SEC media days: Dooley looks back on crazy 2010 season

HOOVER, Ala. -- Being the son of a longtime SEC head football coach would have, one would think, prepared Derek Dooley for just about everything in the game.

But the offspring of former Georgia coach Vince Dooley crammed a career’s worth of goofy football and drama into one season as head coach at Tennessee, as he was reminded Thursday at SEC media days.

It began with the wild circumstances that led to his arrival, the controversial ending of Lane Kiffin’s one controversial season.

An NCAA investigation was already in place, and some players left. The actual football season would be so welcomed.

Then came the LSU game.

Tennessee thought it had the game won after a last-second incompletion.

Officials ruled that Tennessee had too many men on the field. Given a second chance, LSU scored and won.

“They say that’s never happened in college football and it will never happen again,” Dooley said. “I was agreeing with them. ‘You’re right, it will never happen again.’

“And it did.”

Tennessee rebounded and faced North Carolina in the Music City Bowl.

Tennessee was on the verge of a win when the Tar Heels had too many players on the field, and then officials ruled that quarterback T.J. Yates had spiked the ball with a second left when the Vols thought the clock had run out.

The Tar Heels moved five yards back with a second remaining. Casey Barth kicked the game-tying field goal, and then the game-winner in the second overtime.

Dooley was engaging and thorough during his long stint at the podium Thursday, and was a minute away from not reliving the nightmares when the final inquiry came:

“You had a couple of games last year that ended peculiarly.”

Dooley could only sigh.

“I almost got out of here.”

One grizzled veteran

Tauren Poole is among the SEC’s growing stable of top-flight running backs this season, and forgive the senior from Tennessee if he checks for gray hair.

He was recruited and signed by Phillip Fulmer, playing in 12 games as a freshman in Fulmer’s final season.

On came Kiffin, and Poole got only slightly more time as a sophomore as heralded freshman Bryce Brown was being groomed as the back of the future.

Out went Kiffin and out went Brown. In came Dooley, and suddenly, there was room in the backfield.

Poole, a senior from Stephens County, took advantage the departures to start 13 games and earn all-SEC honorable mention after two seasons of hardly playing.

“I wish we had 100 Tauren Pooles, his commitment to the program, how he represents Tennessee,” Dooley said. “He was inconsistent last year. He was productive as a whole. Number one, it was his first year of playing. He wants to do well so bad, he wants to perform so well, it took him a while to get settled into the position.”

Settled is not something Poole is used to in Knoxville, playing for three head coaches, and four offensive coordinators and strength and conditioning coordinators.

“That just doesn’t happen,” he said good-naturedly. “It was rough, the first couple years were rough. It’s a roller coaster ride. You’ve just got to do your best to enjoy it.”

He smiled at being labeled the last man standing.

Wildcats in Georgia

Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said that he expects Steve Pardue to have a big impact on the Wildcats.

The former LaGrange High football coach joined the Kentucky staff after leaving LaGrange after the end of the last season.

“First of all, Steve Pardue is a Kentuckian,” Phillips said. “… Might not be important at some other places, but I think it’s important for Kentucky football that there are guys that truly want to be there. I mentioned it last year. It’s juice. It’s passion for the job that you have. I think Steve Pardue brings that to us at Kentucky.”

Over the years while he was at LaGrange, a number of players ended up at Kentucky.

“We want to get more into South Georgia,” Phillips said. “We feel we’ve done a really good job in the Atlanta and Central Georgia areas.

We want to get in the South Georgia area to see if we can attract more quality players, and Steve brings that to us.”

Singer donates to recovery

Nick Saban’s foundation and Tuscaloosa tornado relief picked up another benefactor Thursday.

Country/pop star Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to Nick’s Kids to support the rebuilding effort following the April 27 tornado outbreak.

“Taylor Swift’s overwhelmingly generous gift will go a long way in helping our rebuilding efforts,” Saban said in a news release.

“Since all of our Nick’s Kids staff and workers are volunteers, every dollar will go towards the relief efforts. We are so grateful that such a talented and successful young person is thoughtful enough to do something to make a positive impact on those who need it most.”

The 21-year-old signer sold tickets to her concert tour dress rehearsal to raise money for tornado relief efforts. The May concert pumped $750,000 into recovery efforts spread across the Southeast.

-- Michael Lough, Kevin Price and Michael Casagrande contributed to this report.

This story was originally published July 22, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "SEC media days: Dooley looks back on crazy 2010 season."