Derek Dooley (coach)

College coach infobox


Name = Derek Dooley
| Caption =
DateOfBirth =
Birthplace =
DateOfDeath =
Sport = Football
College = Louisiana Tech
Title =
CurrentRecord = 2-1
OverallRecord = 7-8
Awards =
Championships =
CFbDWID =
Player = Y
Years = 1987-1990
Team = Virginia
Position = Wide receiver
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 2007-"present"
CoachTeams = Louisiana Tech (HC)
FootballHOF =

Derek Dooley is the current head football coach at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. Previously, Dooley was the tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He is also the son of legendary University of Georgia head football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley.

Early years

Dooley was a walk-on wide receiver at the University of Virginia. He earned a scholarship with the Cavaliers following his second season and helped the school to three bowl appearances, including an ACC championship in 1989. In 1990, he was named first-team Academic All-ACC and participated in the Senior Bowl. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in government and foreign affairs, and went on to earn his law degree from Georgia in 1994. Dooley practiced law at a private firm in Atlanta for almost two years before embarking on his coaching career.

College coaching career

Dooley started his college coaching career with a one-year stint as a graduate assistant at the University of Georgia in 1996. Dooley spent the 1997-99 seasons as wide receivers coach at Southern Methodist University, while also holding the duties of assistant recruiting coordinator during his final two years. In 2000, Dooley was hired by Nick Saban at LSU as the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach, a capacity in which he served until 2002. Dooley then spent the 2003-04 seasons coaching the Tigers’ running backs/special teams coach. In 2005, Dooley left with Saban when the latter was hired by the Miami Dolphins to be their head coach.

On December 17, 2006, Dooley was hired as the new head coach at Louisiana Tech University. He replaces former coach Jack Bicknell, who was fired on December 4 after the Bulldogs finished 3-10 in 2006.

Professional coaching career

Dooley was named to the Dolphins’ coaching staff on January 10, 2005 by Nick Saban, whom Dooley has previously worked under at Louisiana State University. Dooley served on the staff for two years, but left the Dolphins' staff in 2006 when he was chosen as the new head football coach at Louisiana Tech. Dooley is also the athletic director at Louisiana Tech University.