Tennessee Football: Derek Dooley Lights Up Talk Radio With German Reference

In a Monday press conference, Derek Dooley ignited a bit of controversy with a reference that compared his Tennessee Volunteers football team to the Germans in World War II.

Dooley's comments came in response to the following question. 

Reporter: "When it comes to experience, is part of that being self-sufficient and having a little more responsibility in those kinds of situations?"

Dooley: "I think it comes with experience and we've got to keep coaching it. You coach them so that, No. 1, they're not afraid to go out there. I think a lot of it is when you're new and you're young, you're afraid. You don't want to mess up. When the bullets are flying, you vapor-lock sometimes.

"You saw it in that little offensive series. It's just a whole lot of—I want to go up to them sometimes when it's like that and go, 'What's your name?' 'Yes sir!' Relax, and think, and compete. It just comes with experience. Going out there when you hit the field and you just feel calm and confident, I belong here. You're not afraid to take ownership in the decision.

"Right now we're like the Germans in World War II, all right? Here come the boats. It's coming. The binoculars, like, 'Oh my God, the invasion is coming.' They call Rommel. They can't find Rommel. 'What do we do? I'm not doing anything until we get orders. Have you gotten Rommel yet?'

"The Americans were the exact opposite. We hit the beach, and we're on the wrong spot, what do we do? I don't know, but these guys are firing, we better hide over there and blow some stuff up to get up there. They weren't looking for (orders). So we've got to make that transition.

"I don't want the German people to get upset at me. I'm not attacking. But that's what happened. You had one group, they weren't worried about what the plan was, what the orders were. When the war hit, things changed. You've got to go. You've got another group, now wait a minute, they told us the invasion was further north, where we had the empty tanks and were hiding Patton out. 'We weren't ready for this. What do we do? Well, we better wait until Rommel tells us what to do.'

"I hope I got my names right."

Albeit for perhaps the wrong reasons, Dooley will have the lines lit up for talk radio around the Southeast as he tries to prepare his "troops" for this weekend's battle in Columbia against Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks.