Dickey was hired as head coach at the University of Tennessee in 1964 by athletic director Bob Woodruff, Dickey's head coach during his playing years at Florida. Many supporters of Tennessee Volunteers football credit Dickey with rejuvenating the program. When Dickey was hired the Volunteers had not won more than six games in a season, nor been to a bowl game, since 1957. Dickey was recognized as Southeastern Conference (SEC) Coach of the Year in 1965 and 1967, and his Tennessee teams won SEC Championships in 1967 and 1969. In his six seasons as head coach, his overall win-loss record at Tennessee was 46–15–4 (.738), and the Volunteers received five consecutive bowl invitations.