Ah crap

[BigOrange Maniac]

Wilcox, Sirmon gone to Washington. Who saw that coming??

[TallVol]

Wow.  One haymaker after another with this program since Fulmer was fired. 

[BigOrange Maniac]

I know Washington is closer to home for Wilcox, and Sarkisian is viewed as a bright young head coach with a bright future.

But you're telling me that Wilcox would turn down Texas last year, then bolt for Washington this year?

I'm afraid this tells us more about the staff's uncertainty in Derek Dooley's future at Tennessee than we'd like to know.

Now just about everything that Tennessee had going for it is in question. We had a very bright defensive coaching staff that has just been gutted in one fell swoop. We still have Lance Thompson, but for how long? And a potential Top Ten recruiting class will take a blow from this.

[Volznut]

That will leave a mark

[VinnieVOL]

We are hosed.

[murfvol]

My father-in-law says people vote on their employer with their feet. Most don't make a stink, they just leave. I fear that's what's happening. I like Dooley, but if key coaches are betting against a big rebound that's not good  - or perhaps he's no picnic to work for.

[Black Diamond Vol]

Well, so much for putting 2011 behind us and making a fresh start.  Happy fizzleing new year, Vol Nation.  I'm so sick of this shizzle.

[BanditVol]

My father-in-law says people vote on their employer with their feet. Most don't make a stink, they just leave. I fear that's what's happening. I like Dooley, but if key coaches are betting against a big rebound that's not good  - or perhaps he's no picnic to work for.

I would not want to work for someone who throws the players under the bus as often as he does.  Given his track record on that, he probably points fingers at the staff a lot.

No doubt this is a big blow.   I didn't think our defense or the staff was outstanding, but I was very favorably impressed with how our D played at times this year.  Generally we held tight until lack of depth caught up with us.  OTOH, at times we didn't make adjustments that seemed obvious to me and we got burned repeatedly on the same play a few times (uga throwing long repeatedly against Teague comes to mind).

I guess the question is...what next?   I hope our recruiting holds solid.  I am going to assume Lance Thompson gets promoted.  I don't see any way not to, given his track record and the need for some continuity.

Final thought...I can't recall his name (Chuck Smith?), but in spite of his bizarre "youtube meltdown", our DL coach from last year might have had a point.  My take is that he criticized Dooley, Dooley is thin-skinned and let him go, but ICBW.

Hope for the best, expect the worst, is about all we can do now.  We have to hope next year is a pleasant surprise.

Wake me up in late August!   

[SmokeyJoe]

Relax. We'll be fine. Why couldn't/shouldn't Thompson be promoted? On the one hand Fulmer was too loyal, and on the other we freak as a result of normal attrition. FACE IT East Tennessee is not always a desirable destination. It apparently takes a Southerner with our recruiting base, and "culture". We will be fine.  I have faith. Bumma couldn't find the "right" guy for years! Then they did. We will too.

[LouisVOL]

One thing about "throwing players under the bus".  We criticize Dooley all day long for doing it, yet we haven't said a word over the years about Pat Summit (and by extension her entire staff).  Just a motivation ploy when she does it, and she calls out players frequently.  This has nothing to do with Dooley or Staff, just an observation that our discontent actually comes from performance on the field, not in the press conference.

I would not want to work for someone who throws the players under the bus as often as he does.  Given his track record on that, he probably points fingers at the staff a lot.

No doubt this is a big blow.   I didn't think our defense or the staff was outstanding, but I was very favorably impressed with how our D played at times this year.  Generally we held tight until lack of depth caught up with us.  OTOH, at times we didn't make adjustments that seemed obvious to me and we got burned repeatedly on the same play a few times (uga throwing long repeatedly against Teague comes to mind).

I guess the question is...what next?   I hope our recruiting holds solid.  I am going to assume Lance Thompson gets promoted.  I don't see any way not to, given his track record and the need for some continuity.

Final thought...I can't recall his name (Chuck Smith?), but in spite of his bizarre "youtube meltdown", our DL coach from last year might have had a point.  My take is that he criticized Dooley, Dooley is thin-skinned and let him go, but ICBW.

Hope for the best, expect the worst, is about all we can do now.  We have to hope next year is a pleasant surprise.

Wake me up in late August!   

