ESPN reported that Tennessee has fired head football coach Derek Dooley near the end of his third season with the Volunteers. So, I got to thinking that this would be a good time to look at how the University of Tennessee has performed under Dooley's tenure from 2010 to 2012 using my NCAA college football model.
After Lane Kiffin's unexpected departure from Tennessee, Dooley took over as head football coach starting in 2010 and the University of Tennessee went 6-6 in the regular season and 3-5 against SEC opponents, and finished 6-7 with an overtime loss to North Carolina in the Music City Bowl. Tennessee's best win was against #48 ranked Kentucky and their worst loss was against #44 Florida in 2010. Tennessee finished as the #67 team overall, with the #65 offense and the #50 defense. Tennessee's strength of schedule (SOS) was 57.15 which was more difficult than the average SOS of 62.92 for the entire season.
The next season (2011) saw Tennessee finish 5-7 in the regular season and ineligible for a bowl game. Tennessee went 1-7 against SEC teams. Tennessee's best win was against #42 Buffalo and their worst loss was against #109 Kentucky. Tennessee finished as the #94 team in FBS college football and had the #106 ranked offense and the #81 ranked defense. Tennessee's SOS was 61.17 which is slightly more difficult than the average SOS for that season of a 63.49.
This season (2012) Tennessee is currently 4-7 and 0-7 in the SEC. To date, Tennessee's best win is against currently #60 ranked Troy and their worst loss is to currently #91 Missouri. Tennessee is currently the #66 ranked team overall (slightly below average) and has the #31 ranked offense and the #101 ranked defense. Tennessee currently has played against a SOS of 54.36 compared to currently an average SOS of 67.58. Since Tennessee's SOS is greater than one standard deviation from the average SOS, I would classify Tennessee as having played a difficult schedule so far this season, although this could change since they play the University of Kentucky Wildcats next.
Analysis of NCAA college football teams head coaches fired this season:
Idaho's Akey,
Kentucky's Phillips.