Tennessee Coach Fired: Derek Dooley Laid Off as Volunteers' Head Coach Following Record-Breaking Losing Streak

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville announced on Sunday (Nov. 18) the anticipated firing of the Volunteers' head football coach Derek Dooley. The 44-year-old Tennessee coach has a 15-21 record that includes a 0-15 mark against 25 of the top teams - Dooley led the program's longest run of consecutive losing seasons in over a century. Dooley had four years left on his contract after being laid off, which includes a $5-million buyout.

"We very much appreciate the effort and energy that Derek Dooley and his staff have poured into our football program at the University of Tennessee," athletic director Dave Hart recently announced in a statement. "Derek and I met early this morning, and I informed him that I believed a change in leadership, despite the positive contributions he has made to the overall health of the program, was in the best long-term interests of Tennessee football. We will immediately begin the search for the best possible candidate to assume this leadership role."

According to statistics, Dooley was 4-19 in the Southeastern Conference competition during his three-year tenure, losing 14 of his last 15 league games. Dooley will not coach the Volunteers' final game of the season - offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will take on that responsibility next Saturday (Nov. 24). Tennessee (4-7, 0-7 SEC) must beat Kentucky in that game to avoid going winless in the SEC for the first time in the school's history.

Tennessee lost 41-18 to Vanderbilt on Saturday (Nov. 17), making this the Volunteers' third consecutive losing season. This monumental loss marked only the second time in 30 years that Tennessee has fallen to their in-state rival.

"I am sorry we could not generate enough wins to create hope for a brighter future," Dooley said in a recent statement. "Although progress was not reflected in our record, I am proud of the strides we made to strengthen the foundation for future success in all areas of the program. During the last 34 months, I've given my all for Tennessee, and our family appreciates all this University and the Knoxville community has given us."

Dooley's successor will become the Volunteers' fourth coach in a matter of six years.