Dooley infamously compared his Tennessee Volunteers to the Germans in World War II and misquoted Winston Churchill in an impromptu history lecture. Dooley later defended his WWII analogy and ignored the nazi implications.
In 2016, Dooley, whose only accomplishment was to be born the son of famous University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, declined to root for Georgia football after his brief, and failed, tenure at Tennessee.
Dooley Misquoted Winston Churchill During A Football Press Conference. According to The Breeze, “Speaking with reporters about playing in the high altitude of Laramie, Wyoming, Dooley chose to quote Winston Churchill. Except, he didn't. Quoting the United Kingdom's most famous prime minister, Dooley said, ‘When you fight in the inter-Nordic, you've got to train in the Nordic.’ The problem? The British Bulldog never said that. Dooley chuckles when that fact is brought to his attention. The Churchill moment, though, was far from the first time Dooley has pulled his wide breadth of historical knowledge into his football sphere, not even close. Answers to questions about offensive formations or personnel decisions often veer toward historical events when he's at the podium.” [Breeze, 9/29/19]
Dooley Spent Two Minutes On A WWII History Lesson During Media Day And Said The Volunteers Were “Like The Germans In World War II.” According to ESPN, “Dooley spent two minutes during his weekly media appearance describing the confusion caused by the surprise landing of the Americans at Omaha Beach on D-Day and the Germans' slow reaction in the absence of their leader, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. ‘Right now we're like the Germans in World War II,’ Dooley said. ‘Here comes the boats, they're coming. You have the binoculars, and it's like, 'Oh, my God, the invasion is coming.' ‘ Tennessee (2-5, 0-4 Southeastern Conference) is playing with a depleted lineup because of injuries and attrition from back-to-back coaching turnovers. The Vols have lost three straight games.” [ESPN, 10/25/10]
Dooley Defended His D-Day Analogy And Doubled Down On His Perceived Similarities Between War And Football. According to The Breeze, “Dooley still shakes his head at the reaction that came from it all. There's something analogous between history and football, Dooley believes. And while he is careful when comparing war and foreign politics to something as relatively inconsequential as football, Dooley sees similarities between them and the sport he coaches, which is why quotes from Churchill and analogies to long ago battles sometimes ‘pop up in my head.’ ‘Football is nothing like war, but it is the closest thing to me,’ he says. ‘If you take the life and death piece out of it - which you can't - it's this thing where guys are out there and they're together and they're fighting for a common cause. It's a similar dynamic. That's why I think a lot of football coaches are into war.’ ‘I don't plan any of (the analogies), but football, for whatever reason, reminds me of these things.’” [Breeze, 9/29/19]
[VIDEO] Dooley Said “No” When Asked If He Rooted For Georgia Football. “ CLAY TRAVIS: If Tennessee and Georgia play today in football, do you root for one team or the other? Do you care who wins? DEREK DOOLEY: No.” [Outkick, 6/17/16]