Doug Dickey - Butch Jones

#1
vollygirl

vollygirl

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#1
I heard a radio conversation today and I only caught the tail end of it.

I don't know a lot of the history with Dickey, and thought there might be some posters here who could elaborate on potential similarities between Dickey and Jones?
 
#2
#2
In the conversation you heard, were the two being compared? Just want to clarify.
 
#3
#3
Volgrad98 said:
In the conversation you heard, were the two being compared? Just want to clarify.
Click to expand...


They were talking about the situation of Tennessee when each took over (in bad shape) and the fact that neither were Tennessee guys. That was all I caught.
 
#11
#11
Dickey played under Bob Woodruff at Florida, who was a Neyland protege. Woodruff, incidentally, played on the undefeated '38 team which beat Oklahoma, 17-0, in the Orange Bowl. Dickey later succeeded Woodruff as athletic director at Tennessee. As the link cited above indicates, Dickey is directly responsible for introducing several innovations which are now considered hallmark traditions. Dickey turned the program around quickly. In 1964, his first season, we were 4-5-1. In the next five years, Tennessee was 42-10-3 (See Tennessee Historical Scores) . Dickey went 3-2-1 in head-to-head competition with Bear Bryant, a record rivaled by few SEC coaches of that period. Dickey won SEC championships in 1967 and 1969 and, although Alabama fans will poo-poo it, the mythical national championship in '67 as awarded by Litkenhous.

Dickey also oversaw Tennessee's transition to the modern offensive era of college football. We were the last team in the country to give up the General's beloved single-wing and had lost two local quarterback prospects, Steve Spurrier and Steve Sloan, because they could see no place for themselves in our then-antiquated offense. Two years after installing his offense, we had the nation's most efficient passer in 1966; Dewey Warren completed 136-229-7 for 1716 yds. and 18 tds (see p. 32 of http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2012/fbs.pdf).

I can see the comparison on at least one level. Butch Jones strikes me as being both a very detail-oriented person and a master of psychological motivation tactics, both of which will carry him far if he has the time to implement his system and successfully recruit the kind of players necessary to stand toe-to-toe with the big boys in the SEC.
 
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#13
#13
Volosaurus rex said:
Dickey played under Bob Woodruff at Florida, who was a Neyland protege. Woodruff, incidentally, played on the undefeated '38 team which beat Oklahoma, 17-0, in the Sugar Bowl. Dickey later succeeded Woodruff as athletic director at Tennessee. As the link cited above indicates, Dickey is directly responsible for introducing several innovations which are now considered hallmark traditions. Dickey turned the program around quickly. In 1964, his first season, we were 4-5-1. In the next five years, Tennessee was 42-10-3 (See Tennessee Historical Scores) . Dickey went 3-2-1 in head-to-head competition with Bear Bryant, a record rivaled by few SEC coaches of that period. Dickey won SEC championships in 1967 and 1969 and, although Alabama fans will poo-poo it, the mythical national championship in '67 as awarded by Litkenhous.

Dickey also oversaw Tennessee's transition to the modern offensive era of college football. We were the last team in the country to give up the General's beloved single-wing and had lost two local quarterback prospects, Steve Spurrier and Steve Sloan, because they could see no place for themselves in our then-antiquated offense. Two years after installing his offense, we had the nation's most efficient passer in 1966; Dewey Warren completed 136-229-7 for 1716 yds. and 18 tds (see p. 32 of http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2012/fbs.pdf).

I can see the comparison on at least one level. Butch Jones strikes me as being both a very detail-oriented person and a master of psychological motivation tactics, both of which will carry him far if he has the time to implement his system and successfully recruit the kind of players necessary to stand toe-to-toe with the big boys in the SEC.
Click to expand...

Love it, great post, thx.
 
#14
#14
I wish Dickey had never made the mistake of his life in returning to his alma mater. I truly believe that he would have carved out a legacy comparable to Vince Dooley's: 200 (or more) victories, a half-dozen SEC championships and, perhaps, a couple of consensus national titles. We certainly would not have experienced that nightmarish 11-game losing streak to Alabama.
 
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#15
#15
One of my favorite memories from the Dickey era was the '69 Alabama game. It wasn't a play per se, but this event was illustrative of just how thoroughly we dominated the Tide in that game, one in which we led 34-0 before 'bama added a couple of late touchdowns for cosmetic effect:

"Tennessee linebacker Steve Kiner chastised Alabama players for not playing better for Bear Bryant in the 1969 game at Legion Field. Former Tennessee assistant coach Bob Davis was there on the sidelines when it happened. Tennessee was ahead 34-0, and coach Doug Dickey was getting his first-line defenders out of the game.

"They had a play that ended right in front of us," Davis said. "Before he came to the bench, Kiner screamed at the Alabama players. He pointed to Coach Bryant and said, 'Look over there at that poor old man. He looks pitiful. Can you see him? You've let him down. You should be ashamed of yourselves.' " Tom Mattingly: SEC talk not for the faint of heart » GoVolsXtra

Other accounts also allege that Kiner added as a final stinging remark: "There was a time when those crimson jersies meant something."
 
