Former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley is running for the Georgia Senate

Derek Dooley traded in his training headset for a suit and an American flag pin. Last fall, the former Tennessee head coach filed for Georgia’s US Senate seat in the midterm elections.

Dooley said he plans to be “the last man standing” after the primary and general election. He’s leaning on leadership skills developed during his coaching career — especially in the Southeastern Conference — as he continues his pitch to undecided voters. His time in the SEC also allowed him to build relationships with Nick Saban and Kirby Smart.

In more than a decade under Smart, Georgia has reached three College Playoff national championship games, winning back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. Yet that success has sometimes been overshadowed by off-field headlines, particularly speed-related incidents involving players – at least one of which resulted in a fatality.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE GAMES FOXNEWS.COM

“The best thing Kirby has done is win a lot of games,” Dooley told Fox News Digital on 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 a lot of respect for what he does for this program. But when you’re dealing with young people and young people they make mistakes. I’m very confident that coach Smart teaches them the right values ​​and teaches them how to do well and has a disciplinary system that corrects that behavior.”

Dooley continued, noting that athletics serves as a vehicle for instilling values ​​in young adults and introducing preventative measures to help them avoid decisions that could have a negative impact on their future. “That’s what athletics is for … And sometimes there’s a lot you can do, but I’m very confident in what coach Smart is doing, and I know the Georgia fans love the success we’ve had the last few years.”

Dooley and Smart have worked together as assistants at LSU since 2003 under then-head coach Nick Saban. Dooley ended up coaching in 2023 as the senior offensive analyst at Alabama, again working with Saban’s staff.

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

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

“Please understand this: I’m defending the program, but I’m not defending myself,” Smart told reporters at SEC media days in 2024. “I’m going to represent 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 collection has begun issuing fines to players as punishment.

MEMPHIS COACH FIRES GEORGIA FOOTBALL PROGRAM OVER DRIVING RELATED ARRESTS

Those incidents occurred more than a year after Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy died in a car accident in 2023. Georgia defensive end Jalen Carter was driving with a suspended license the night of a fatal crash in Athens, Georgia. Carter was later charged with reckless driving and speeding. 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-sanctioned driving course.

Carter’s attorney, Kim Stephens, said in a statement that his client’s actions did not cause the accident in January 2023. Police suspect that the LeCroy SUV was driving Carter’s car at the time before the accident.

In March 2025, several Georgia players, including wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley, were permanently suspended by Smart. Last November, another offensive lineman, Nyier Daniels, was kicked off the team following a high-speed chase with police. Daniels allegedly drove over 150 mph while trying to elude police in Commerce, Georgia.

GEORGIA’S KIRBY SMART SAYS BIG TEN ‘MORE COMPETITIVE CONFERENCE’ THAN SEC AFTER CFP TITLE MEET

Measuring the federal government’s role in college sports

Name, image and likeness (NIL) has become a hotly debated issue throughout Georgia and the wider college community.

As lawmakers weigh a larger role in regulating college athletics — a topic highlighted by former President Donald Trump’s “Saving College Sports” White House panel — Dooley warned against congressional intervention, saying the NCAA should be given room to address its challenges.

“Everybody should really care about (this issue). You look at a guy who’s been involved in athletics my whole life. I’ve seen what college athletics does, not just football, all of college athletics does for young people. A lot of values taught, hard work, teamwork, accountability, responsibility, discipline (and) overcoming adversity. … The record is there but the NCAA needs some protection, we have to give it a chance of grooming.

Pivot from football to politics

Later this month, Georgia voters will decide which Republican candidate will advance to the June runoff, with the winner joining independents in the general election to face 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 JD Vance in Peachtree City, Georgia, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

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

“I’ve (had) a 28-year career coaching football and I just loved the impact it made on young people every day from all walks of life. And I didn’t have it all, I didn’t look in the air and think I’m going to do that my whole career,” Dooley said. “But two things really happened… really started after COVID and what happened under the last administration. I started seeing things in my country that I thought I would never see in my lifetime, and it made me a little sad. It made me want to be more involved.”

Dooley’s father, the late Vince Dooley, was a legendary coach and former athletic director at Georgia. Vince Dooley coached Georgia to the 1980 national championship, a team where All-American Herschel Walker was the hero at running back. 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 Dec. 2, 2017. (Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports)

He added: “As I got more involved, I realized that Congress had changed. It wasn’t serving the people the way it used to. We’ve had a lot of heated debates, a lot of bitter disagreements. We’re going to do that and that’s fine. But at some point deep leadership comes into the room, we’re going to work with the people and keep the ball rolling in our country. That just doesn’t happen today.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM

Georgia’s midterm primary elections are scheduled for May 19. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, the top two vote-getters will advance to the June-16 runner-up.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Xand register at the Fox News Sports Huddle.