What former Tennessee players turned Coaches would You want on CBJ's staff?

[WoodstockVol]

I'd like to see Tee Martin,Jay Graham and Chuck Smith return

[Volznut]

No on Smith.

[Clockwork Orange]

No on Smith.

Yes. But he'd be very smart to retain Graham and bring in Tee, both to win fans and to aid in recruiting. his staff will be critical in recruiting because it will be so different and expectations so much higher than they were at Cincy or CMU.

It's funny to look at recruiting history . . . if you look at Cincy's classes when he was there they were no better than 49th nationally and 3rd in the Big East. At CMU it was even worse, never better than 7th in the MAC his three years. And then you look at Kelly's years at both places and they were even lower than that, so maybe you breathe a little easier.

[Volznut]

well, it is harder to recruit to Cinci, poor facilities, not much of a football name, but they won.

I just don't see him being able to compete in the SEC.

[TheRealOrange]

Yes. But he'd be very smart to retain Graham and bring in Tee, both to win fans and to aid in recruiting. his staff will be critical in recruiting because it will be so different and expectations so much higher than they were at Cincy or CMU.

It's funny to look at recruiting history . . . if you look at Cincy's classes when he was there they were no better than 49th nationally and 3rd in the Big East. At CMU it was even worse, never better than 7th in the MAC his three years. And then you look at Kelly's years at both places and they were even lower than that, so maybe you breathe a little easier.

Yep!  If he wants fans to be excited, he's going to have to do it with his staff and recruiting, at least initially.  Obviously he will have to maintain it with wins, but he needs to pull a Pearl out of this oyster, and fast.  [Pun intended.]   

[Clockwork Orange]

I just don't see him being able to compete in the SEC.

Eh, you could say that about a lot of guys. Urban Meyer's Utah classes were ranked below 70. His only BGSU class I can find on Rivals was 99th. There was no reason to expect that he could recruit in the SEC either.

[TheRealOrange]

Eh, you could say that about a lot of guys. Urban Meyer's Utah classes were ranked below 70. His only BGSU class I can find on Rivals was 99th. There was no reason to expect that he could recruit in the SEC either.

When Les Miles was hired by LSU, people said the same.  He was barely successful at OK State, so he'll never be able to recruit or compete in the SEC. Miles was 28–21 from 2001-2004 at OK State.  Hardly impressive or exciting.  The same type things were said when Saban went from Michigan State to LSU.  He's a Big 10 type of coach and will never be able to reruit or coach as well in the SEC.  That hardly held true.  Time will tell with Jones, but there is no real reason to believe that he'll be less successful than others who have come into the SEC from the outside and won.  Until he gives us that reason, he has my full support.

[Stogie Vol]

Wes Rucker ‏@wesrucker247

They've contacted Tee. More info on @govols247 RT @JohnnyB2388: @wesrucker247 chance he looks at Tee Martin or other UT guys for assistants?

[murfvol]

Let's review. Fulmer and Majors were UT grads. That's great, but Neyland wasn't. Pat Dye is a UGA grad and Vince Dooley is an Auburn grad. Saban is from, uh, some school in Ohio.

Local recruits and coaches are overrated. Get me a smart competitor and he'll do well. That having been said I'm a big Jay Graham fan.

[101stDad]

Graham, Martin, Marion Hobby.  

No Chuck Smith, no Dale Jones, no Daryl Dickey.  

[BanditVol]

Graham, Martin, Marion Hobby.  

No Chuck Smith, no Dale Jones, no Daryl Dickey.  

Chuck Smith I get.  Why not the other two?

[101stDad]

Chuck Smith I get.  Why not the other two?

Jones has been a lifer at the D1-AA level.  If he were an SEC caliber coach somebody would have gone and gotten him long ago.  Recruiting at that level and at the SEC level is light years apart. 

