Now reports have Derek Dooley headed to Tennessee

Tennessee fans stay tuned because in the span of less than twenty four hours the search for a new head football coach has taken yet another turn. Last night reports had David Cutcliffe all but having had accepted the job to fill the vacancy created when Lane Kiffin left the position to become the new head football coach of the USC Trojans. This morning, as was discussed earlier, Cutcliffe withdrew his name from consideration for that position. This afternoon reports have surfaced that Derek Dooley, the current head football coach and athletics director at Louisiana Tech, is certain to be the next head coach in Knoxville. These reports seem to carry more credibility than those last night concerning Cutcliffe as there have been mentions of meetings with Louisiana Tech players having been cancelled but time will tell if these reports prove to be accurate.

Dooley is a name that many Vol fans are likely unfamiliar with but he is certainly no stranger to the SEC. His father was a long time head football coach for the University of Georgia and he served on Nick Saban's staff at LSU . Dooley also worked under Saban with the Miami Dolphins before accepting his current position as the head football coach at Louisiana Tech. Dooley's head coaching record will not bowl one over but he does have one bowl win to his credit during his tenure in Ruston. Perhaps the most intriguing part of his resume' is the fact that he also serves as athletics director at Louisiana Tech. He is one of if not the only FBS head football coach who also serves his institution in that capacity. That work experience could very well prove valuable if he indeed does take over a college football program the size and scope of that of the University of Tennessee. Dooley, a University of Virginia graduate, played receiver under George Welsh, a well respected head coach in his own right, and helped lead the Hoos to an ACC championship in 1989. If Mike Hamilton, athletics director at Tennessee, does indeed meet his goal of having a new head football coach by Saturday then we should all know the accuracy of these reports very soon.