Diminishing returns from Derek Dooley led to a steep rebuild, but getting the most from the top of each class has helped Butch Jones put the Vols in championship position.
In October 2011 we did a story on the sudden downfall of Tennessee football. Its title rings a little hollow more than four years later, but the facts remain damning: Tennessee signed 31 four and five star players from 2007-2009, but only three became long-term starters.
When we look back on Derek Dooley's recruiting efforts, we see a clear pattern of diminishing returns. The 2010 class he shared responsibility with Lane Kiffin for turned out to be the bulk of the talented 2012 squad: two five stars (Da'Rick Rogers and Ja'Wuan James), seven four stars, and of those nine players only Matt Milton didn't become a multi-year starter.