KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Sports Network) - The University of Tennessee is set to name Derek Dooley as its new head football coach, filling the void left by Lane Kiffin's departure to USC earlier this week.
Dooley resigned as head coach and athletics director at Louisiana Tech late
Friday and will be introduced at a 9 p.m. (et) press conference tonight.
Tennessee has not officially gave word of Dooley's hire but a release from
Louisiana Tech on Dooley's resignation all but confirms the move.
"We are grateful for the contributions that Derek made to Louisiana Tech
Athletics and we wish him luck in his new position," said Louisiana Tech
President Dan Reneau.
The Knoxville News Sentinel was one of several sources reporting the move to
Tennessee earlier Friday even as the university was interviewing interim coach
Kippy Brown. The paper also stated TU athletic director Mike Hamilton flew to
Ruston, Louisiana where LA Tech is located after interviewing Brown.
Dooley, the son of Georgia coaching legend Vince Dooley, is a former Nick
Saban disciple having spent five years at LSU from 2000-04 in a myriad of
coaching positions before following Saban to the NFL as tight ends coach for
the Dolphins in 2005 and 2006.
Dooley took over as head coach at LA Tech on December 17, 2006 and compiled a
17-20 record in three seasons. He inherited a team that was 3-10 in '06 and
led the Bulldogs to their first bowl win in over 30 years with an 8-5 record
in 2008. He added the AD title following the successes of 2008.
Dooley started out as a graduate assistant at the University of Georgia in
1996 before taking on the job of receivers coach at SMU from 1997-99.