[Inspector Vol]

Well that sucks. The hits just keep coming.  I am just numb to it now. 

[ChattanoogaVol]

I would not want to work for someone who throws the players under the bus as often as he does.  Given his track record on that, he probably points fingers at the staff a lot.

No doubt this is a big blow.   I didn't think our defense or the staff was outstanding, but I was very favorably impressed with how our D played at times this year.  Generally we held tight until lack of depth caught up with us.  OTOH, at times we didn't make adjustments that seemed obvious to me and we got burned repeatedly on the same play a few times (uga throwing long repeatedly against Teague comes to mind).

I guess the question is...what next?   I hope our recruiting holds solid.  I am going to assume Lance Thompson gets promoted.  I don't see any way not to, given his track record and the need for some continuity.

Final thought...I can't recall his name (Chuck Smith?), but in spite of his bizarre "youtube meltdown", our DL coach from last year might have had a point.  My take is that he criticized Dooley, Dooley is thin-skinned and let him go, but ICBW.

Hope for the best, expect the worst, is about all we can do now.  We have to hope next year is a pleasant surprise.

Wake me up in late August!   

Agree 100 %.......................
We are in for a world of shizzle with Dooley i'm afraid.........................................I hope I'm dead wrong.
 
 

[BanditVol]

One thing about "throwing players under the bus".  We criticize Dooley all day long for doing it, yet we haven't said a word over the years about Pat Summit (and by extension her entire staff).  Just a motivation ploy when she does it, and she calls out players frequently.  This has nothing to do with Dooley or Staff, just an observation that our discontent actually comes from performance on the field, not in the press conference.

Well I have to confess...I have not and do not follow Summitt enough to know she throws players under the bus.   


Having said that, what little I recall, it seems to me that Pat criticizes the EFFORT, not the talent.   Has she ever said "I  told you these were not good guys" (girls in her case of course).  Saying you don't like the effort or someone did not do a good job is one thing, saying they just SUCK is another. IMHO.

[EmerilVOL]

I would not want to work for someone who throws the players under the bus as often as he does.  Given his track record on that, he probably points fingers at the staff a lot.

No doubt this is a big blow.   I didn't think our defense or the staff was outstanding, but I was very favorably impressed with how our D played at times this year.  Generally we held tight until lack of depth caught up with us.  OTOH, at times we didn't make adjustments that seemed obvious to me and we got burned repeatedly on the same play a few times (uga throwing long repeatedly against Teague comes to mind).

I guess the question is...what next?   I hope our recruiting holds solid.  I am going to assume Lance Thompson gets promoted.  I don't see any way not to, given his track record and the need for some continuity.

Final thought...I can't recall his name (Chuck Smith?), but in spite of his bizarre "youtube meltdown", our DL coach from last year might have had a point.  My take is that he criticized Dooley, Dooley is thin-skinned and let him go, but ICBW.

Hope for the best, expect the worst, is about all we can do now.  We have to hope next year is a pleasant surprise.

Wake me up in late August!   

There was a lot of backtalk not in the media and not being discussed in that Sirmon and Wilcox were not "Chuck Smith fans" and that there were some "rumours" that Smith was let go in a move to keep Wilcox and Sirmon in the fold.  Apparently Wilcox and Sirmon were not enamored with Chuck and his coaching methods and wanted him gone.  I do not know all the background but apparently the Chuck Smith firing was being gerrymandered by Wilcox and Sirmon.  This is just what i heard. 

Frankly I was never enamored with Wilcox in that his defenses were ok at Boise State but in what I saw overall were way too many breakdowns and  the defense was on the field way too long.  My SO said many a time that Wilcox "did not know his head from his ass" because he would get beat on the simplest of plays when everybody in the stadium knew what was coming from the other team!

[BanditVol]

There was a lot of backtalk not in the media and not being discussed in that Sirmon and Wilcox were not "Chuck Smith fans" and that there were some "rumours" that Smith was let go in a move to keep Wilcox and Sirmon in the fold.  Apparently Wilcox and Sirmon were not enamored with Chuck and his coaching methods and wanted him gone.  I do not know all the background but apparently the Chuck Smith firing was being gerrymandered by Wilcox and Sirmon.  This is just what i heard. 

