Derek Dooley is running for the US Senate, and Ole Miss’ head coach Lane Kiffin expressed his reaction to the news. The former Tennessee head coach announced his decision to run for office this Monday morning. Dooley is running as a Republican, looking to unseat Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, who has been a Senator since 2021.
When the news was shared on X by On3, $14 million worth Lane Kiffin (as per Celebrity Net Worth), replied with what seems to be sarcasm.
“Good luck 👍” Kiffin wrote on X.
Good luck 👍 https://t.co/h3vNoJ2iQX
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) August 4, 2025
Lane Kiffin’s animosity against Derek Dooley could stem from the fact that it was the now Senate candidate who replaced him at Tennessee in 2010. While the decision to leave Tennessee was entirely Kiffin’s, to chase down the more prestigious gig at USC, the relationship between Kiffin and the school remained forever strained.
Dooley led the Volunteers for three seasons and never managed a winning season. His overall record with the school was 15-21. In one season with the Vols, Kiffin managed a record of 7-6. Tennessee was Kiffin’s first head coaching job in college, having been previously the head coach of the Oakland Raiders for two years.
Derek Dooley’s press release about Senate campaign
Derek Dooley decided to run for the US Senate seat for the state of Georgia in the 2026 midterms. It’s clear from Dooley’s statement about his decision to run that he will be a hardcore MAGA Republican candidate:
“I’m running because our state needs leadership in Washington D.C., and professional politicians like Jon Ossoff are the problem,” Dooley said. “Leadership matters. Our state doesn’t have a voice in the U.S. Senate who reflects Georgia values because Ossoff is more concerned with protecting his own political future, opposing everything the Trump administration is working to accomplish, and repeatedly voting with the radical left. Unlike Ossoff, I’ll work with President Trump to implement his agenda, support his Administration, and move our country forward.”
Dooley expressed his desire to keep the country’s borders safe, work on minimizing the taxes and generating opportunites for the youth.
Derek Dooley also highlighted his status as a political outsider, making him the ideal candidate, while also mentioning that the spirit of football is the quintessential “American spirit”. The coach also mentioned his desire to fight against transgender participation in women’s sports, a core piece of President Trump’s agenda.
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