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#16
#16
Dickey was no longer there, but his staff was largely responsible for recruiting the players who accomplished the following feats in 1970 and 1971. In 1970, we beat Alabama 24-0 and recorded a then-NCAA single-game record of 8 interceptions. See Tennessee-Alabama: The Third Saturday's 10 Greatest Moments | Bleacher Report . That defense, and the 1971 team, set single-season records which stand to this day in the following categories:

MOST OPPONENTSÂ’ TURNOVERS
57—Tennessee, 1970 (21 fumbles recovered, 36 interceptions)

MOST YARDS GAINED ON INTERCEPTION RETURNS
782—Tennessee, 1971 (25 interceptions)

HIGHEST AVERAGE PER INTERCEPTION RETURN
(Min. 10-14 ints.) 36.3—Oregon St., 1959 (12 for 436)
(Min. 15 ints.) 31.3—Tennessee, 1971 (25 for 782)

MOST TOUCHDOWNS ON INTERCEPTION RETURNS
7—Tennessee, 1971 (25 interceptions; 287 pass attempts against)

See p. 17 of http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2012/fbs.pdf

Please note that, in the 1971 Sugar Bowl victory (34-13) over Air Force, we had an additional four fumble recoveries and four interceptions. See 1971 Game Recap / Allstate Sugar Bowl. Bowl games were not counted statistically in those days. Otherwise, our NCAA single season record for turnovers would be 65, not 57.

In those years, we were turning out All-American linebackers and defensive backs left and right.
 
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#17
#17
The following FOURTEEN players were either All-Americans during Dickey's tenure at Tennessee or were recruited by his staff and later achieved All-American status:

Steve DeLong (1964 Outland Trophy winner as the nation's most outstanding interior lineman) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Frank Emanuel, linebacker (1965) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Paul Naumoff, linebacker (1966) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Austin Denney, tight end (1966) UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Ron Widby, punter (1966). One of the most versatile athletes in Tennessee history, Widby "wasn't just a punter for the Vols' gridiron squad. He was Mr. Everything, competing and lettering in football, basketball, baseball and golf for Tennessee. In all, Widby won eight varsity letters at Tennessee and was an All-America football selection in 1966 and All-America basketball pick after leading UT to the 1967 SEC title." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Bob Johnson, center (1966, 1967). In '67, Johnson was awarded the Jacobs Trophy, given to the SEC's best blocker, and the Birmingham Touchdown Club named him the SEC's Most Outstanding Lineman. In addition, Johnson finished sixth in the Heisman voting as a senior.

Johnson was the expansion Cincinnati Bengals' No. 1 draft pick in 1968, playing center for 11 seasons."
UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Albert Dorsey, defensive back (1967). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Richmond Flowers, wide receiver (1967). Flowers initiated the tradition of wide receiver U; he was also a "world-class hurdler and missed the 1968 Olympics following a hamstring injury." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Charles Rosenfelder, guard (1968). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jim Weatherford, defensive back (1968). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Steve Kiner, linebacker (1968, 1969). In the '69 Alabama game, Kiner "had five sacks, 11 tackles with five assists, four quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble. Kiner was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999."
UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

"Hacksaw" Jack Reynolds, linebacker (1969). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Chip Kell, guard (1969, 1970). UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Jackie Walker, linebacker (1970, 1971). Walker "finished his career with 11 interceptions, more than anyone who wasn't a defensive back during his time. He returned those picks for 281 yards and a then-NCAA record five touchdowns. The 281 interception return yards ranked fourth at the time on Tennessee's all-time chart behind three defensive backs - all his teammates." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

Bobby Majors, defensive back (1971). Majors "set the single-season school record with 10 interceptions in 1970, the same year the Vols led the NCAA with 36 picks. He ranks sixth on the career pass interceptions list with 13." UTSPORTS.COM - University of Tennessee Athletics - Football

This data should give you an idea of the kind of talent that Dickey and his staff amassed at Tennessee.
 
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#18
#18
Rex, thanks. Being born in 1970, I don't remember much pre 1975 except for faint memories of my father and grandfather being either jubilant or pissed depending on the outcome of the game. The early seventies was when color tv's really started to take off. Although they'd been around a few years, not everyone could afford one. Funny to think about now. People would freak out having to watch b & w.
It's good to see your perspective about our history. For instance, it's sad for me that guys who are 30 or younger never got to see the delongs play, or dale jones, or the sugar bowl... A game where inferior TN was supposed to get buzz sawed by the great Miami. After Miami went up 7-0 I've never seen a more dominant performance between 2 good teams.
I wonder how many fans see Charles Davis on tv sportscasting and don't even realize what a great player he was for us.
I keep all this in mind when I hear you tell about an era I'm ignorant of, realizing the TN spirit ran thru them as well.
 
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#24
#24
Had there been blogs when Dickey came back to UT to replace Woodruff as AD...it would have been brutal. "Trickey-Dickey, the traitor who ditched us for the gators" - there would've been hundreds of thread variations on that theme. "Florida guy comes to ruin the program." Kinda has a familiar ring..

Heh - even after the '98 national championship some people had it in for Dickey.
 
#25
#25
Great stuff Rex. I wasn't around for the Dickey coaching era but I got a chance to speak with him a couple years ago. Great guy.
 
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