AJC: When fans recalled Dooley’s career at Tennessee, from 2010 to 2012, they didn’t consider him particularly talented […]
New reporting from the AJC highlights Tennessee fans slamming failed and fired former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley for his “abysmal” coaching record, saying he was a “terrible coach” who was not “particularly talented.”
Dooley’s campaign launch for U.S. Senate has been overshadowed by a “splintered” GOP primary and an inability to win over skeptical Republicans opposed to the idea of nominating an untested “experiment” with “no rationale for his candidacy” – even after an official endorsement from Gov. Brian Kemp.
Read for yourself:
AJC: What Tennessee fans think of their old coach, Derek Dooley, running for U.S. Senate
Michelle Baruchman | September 13, 2025
KEY POINTS:
- When fans recalled Dooley’s career at Tennessee, from 2010 to 2012, they didn’t consider him particularly talented […]
- Here is a sampling of what Tennessee fans told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Dooley’s campaign for Senate.
- His coaching career at Tennessee was abysmal.
- “I hope he’s a better politician than football coach,” said Mary Brink, who lives in Buckhead.
- Mark Gault, who lives in Stone Mountain and took graduate classes at UT, echoed that same statement. “Terrible coach, nice guy,” he said.
- “The program was in disarray, but Dooley wasn’t a great leader.” […] said Seymour, who lives in Midtown.
- But voting records showed Dooley did not vote in presidential elections in 2016 or 2020. He also didn’t cast a ballot in Georgia’s presidential primary last year.
- “Is he just running on the Dooley family name?” Seymour asked.
- Seymour said he is more likely to support Ossoff.
- “Ossoff has done a solid job in Congress. He’s been upfront, honest and out there on issues, like the Postal Service,” he said.