The news of Lane Kiffin’s acceptance to take the Southern Cal head coaching position left many Vols fans shocked, angry, and very concerned about the Tennessee players. In his first press conference with the University of Tennessee, Kiffin said that he would beat Florida and turn the Vols into a National Championship caliber team. As the story played out, neither one happened.

To make matters worse Kiffin sent Tennessee scrambling to find a new head coach in time for National Signing Day. Only a few days later did Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton introduce Derek Dooley as the new Tennessee coach.

While Dooley might not be considered one of the hottest coaching prospects on the market, he is the best fit for Tennessee. Because his father coached at the University of Georgia, Dooley grew up watching SEC football. He understands that the SEC plays faster than any other conference in football.

Dooley’s greatest strength does not come from his understanding of how SEC football should be played, however, it comes from his past coaching experience.

Former LSU coach and current Alabama coach Nick Saban hired Dooley as an assistant coach when Saban coached for the Tigers. For the next five years, Saban consistently put together a dominate football team.

In 2003, Saban’s LSU Tigers won a National Championship with Derek Dooley on his staff. This fact tells us one important thing: Dooley knows how to build a championship team. He watched Saban do it at LSU and that knowledge will serve Dooley and the Vols well in the upcoming years.

Dooley’s connection with Saban will not only help on the field, but with recruiting as well. While Kiffin’s exit resulted in a few high school prospects to change their minds about coming to Tennessee, the new UT coach will add other players to the recruiting class. As the coaching staff gets filled, more prospects will commit to Tennessee, upgrading Tennessee’s roster and giving them more depth.

So what can fans expect with Dooley’s team on the field? Honestly, more of the same from Kiffin’s era.

Dooley decided to keep offensive coordinator Jim Cheney on the staff, and Cheney is expected to have more control of the offense this season. That will mean that Tennessee will still run a pro-style offense, but will still attempt to run the ball effectively. Even though Dooley does not have the rest of his staff in place yet, the rest of the pieces will come together soon, allowing the Vols to continue to move in the right direction.

In his first press conference with Tennessee, Dooley did not make outrageous promises to the fans or call out coaches from other schools. Instead, he handled the press conference professionally and simply told everyone listening what they should expect.

Ironically, even though Kiffin said he would “sing Rocky Top all night long” after beating Florida and leaving without a win against Florida, it may be Dooley who may be singing Rocky Top after beating Florida in 2010.

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