With Eddie George leaving Tennessee State’s football program for Bowling Green after four seasons, a search is already underway for the Tigers’ new coach.
George left as he was headed into the final year of his contract with a 24-22 overall record. He led TSU to a 9-4 record and a tie in the Big South Ohio Valley Conference championship this season. The Tigers also reached the FCS playoffs in 2024.
TSU took a chance by hiring George, a former Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back, who had no previous coaching experience. The gamble paid off, but the administration may take a more traditional approach with this search.
George, whose annual salary was $400,000 plus incentives, mentioned TSU’s financial woes as one of the reasons he left. Finding a new coach willing to come in under those circumstances will be a challenge for athletic director Mikki Allen.
Here’s a look at coaching candidates to replace George as TSU’s coach:
Dewayne Alexander, Sewanee assistant coach/run game coordinator
Alexander has been the head coach at Tennessee Tech (2018-23), Cumberland (2006-12), Wilson Central High (2003-05) and Upperman (1999-2000). He and George became close friends during Alexander’s time at Tech. The Hendersonville native also served as assistant head coach/offense at Tennessee Tech on Watson Brown’s staff from 2013-15 and was the offensive line coach at East Tennessee State in 2017.
Alexander joined former MTSU coach Andy McCollum’s staff at Sewanee before the 2024 season.
Joe Bowden, associate head coach/linebackers coach at Tennessee State
Titans and Houston Oilers fans remember Bowden as a hard-hitting linebacker, who spent eight seasons with the franchise before finishing his playing career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Bowden, an All-American linebacker at Oklahoma, began his coaching career at Central Oklahoma in 2006. He then…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/tennessee-state-football-coaching-candidates-205542783.html
Author : The Tennessean
Publish date : 2025-03-10 20:55:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
