and that’s understandable, but when something or someone plays such a big part in you getting the job you have, it’s not easily going to be forgotten while you’re doing that job and trying to carve out your own identity. The references and comparisons to Saban are just beginning.
The son of Vince Dooley surely knows that.
Carl Dubois has covered LSU athletics since 1999. Contact him at carl@tigerrag.com.
All of college football is looking for the head coach with the intangibles( of completely knowing how to teach college football players to become winners)…Saben,Bowden,Meyers of today game, is very hard to find.
Derek Dooley does look like he has a lot on the ball…We will see.
Tom
Do you think it is possible for Tennessee to trade Dooley for LSU Miles?
Did that ever happen in college football?
David
You know I just do not understand all this Saban stuff. He was nothing until LSU hired him and made him what he is today, not the other way around, SABAN is still not in the upper hights of COACHES as NEYLAND, BLAIKE, BOWDON, McDONALD, DIETZEL, BIBLE, and many others, very few people ever reach those heights, and it is easier today than it was back in those times of two way football when men were on the field all the time. This is not even any where near the days of old, the men of iron. YOU HAD TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE, YOU HAD TO BE GREAT COACHES, THEY WOULD BE AMAZED AT THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF TODAY!!! The drinking, smoking, some are not students today, they just go through the motions, sometimes it is disgusting!!! O’well I have outlived my times I suppose. maranatha!!!
Carl, just what has this little “KID KIFFEN” done? Nothing! I think that he new that he would never be able to cut it in the SEC!!! He is back in the PAC 10 where it is a little easier, you are not going through a “grinder” week end and week out. What has PETE ever done, he begged his way to part of SABINS national championship by crying on the AP sholders and they threw PETE a bone. AP was always good to the LEFT coast, and he was having a hard time winning out there, he could not make it in PRO ball the first time around and I doubt that he will make it this time. I am sure in my mind that there was a lot of cheating going on at USC, and P$TE saw that UCLA now is going to be the big guy on the block in LA> it is just a matter of time. USC AD tried to hire CHOW away from UCLA and was turned down, CHOW knows the guy does not like him, and he will be better off at UCLA… well as the world turns, and I get older, can remember my days of old time football, many things have changed, many of friends and family have left this old world, sure miss them, God bless them, I love em so!!! Maranatha and GOD BLESS!!!