Frankly I was never enamored with Wilcox in that his defenses were ok at Boise State but in what I saw overall were way too many breakdowns and  the defense was on the field way too long.  My SO said many a time that Wilcox "did not know his head from his ass" because he would get beat on the simplest of plays when everybody in the stadium knew what was coming from the other team!

Interesting.  I seem to recall some stuff going around about Smith not getting along with Wilcox last year, so this is not the first time I hear that.  It seems that Chuck Smith had the line playing really well given what he had to work with, and also seemed to be a good recruiter so it would almost have to be a personality conflict, one would think.

I agree there were a few times we got burned when it seemed obvious what the other team would do.  Two come to mind quickly....against USC it became obvious (to me) early in the game that SOS was going to use the running ability of their QB repeatedly...and yet he kept burning us over and over again.  The particular play that stands out was one of their TDs...I seem to recall telling Pirate it was coming and then it did.

Another one is the TD pass by Arkansas after our (unwise IMO) 4th down attempt at our own 40. Bammer had done the exact same thing to us in a virtually identical situation (throw long after a failed 4th and 1 at around our own 40), and it happened AGAIN.

Still and yet, I was happier than not with the D most of the time. 

But methinks maybe this will prove a benefit in the long run, if we get Shannon and he works out.   

[ReVOLver]

Interesting.  I seem to recall some stuff going around about Smith not getting along with Wilcox last year, so this is not the first time I hear that.  It seems that Chuck Smith had the line playing really well given what he had to work with, and also seemed to be a good recruiter so it would almost have to be a personality conflict, one would think.

I agree there were a few times we got burned when it seemed obvious what the other team would do.  Two come to mind quickly....against USC it became obvious (to me) early in the game that SOS was going to use the running ability of their QB repeatedly...and yet he kept burning us over and over again.  The particular play that stands out was one of their TDs...I seem to recall telling Pirate it was coming and then it did.

Another one is the TD pass by Arkansas after our (unwise IMO) 4th down attempt at our own 40. Bammer had done the exact same thing to us in a virtually identical situation (throw long after a failed 4th and 1 at around our own 40), and it happened AGAIN.

Still and yet, I was happier than not with the D most of the time. 

But methinks maybe this will prove a benefit in the long run, if we get Shannon and he works out.   

Chuck Smith wasn't even coaching the DL at the end of the year. Sirmon was coaching LBs and Thompson was coaching DL. Because Chuck Smith SUCKED as a coach. He was solely responsible for the 13 man debacle at the end of the LSU game. He was confrontational and combative to Wilcox in the meeting rooms. All of those reasons are why his lifelong friend and high school teammate fired him.

[volmeister]

Chuck Smith wasn't even coaching the DL at the end of the year. Sirmon was coaching LBs and Thompson was coaching DL. Because Chuck Smith SUCKED as a coach. He was solely responsible for the 13 man debacle at the end of the LSU game. He was confrontational and combative to Wilcox in the meeting rooms. All of those reasons are why his lifelong friend and high school teammate fired him.

Exactly.  Remember how Smith trashed the entire defensive staff on his way out? He was as critical of Lance Thompson as he was Wilcox.   He apparently didn't get along with anybody that he worked for or with. Then there was that weird interview he gave.

[BanditVol]

Chuck Smith wasn't even coaching the DL at the end of the year. Sirmon was coaching LBs and Thompson was coaching DL. Because Chuck Smith SUCKED as a coach. He was solely responsible for the 13 man debacle at the end of the LSU game. He was confrontational and combative to Wilcox in the meeting rooms. All of those reasons are why his lifelong friend and high school teammate fired him.

Oh so it WAS a personality conflict.  Thank you for clearing that up.

That's one side of the story.  I am sure Chuck has his.  What I know is that the DL played much better when he was coaching it, so I completely disagree that he sucked as a coach.

As for the "13 man debacle" he's not SOLELY responsible for shizzle.  Or are you telling me Dooley can't control his own teams substitutions?

[ReVOLver]

Oh so it WAS a personality conflict.  Thank you for clearing that up.

That's one side of the story.  I am sure Chuck has his.  What I know is that the DL played much better when he was coaching it, so I completely disagree that he sucked as a coach.

As for the "13 man debacle" he's not SOLELY responsible for shizzle.  Or are you telling me Dooley can't control his own teams substitutions?