My opinion on Dickey comes primarily from a friend whose son played for him at Presbyterian.  The kid was a 4 years starter, so it wasn't sour grapes.  Let's just say that he was less than glowing about Dickey.  That, along with the fact that other than a couple of years stint at F$U as the quarterbacks coach, he's been a lower level lifer, as well. 

[TheRealOrange]

Let's review. Fulmer and Majors were UT grads. That's great, but Neyland wasn't. Pat Dye is a UGA grad and Vince Dooley is an Auburn grad. Saban is from, uh, some school in Ohio.

Local recruits and coaches are overrated. Get me a smart competitor and he'll do well. That having been said I'm a big Jay Graham fan.

Neyland wasn't a UT grad, but he was appointed Professor of Military Science at UT.  So, he was a part of the university when he was later named head coach.  During that time he definitely became a part of the community.  That said, I agree that local recruits and coaches with ties to the program are often not as good as others who may not have those ties.  It sounds to me like Jones truly believes that Knoxville is a great place for his family and the football program is exactly the type he wants to run.  I never got that sense with Kiffin, ever, and was "iffy" about it with Dooley although he seemed to enjoy the area.  Jones may totally flop, but I don't think it will come from lack of effort or desire/drive.  Hopefully he'll turn out to be that smart competitor.

[EmerilVOL]

I happen to have a Masonic brother that actually played for Neyland and also a couple of other Masonic brothers that attended the same church as Neyland and let me tell you that Neyland may not have been from UT or graduated from here but Neyland was ALL ORANGE.  The player that I spoke about has been down to my tailgates several times over the course of the last couple of years and he has told us some wonderful stories about Neyland and playing for Neyland along with his association with Doug Atkins, Hank Lauricella, and many other players and coaches.  He has told me Neyland was a big believer in UT and The Orange and Knoxville.  One of my Dr friends that attended the same church that Neyland attended told me Neyland was extremely upset when he lost (which wasn't often and he HATED to ever get bested by the Commodedoors.)  

While Neyland was here he was a great supporter of the local community and told many this was his home after so many years in the Army and travelling all over.  While Jones is not a "UT Ex PLayer" I like his passion and mentality.  He has the kind of fire I never saw from Dooley or Kiffin.  Kiffin was interested in one thing only and that was Kiffin and his whatever was on his mind.  

If you can't get behind the coach because of some thoughts that he is not a "homerun hire" well I suggest you find a new team to support because I got a feeling that there will be more people on the bandwagon as soon as he starts winning, and I aint holding your seat for you when this happens......

[BGHarper]

I happen to have a Masonic brother that actually played for Neyland and also a couple of other Masonic brothers that attended the same church as Neyland and let me tell you that Neyland may not have been from UT or graduated from here but Neyland was ALL ORANGE.  The player that I spoke about has been down to my tailgates several times over the course of the last couple of years and he has told us some wonderful stories about Neyland and playing for Neyland along with his association with Doug Atkins, Hank Lauricella, and many other players and coaches.  He has told me Neyland was a big believer in UT and The Orange and Knoxville.  One of my Dr friends that attended the same church that Neyland attended told me Neyland was extremely upset when he lost (which wasn't often and he HATED to ever get bested by the Commodedoors.)  

While Neyland was here he was a great supporter of the local community and told many this was his home after so many years in the Army and travelling all over.  While Jones is not a "UT Ex PLayer" I like his passion and mentality.  He has the kind of fire I never saw from Dooley or Kiffin.  Kiffin was interested in one thing only and that was Kiffin and his whatever was on his mind.  

If you can't get behind the coach because of some thoughts that he is not a "homerun hire" well I suggest you find a new team to support because I got a feeling that there will be more people on the bandwagon as soon as he starts winning, and I aint holding your seat for you when this happens......

Great post by you, my friend. Also, TRO's post about Miles, Saban etc., coming into the SEC was dead on.

