![Syndication: Knoxville](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DksqKLEOi9iw-7NUiu4-R3eEfC0=/0x80:1908x1352/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70520868/usa_today_11687384.0.jpg)
Derek Dooley is on the move once again. The former Tennessee head football coach lost his job with the Giants after Joe Judge was let go earlier this offseason. Dooley now will join his old buddy Nick Saban down in Tuscaloosa.
John Brice reports that Dooley will join the Alabama staff as an offensive analyst, making him the latest coach to enter the Saban coaching rehab program.
Sources: Ex-Tennessee coach, Dallas Cowboys asst. Derek Dooley to reunite with Saban https://t.co/bVZgIPgKOt via @JohnDBrice1
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) February 16, 2022
Dooley was hired by Tennessee back in 2010 following the departure of Lane Kiffin. He was fired after three seasons, going 6-7, 5-7 and 4-7 in that span. He’s bounced around since, landing assistant coaching roles with the Cowboys and Giants, as well as replacing Josh Heupel as the offensive coordinator at Missouri back in 2018.
Dooley signing up to coach at Alabama makes him the latest former Tennessee coach to join Saban’s staff in Tuscaloosa. Butch Jones took a similar role after he was fired, and Lane Kiffin became Saban’s offensive coordinator after he was fired at USC.
With the hiring Derek Dooley, Alabama’s now employed 3 of the last 4 former Tennessee head coaches — 2 as analysts including Butch Jones — and Lane Kiffin as OC. The 4th was Jeremy Pruitt, Alabama’s DC before going to UT.
That’s every former Vol coach since Phil Fulmer.
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) February 17, 2022
Butch Jones eventually landed the Arkansas State job, where he is entering year two on the job. Lane Kiffin’s departure from Alabama was messy, but he was able to turn that into the FAU job and now, of course, the Ole Miss gig.
Can Dooley do the same? I’m going to guess not, but he could land back in the college football landscape as an on-field assistant somewhere if all goes well.