bigredbird

They have a new (took over three seasons ago) county A.D. and I know he's trying to change things but hiring former NFL players to coach without certification is not the way to go. Unless they don't have qualified men with high school coaching experience, no one should hire a non-certified football coach to be the head coach. People forget it is not just about X's and O's! It is about managing a program and knowing how to interact and motivate young boys.

The TSSAA requires all head football coaches to be certified full time teachers or full time teachers with alternative certification. Metro is usually on top of these things. I know great football coaches and teachers who have tried to get into metro but can't.

You hit the name right on the head and it has been that way since Roy Vick left. Say what you like about the man, he ran a tight ship and didn't allow a lot of the crap that goes on now. SHHS is way too small for kids to specialize in one sport. If they don't share athletes they lose.

Only if they are certified to teach in TN. Those types of coaches can make more money in programs that have lots of assistant coaches and support from the community. Unless they have some connection to East Nashville, I doubt they would be drawn to Stratford.

I spoke to a coach who applied this morning and he said no one outside of the district will get the job. I guess that means Jason will probably be the next head coach. That will open up Mt. Pleasant again. Maybe it will go to his brother?

Have they started interviews? I wonder if Jason Hoath will leave Mt. Pleasant to head for his alma mater?

Stratford always has talent just walking the halls but good coaches don't apply for the job when it's open because they don't think they will have support from the administration. If one good head coach and a couple of young enthusiastic assistants would go into that environment and really work the halls, I bet you could field a team that could compete. I said it two summers ago when the guy bailed to go to Marshall County, the program will suffer and it has.

It sounds like old TMan has a lot of supporters saying the same thing.

I doubt too many experienced coaches will be busting down the door to get to Stewart CO. They have no practice field (last time I talked to the former coach), their weight room needs some upgrades, and the biggest obstacle is they will not go out and hire help (assistant coaches). To be honest, I don't know how Holiday kept it together and did as well as he did for so long.

Whatever happened to crazy old Bill Cox? I heard he went back to KY to coach, is he still kicking?

Why would any Superintendent allow a young coach to jump ship from one school to become head coach at another school in the district after only one year on the job? I don't see that happening! Of course, I have been told that Maury County Schools is a real crazy place to work. Do they still have the bullet proof door down at the Central Office building?

Stewart County has some scrappy white kids but not a lot of speed. Whoever takes over that job will need to get them in the weight room and figure out how to win without speed. If all you have to play is teams like Houston Co, speed doesn't play a huge factor but when you play the Clarksville squads, speed kills.

I have heard that the Maury School Board does not like to bring back teachers who have left the system. Does anyone know of a coach or teacher who left the county school system and came back to teach?

How many experienced coaches would apply for this position? Every year Coach Holiday tried to find another gig. He had a couple of good years but it was tough. I don't think there are a lot of talented athletes in Stewart County, just some good old boys who want to win. Good luck to the Rebels.

If that is the real list, Richard Herzog would be the most experienced candidate. He coached at Vanderbilt, he has served as defensive coordinator at SHHS in the mid to late 1990's, and he has coached at high school teams in the state championship. I wouldn't give you two plug nickles for Tom and I doubt Jason is ready to jump ship just yet.

The Raiders had winning seasons under Cox and Stone until they moved up to 4A in 1999-2000 school year. Coach Stone just won a 5A state championship so I would not say he is why they lost in 2000. Cox left in 2001 and moved to Kentucky. I don't think coaching has been the only problem at SHHS. If memory serves me correct, several former assistant coaches and players from those Bill Cox years are now coaches. Some have district or region championships to their credit. Jason and Aaron Hoath is a coach in Mt. Pleasant and both coached on the Columbia Team that made two trips to the championship. Brown and Ackley have coached, Several other players are coaches too. I know at least three assistant coaches including Stone who are either head coaches today or have been head coaches and retired. Cox may not have been the greatest football coach in the world but his teams always made it to the playoffs except for his last two seasons.

The Director of Schools will make this hire. The principal will have input but the choice will be made in Columbia

.

I stand corrected. The new coach will be hired before April 1st. My source didn't communicate the information to me correctly. Good Luck and I hope the Raiders rise again to become a good program.

I heard they will wait until April to start interviewing candidates.

Hiring assistant coaches is very different from hiring a head coach. You can collect a file full of resumes for the one and pick and choose who you may interview at a later point in time because you are hiring a teacher first, who happens to fill a coaching slot; whereas, the process of hiring a head coach is a longer process and it requires an opening before the process can start. It shouldn't be that way but it is. Central probably will not make a move on assistant coaches until after April 15.

If they know who they want why even post it on the TSSAA website. They are only required to post it in their school system for 5 to 10 days before.

I heard they were talking to someone who used to work in the school?

I thought the same thing

@footballfan1970, The principal's hands are tied because the director of schools will not 'make a position' like most districts do to hire a head coach. At this time only coaches with a MATH certification can apply.