BG

[ChattanoogaVol]

I'd like to see Tee Martin,Jay Graham and Chuck Smith return

I agree on all 3.............................................................Chuck Smith may have looked crazy on that interview after being let go, but now you all see why he was so pissed.....................................................................he was coaching with a bunch of FRIGGIN IDIOTS AND PISS POOR COACHES THAT RAN UT FOOTBALL INTO THE DAMN GROUND.........................OUR D-line was good while he was there.............sacks, pressure......................ain't done JACK shizzle SINCE!

 

[BanditVol]

I agree on all 3.............................................................Chuck Smith may have looked crazy on that interview after being let go, but now you all see why he was so pissed.....................................................................he was coaching with a bunch of FRIGGIN IDIOTS AND PISS POOR COACHES THAT RAN UT FOOTBALL INTO THE DAMN GROUND.........................OUR D-line was good while he was there.............sacks, pressure......................ain't done JACK shizzle SINCE!

 

I'm with you on this one. 

[101stDad]

I agree on all 3.............................................................Chuck Smith may have looked crazy on that interview after being let go, but now you all see why he was so pissed.....................................................................he was coaching with a bunch of FRIGGIN IDIOTS AND PISS POOR COACHES THAT RAN UT FOOTBALL INTO THE DAMN GROUND.........................OUR D-line was good while he was there.............sacks, pressure......................ain't done JACK shizzle SINCE!

 

I think the fact that Smith had issues following the direction - let me rephrase that - the orders of his superiors (head coach, coordinator, AD) had more to do with his being dismissed than what was happening on the field with his players.  Regardless of what kinds of coaches they may or may not be, when a superior directs you to do something and you completely ignore it, you aren't going to last long. 

[VinnieVOL]

I'm not saying I want Smith, but I'm not going to judge him by the way things panned out with Dooley either.

Just going off of Dooley being in over his head, lack of coaching ability, and the way he reportedly treated people. 

[PirateVOL]

I agree on all 3.............................................................Chuck Smith may have looked crazy on that interview after being let go, but now you all see why he was so pissed.....................................................................he was coaching with a bunch of FRIGGIN IDIOTS AND PISS POOR COACHES THAT RAN UT FOOTBALL INTO THE DAMN GROUND.........................OUR D-line was good while he was there.............sacks, pressure......................ain't done JACK shizzle SINCE!

 

i disagree
They really were 't that good and in fact regressed as the year went along

[ChattanoogaVol]

i disagree
They really were 't that good and in fact regressed as the year went along

Yeah................................cause he was pulled from his normal duties late in the year......................just go back and watch some replays of those games....................J Smith looked great as a true freshman playing under him..................Dooley threw him under the bus just like he did players and others....................

 

[BanditVol]

Yeah................................cause he was pulled from his normal duties late in the year......................just go back and watch some replays of those games....................J Smith looked great as a true freshman playing under him..................Dooley threw him under the bus just like he did players and others....................

 

Yep. IMO, scape-goated him for the LSU debacle.

[PirateVOL]

Yeah................................cause he was pulled from his normal duties late in the year......................just go back and watch some replays of those games....................J Smith looked great as a true freshman playing under him..................Dooley threw him under the bus just like he did players and others....................

 

J. Smith 2010 Stats
Game   Solo   Assist   Total   TFL
UT Martin4   0   4   1
Oregon   1   0   1   1
Florida   1   0   1   0
UAB   1   0   1   0
LSU   0   5   5   0
UGA   2   1   3   1
Bamer   1   0   1   0
Sce   2   0   2   0
Memphis   1   0   1   1
Ole Miss   1   1   2   1
Vandy   0   0   0   0
KY   1   2   3   0
   15   9   24   5

If you bothered to watch him play you would have noted why his PT dropped over the years.  The last 2 games this year it appears the light clicked on  When he filled Maggitt's position he played the best he ever had.  Watch him at Jack early this year and note how passive he was taking on blockers and then note how aggresive he was the last couple of games.