WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsReports: UT's Thompson returning to Alabama

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WRCB) -- Every time Derek Dooley thinks he's made a step forward, he seems to take another step back.

Less than three days after Tennessee hired Alabama assistant Sal Sunseri as its new defensive coordinator, media reports have Lance Thompson becoming the sixth assistant to leave Dooley's staff since the end of the 2011 season.

Through sources in both Tuscaloosa and Knoxville, several media outlets are reporting Thompson is returning to Alabama as linebackers coach, the position he held before joining Lane Kiffin's staff in Knoxville three years ago. He fills the spot left by Sunseri's departure to Tennessee.

Thompson is regarded as one of the top recruiters in the SEC, a reputation forged during his first stint under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. He served as linebackers coach in his first two years with the Vols, but coached the defensive line in 2011.

Dooley said last Friday he's learned to expect the unexpected at Tennessee, and almost foreshadowed another move might be made.

"You catch your breath for about 30 seconds, and that's about how long you've got at Tennessee before something else is on the way," he said while announcing the hire of Sunseri. "All you can do is move on to the next phase."

Dooley has been forced to move on quite a bit in the first two months of the off-season.

After wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett retired, special teams/tight ends coach Eric Russell (Washington State), defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox (Washington), linebackers coach Peter Sirmon (Washington) and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand (Notre Dame) have all left for other jobs.

Defensive backs coach Terry Joseph now stands as the lone holdover on Dooley's staff from the 2011 season, while offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and quarterbacks-turned-wide receivers coach Darrin Hinshaw will return on the offensive side.

Dooley has filled three of the six vacated spots. In addition to Sunseri, the Vols have added hiring former UT running back Jay Graham as running backs coach and North Carolina's Sam Pittman as offensive line coach.

"The challenges are there is a learning curve to how we do things, and there's a learning curve for getting to know each other as people," Dooley said. "Sometimes, though, there are positives that happen. Sometimes you can make some improvements in some areas, and sometimes you can infuse some new energy and new ideas.

"Certainly you don't want five new (assistants) every year, but we did it. We'll try to make the best of it and move on."