A guy not being able to coach is not a personality conflict. There is a reason he hasn't gotten another job. At the end of the year, he wasn't coaching DL and that has been repeated by players and media. Dooley made a mistake when he hired him. And the DL was better this year.

In the heat of the moment at LSU, he was the coach yelling our the wrong personnel package and causing the confusion. Sure Dooley is ultimately responsible... that's why he fired him.

Believe this or don't, either way I know what has been reported.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[BanditVol]

Sure it's been reported, but given Dooley's penchant for throwing his players under the bus, why not point the finger at an assistant and then fire him?  That's the way I see it.  For an HC to somehow even set up a situation where he's not tightly controlling substitutions late in the game is not acceptable, but that's just me. 

I had not heard that Chuck Smith contributed to that problem, but I will take your word for it.  But given that he was shouting out the wrong substitution package, IMO it's up to Dooley to be in control of that situation, period, dot.

As for the DL, I am not talking about the end of the season.  Smith was the DL coach most of the season and expectations were greatly exceeded by the DL.  His DL's also did well in the NFL.  Like it or not, the evidence would suggest he could coach em up at DL, but believe what you wish.

[ReVOLver]

Sure it's been reported, but given Dooley's penchant for throwing his players under the bus, why not point the finger at an assistant and then fire him?  That's the way I see it.  For an HC to somehow even set up a situation where he's not tightly controlling substitutions late in the game is not acceptable, but that's just me. 

I had not heard that Chuck Smith contributed to that problem, but I will take your word for it.  But given that he was shouting out the wrong substitution package, IMO it's up to Dooley to be in control of that situation, period, dot.

As for the DL, I am not talking about the end of the season.  Smith was the DL coach most of the season and expectations were greatly exceeded by the DL.  His DL's also did well in the NFL.  Like it or not, the evidence would suggest he could coach em up at DL, but believe what you wish.

Dooley never said one public word about Chuck Smith. I'm no Dooley homer but he never threw Smith under the bus, not even when he fired him.

Chuck Smith was never responsible for any defensive line as a position coach in the NFL before coming to UT. He spent one year each with Baltimore and the NYJ as a pass rush consultant and individually trained defensive linemen before that. I believe he is a good personal trainer but cannot work with lineman as a group and cannot get along with other coaches.

Chuck Smith is a VFL and was a great player who was in over his head as a position coach and that is the reason he is not employed anywhere as a defensive line coach right now. His parting "statement" was also one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.

I'm sorry but the information that is publicly available is contrary to your opinion.

[BanditVol]

You said that Dooley fired him because of the substitution gaffe.  If that's not throwing him under the bus, then what is.

Funny thing, I never heard that it was Chuck calling out the substitution package.  Do you have a link for that?


Whatever he did in the NFL, and I just looked it up and it said he was the ASSISTANT DL coach for the Jets, but whatever, there is no doubt that while he was DL coach at UT they exceeded expectations.   I clearly recall everyone being surprised when he was let go.

As for his confrontations in team meetings and inability to get along with others, well none of us were there.   

[BanditVol]

Okay I found a bunch of message board posters on another site saying the same things you are.  Whatever happened, happened, but the way Smith left last year definitely points out that we had dissension last year, and that perhaps one of the coaches involved in it (Wilcox) is now also gone.

I am going to officially declare this as no big deal.  I never really intended to get into an in-depth discussion of Chuck Smith. 

[ReVOLver]

You said that Dooley fired him because of the substitution gaffe.  If that's not throwing him under the bus, then what is.

Funny thing, I never heard that it was Chuck calling out the substitution package.  Do you have a link for that?


Whatever he did in the NFL, and I just looked it up and it said he was the ASSISTANT DL coach for the Jets, but whatever, there is no doubt that while he was DL coach at UT they exceeded expectations.   I clearly recall everyone being surprised when he was let go.

As for his confrontations in team meetings and inability to get along with others, well none of us were there.   

It was something Hubbs posted on the GQ after he was fired. I'm not going to try to find it. I'm telling you that the DL exceeded expectations because of the efforts of other coaches. And he was a pass rush consultant in the NFL no matter what his title said.

He's out of coaching right now after 3 years with 3 different teams.

Silly argument that I'm sorry I got involved in but that's pretty much normal life on VTTW nowadays.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk