Derek Dooley, former Tennessee head coach, announces run for US Senate seat in Georgia
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Derek Dooley has made it official. The former Tennessee head coach is running for U.S. Senate in Georgia.
Dooley, 57, is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Jon Ossoff, the Democratic incumbent. In a press release announcing his run, Dooley aligned himself as an ally of President Donald Trump while touting his background as a Washington, D.C. outsider.
I’m running because our state needs new leadership in Washington D.C., and professional politicians like Jon Ossoff are the problem,” Dooley said in a released statement. “Leadership matters. Our state doesn’t have a voice in the U.S. Senate who reflects Georgia values because Ossoff is more concerned with protecting his own political future, opposing everything the Trump Administration is working to accomplish, and repeatedly voting with the extreme left. Unlike Ossoff, I’ll work with President Trump to implement his agenda, support his Administration, and move our country forward.”
“I’m not part of the political establishment, and I haven’t spent my life climbing the D.C. political ladder. For thirty years, I led young people from all walks of life and fought every day to create hope and opportunity for them and their families. The foundation of football is the American Spirit. You work hard, you play by the rules, you keep fighting when adversity hits— you have a fair shot at achieving your dreams. As a coach, I wanted that for all my players. As your next U.S. Senator, I want that for all Georgians- and all Americans.”
“As your Senator, I’ll work hard every day alongside President Trump to keep our borders secure and our communities safe, keep your taxes low, stand with the brave men and women who serve our country, and create greater opportunities for all Georgians. I look forward to earning every single vote to finally give the people of Georgia a Senator who will put them first.
The son of Georgia coaching legend Vince Dooley, Derek Dooley is an Athens native who made many coaching stops around the SEC. Derek Dooley began his coaching career as a UGA grad assistant in 1996. He served on Nick Saban‘s staff at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins.
After 3 seasons as Louisiana Tech’s head coach (2007-09), Dooley landed the Tennessee head coaching job, succeeding Lane Kiffin. Dooley was dismissed before the final game of his 3rd season on Rocky Top, posting a 15-21 record and 4-19 mark in SEC play while leading the Volunteers.
Following his Tennessee tenure, Dooley’s coaching stops included Mizzou, where he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2018-19), and Alabama, where he was a senior offensive analyst (2022-23).
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
