Posted by: Chris Vannini on August 29, 2012

When NC State and Tennessee meet in Atlanta on Friday, it won't quite be teacher vs. student, but Tom O'Brien and Derek Dooley do have a similar relationship.

Dooley was a wide receiver at Virgnia from 1987-90, and O'Brien was the offensive line coach for the Cavaliers at the time.

Although he wasn't Dooley's position coach, O'Brien did share some memories of their relationship in Charlottesville on the ACC Coaches Teleconference on Wednesday.

"Derek came into school. I think Coach (George) Welsh personally recruited him," O'Brien said. "He deserved to get a scholarship, got a scholarship (after his second year). One of the things about quarterbacks, they throw to guys that are open and catch the ball. That's what he was able to do consistently. That was on a really good football team.

"I think the best relationship was, I was coaching the offensive line, he used to live with those guys. He said they used to come home and complain and gripe about me all the time. He said he stuck up for me, so I'll take him for his word."

O'Brien expressed surprise that Dooley got into coaching after starting a law career.

"I was surprised. I knew that he was going to law school and got his legal degree," O'Brien said. "He ended up marrying (former Virginia receiver Patrick Jeffers') sister.  She was a doctor.  All of a sudden, like my son, he loses his mind and gets into coaching."

_____________________________________

Chris Vannini is a lead writer for CoachingSearch.com and has covered Michigan State sports for The State News, The Oakland Press and MLive.com. He writes a weekly column for the Detroit Free Press on behalf of SB Nation. Vannini lives in Big Ten country, so his foot speed is far from SEC caliber, but his pulse on coaches is hard to match. Be sure to follow @CoachingBuzz on twitter and send your feedback to chris@coachingsearch.com