Former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley runs for Georgia Senate

Derek Dooley traded in his coaching headset for a suit and an American flag pin. Last fall, the former Tennessee head coach made a bid for one of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats in this year’s high-stakes midterm elections.

Dooley said he plans to be the “last man standing” after the primary and general elections. He leans on the leadership skills he developed throughout his coaching career (particularly in the Southeastern Conference) as he continues his pitch to undecided voters. His time in the SEC also allowed him to form relationships with Nick Saban and Kirby Smart.

Georgia has made three College Football Playoff national championship appearances in more than a decade under Smart and won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. off-field headlinesacceleration-related incidents, particularly involving players; at least one of which resulted in death.

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“The best thing Kirby has done is he’s won a lot of games,” Dooley told Fox News Digital Tuesday in an exclusive sit-down interview.

“I’ve worked with Coach Smart at two different places. I’ve known him for a long time and I have great respect for what he’s done for the program. But when you’re dealing with young people and young people make mistakes, I’m very confident that Coach Smart teaches them the right values ​​and teaches them how to behave correctly and has a discipline system that corrects that behavior.”

Dooley continued: Athletics serves as a tool to instill values ​​in young adults and introduce preventive measures to help them avoid decisions that could negatively impact their future. “Athletics are a good thing for that… And there’s only so much you can do at one point, but I have a lot of confidence in what Coach Smart is doing and I know Georgia fans love the success we’ve had the last few years.”

Dooley and Smart worked together as assistants under then-head coach Nick Saban at LSU starting in 2003. Dooley last coached as a senior offensive analyst at Alabama in 2023, again working on a staff led by Saban.

Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley looks on during the Orange-White Game at Neyland Stadium on April 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Adam Brimer/News Sentinel Syndication)

In 2024, then-linebacker Smael Mondon Jr., according to Athens-Clarke County Sheriff’s Office booking records at the time. and offensive lineman Bo Hughley were arrested on separate misdemeanor charges of reckless driving. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Mondon in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

“Please understand this: I am defending the program, but I am not defensive,” Smart told reporters at SEC media days in 2024. “I’m going to defend my program because we have good kids in our locker room. We have to do a better job.” Smart also confirmed that Georgia’s NIL collective has begun fining players as punishment.

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These events come more than a year after Devin Willock and recruiter Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car crash in 2023. Then-Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter was driving with a suspended license at the time of that fatal crash night in Athens, Georgia. Carter was later charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and racing. He pleaded no contest in March 2023 and was sentenced to 12 months probation, a $1,000 fine and community service. He was also required to attend a state-approved defensive driving course.

Carter’s attorney, Kim Stephens, said in a statement that her client’s actions did not cause the crash in January 2023. Police allege that the SUV LeCroy was driving was racing Carter’s vehicle in the moments before the crash.

In March 2025, multiple Georgia players, including wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley, were suspended indefinitely by Smart. Last November, another offensive lineman, Nyier Daniels, was dismissed from the team after a high-speed chase involving police. Daniels allegedly drove more than 150 miles per hour while trying to evade police in Commerce, Georgia.

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Assessing the federal government’s role in college sports

Name, image, and likeness (NIL) has become a hotly debated topic in Georgia and the broader university environment.

As federal lawmakers take a larger role in regulating college athletics, an issue highlighted by former President Donald Trump’s recent “Saving College Sports” roundtable at the White House, Dooley has warned against congressional intervention, arguing that the NCAA should be given space to resolve its own problems.

“Everybody should really care (about this issue). You’re looking at a guy who’s been around athletics my whole life. Not just football, I’ve seen what college athletics has done for young people. A lot of the values ​​he teaches are hard work, teamwork, accountability, personal responsibility, discipline (and) overcoming adversity. … I don’t believe Congress should come in and try to fix college athletics… We know their track record on this. But the NCAA needs some protection, we should give them a chance to fix themselves.”

Transition from football to politics

Later this month, Georgia voters will decide which Republican candidate will advance to the June runoff elections, with the winner joining the Independent candidates in the general election to face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.

Former football coach and Republican Senate candidate Derek Dooley speaks to supporters of President Donald Trump at an event hosted by Vice President J.D. Vance on August 21, 2025 in Peachtree City, Georgia. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Dooley is among the Republican candidates in the race. He explained to Fox News Digital why he believes the timing is right to shift his focus from the struggle to the political arena.

“I had a 28-year career coaching football and loved the impact you made every day on young people from all walks of life. And I was in it, I never looked up and thought I would be doing this my whole career,” Dooley said. “But really two things happened… it really started after Covid-19 and what happened under the last administration. I started to see things in our country that I didn’t think I would ever see in my lifetime, and it shook me up a little bit. It really made me want to get more involved.”

Dooley’s father, the late Vince Dooley, was Georgia’s legendary coach and former athletic director. Vince Dooley had coached Georgia to the 1980 national championship; The standout running back on this team was All-American Herschel Walker. Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1982.

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart hugs Vince Dooley after defeating the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on December 2, 2017. (Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports)

He added: “I realized that Congress was changing as we became more engaged. We weren’t working for the people like we used to. We always had very passionate debates, we had a lot of bitter disagreements. We always will, and that’s okay. But at some point serious leadership would get in a room, work together for the people, and get the ball moving for our country. That’s not happening today.”

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Midterm primaries in Georgia are planned to be held on May 19. If no candidate receives the majority of votes, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a runoff election on June 16.

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