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Evaluating Time
By Gabe Correa - Smokey's TrailNov. 13, 2011
We need to get down to basics in football. I mean give yourself a chance to make a first down when you're in the red zone with one yard to go, and not throw both downs away. I see Alabama went through three coaches in ten years of mediocre football. I don't know if I can wait that long. That would be 2019 to get the right coach here. Right now we don't have 4 million or more to spend in this economic. This season is over unless there's a miracle in the forecast. I like Derek Dooley, he brings some positive things to our program, and experience is the best teacher, and time will tell. The question is: are you willing to wait? Here's what I see for the next two years at Tennessee.
Next year we should complete in the SEC with our experience if we correct the running game and get some recruits in key positions. We should have a winning record of 8-5 or more in 2012. In 2013 with our senior class we should complete, and possible play in the SEC Championship, and have a good bid in a Bowl game. Here's the scenario; if Tennessee flops in the next two years, Tennessee will be looking for another coach, hands down. This time they'll be getting a coach with a winning record that has experience under his belt.
The reason we got somebody quick after Lane Kiffin left, was because of the timing he left. He left right before signing day, and Tennessee needed somebody quick to save the program. Derek Dooley came in and worked his butt-off in recruiting and did a very good job keeping Tennessee together. Now we're scratching our heads trying to figure what's going on. We keep saying they're young, and they are, but next year you can't say that and there won't be any excuses for Tennessee not to compete in the SEC.
We must also consider that we're playing in the toughest conference in the nation. Things have change a lot since I played football. If we played poorly in games like these, come Monday we knew what was coming. Hard practice to night fall, and then some more when they turn the lights on, and when you went home you knew you just played some football, and then again the next day until you got it right until Friday, and it was light contact until game day.
Right now I don't have an answer, but I know it's going to get better, it has too. I told my wife for the last two years at Tennessee, if we didn't have bad luck we wouldn't have any. Hang in there folks we'll know something next year, and I hope it is Tennessee football.
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