To Derek Dooley, Every Minute Is Fourth-And-One For The National Championship

Derek Dooley was reportedly quite animated at the end of yesterday's practice. WR Gerald Jones suggested that breakdowns in special teams put him over the edge, but Dooley told media he was simply insisting on perfection:

"I told them after practice, there's high expectations on everything we do," Dooley said. "I don't care if it's the player, the trainer, the coach, the manager, the video guy, the facilities - it doesn't matter. We have high expectations where we demand perfection. When we don't meet those expectations, we're not looking the other way. We're going to confront them and get it right.

"We all need to put those expectations on ourselves. Doesn't mean we're (not) going to make mistakes. In order for us to get where we need to be, that's what it takes - a total commitment to excellence in everything we do. When we say, 'Don't flip your hips until you cross the line,' if you continue to not do it the right way, then either you're not smart so you can't play, or you don't care. It's one or the other."

Dooley acknowledged being "a little feisty out there" and went on to talk about the location of the garbage:

"I've been sending it for six months, and I'm going to keep sending it until everybody understands," Dooley said. "And I mean in the whole organization. I mean, if a trash can's supposed to be facing a certain way in the building and it stays in that area, that's what I expect. And if it's not, I'm going to be on somebody.

"I make mistakes all the time, but if it's not fourth-and-1 every day when you come to work, then you're not doing your job right. That's how I feel -- fourth-and-1 for the national championship every day. That's how it's got to be."

"Fourth-and-1 for the national championship every day." Who doesn't like the sound of that?