 In 2000, Dooley was hired by Nick Saban at LSU as the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach, a capacity in which he served until 2002.Dooley then spent the 2003–04 seasons coaching the Tigers’ running backs and special teams, and in 2004 was named assistant head coach.In 2005, Dooley left LSU with Saban when the latter became head coach of the Miami Dolphins.