Vince Dooley Discusses Derek Dooley, Damon Evans, & SEC Expanion

As you see what he is going through now (with the fallout from a fight involving several of his players) do you feel for him because you know what he’s going through?

Dooley: Absolutely. It was different with me because it was me. I could do something about it, but it’s him. I can’t do anything about it. I know the difficulty he has had. I’m glad he’s (coaching) in the conference. I wish he had gone further away, maybe in the West somewhere, because then he wouldn’t be so close. But, as he would tell me, because he’s a lawyer, he would come back with the remark that, ‘Dad, you came from Auburn.’ We are proud of him. We will support him. It’s got his challenge. For instance, the ball game coming up, Georgia is playing Tennessee here, and I know from experience that they have these high tech cameras and they will be on you and you will have no idea. They are not going to have them on me because I’m not going to the game. I’m going to be sitting in that living room right there watching it on television. I will be there pulling for my son, quietly because that’s the way I pull, but at the same time, I won’t be doing that in Sanford Stadium in front of a TV camera or even in front of any Georgia people that may be around. There are some that would obviously look to see my reaction on things. I don’t think it would be fair to the Georgia people, it wouldn’t be fair to Derek, it wouldn’t be fair to anybody.


What are your personal feelings about Damon Evans?

Dooley: I am just disappointed. It’s a tragedy, just a tragedy really. Here’s a guy with so much going for him. He’s smart; a good-looking fellow; he’s got charisma; he did a great job for me in finance. For that to happen, it’s going to take him a while (to bounce back). I feel for him. I really do feel for him. I feel for his family, too. It’ll take him a while, but he’ll come back. He’s got a lot going for him, but he’s going through a tough time right now and rightfully so.


Have you spoken to him and how would you characterize that conversation?

Dooley: I have. I was just trying to let him know that I support him, and he’s just going to have to grin and bear it for a while. He’ll eventually come out of it, but it’s going to take a while.


So you do think a guy like him, with his credentials, can come back?

Dooley: I don’t know if anytime soon he’ll come back in a position like he was. This is right at the top of the list for jobs in college. You know, coaches, you tend to gamble on them. I mean, (John) Calipari (at Kentucky). There is always this controversy, but he’s a winner coach in what he can bring. Administrators, it’s a little bit different. I mean Bobby Knight goes out to Texas Tech. Calipari gets somebody on probation and then he goes to Memphis and he gets them on probation, and he’s still getting hired by the best. It’s not quite the same in administration. You don’t have that kind of impact.

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