Southern looks to bring back championships with Eric Doole, its new head coaching hire

Eric Dooley returned home last month to reenergize the Jaguars’ football program as its new head coach.

Dooley is a Southern University alum and former assistant coach for the team. His daughter is currently a student at Southern, as well. He was introduced as head coach shortly before 225 went to press in a Dec. 7 celebration.

At Prairie View A&M University, where he had been head coach since 2018, Dooley led the team to its first division title since 2009 and to its first appearance in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship. At Southern, he was part of Coach Pete Richardson’s staff from 1997-2009—and a part of the 1997 and 2003 national title teams.

“This hiring speaks to who we are and who we are going to be,” Southern athletic director Roman Banks said during Dooley’s introductory news conference. “He’s a champion of a man, and so our expectations are to have a champion of a program.”

Dooley’s four-year contract has a base salary of $310,000. The Jaguars went 4-7 this past season and haven’t won a SWAC title in nearly a decade.

Dooley is determined to turn things around. At press time, he had already dove into recruiting and building his coaching staff.

“Come to the field and come to the games, and you’re going to get just what you came for. … We’re gonna get the job done,” Dooley promised during his intro speech. “I have no doubt in my mind—because I know the abilities of the young men that are here in this state and around the state.” gojagsports.com

—NEWS REPORTS

This article was originally published in the January 2022 issue of 225 magazine.