It's official about MBA......

[redhot&blue]

Wednesday, 01/10/07

 

Rutledge out at MBA

 

By JEFF LOCKRIDGE

Staff Writer

 

 

Jeff Rutledge has resigned as Montgomery Bell Academy’s football coach and athletics director after five seasons.

 

In a statement released today, MBA Headmaster Brad Gioia said: “MBA will look ahead positively to filling both positions.”

 

 

 

 

Rutledge, a former Alabama player, 14-year NFL veteran and Vanderbilt quarterbacks coach, had a 41-17 record at MBA after succeeding Ricky Bowers, who is now at Ensworth.

 

Rutledge did not immediately return phone calls.

 

MBA won Division II-AAA state championships in Rutledge’s first two seasons of 2002 and ’03, but failed to reach the final in ’04 and ’05 and missed the playoffs entirely with a 4-6 record in ’06. It was the first time since 1993 the Big Red was left out of the postseason.

 

Rutledge’s falling out with the MBA community is thought to have stemmed from his interviews for Brentwood Academy’s coaching job, which was filled 10 days ago by ex-McCallie Coach Ralph Potter.

 

MBA will put together a search committee in the coming days to find a new coach and A.D.

 

Daniel McGugin, a MBA assistant and alumnus who coached Franklin Road Academy from 2004-05, is believed to be a leading candidate to fill the football coaching vacancy.

[LSMFT]

Before you jump to conclusions, didn't Rankin interview for MBA when Rutledge was hired? That doesn't mean he is leaving Alcoa and coming to MBA. But I'm sure someone will start that talk.

 

My question is I remember someone being offered the job or supposedly offered the job, but the head master said he wasn't offered. You know what I'm getting at, he said , they said, you said, bull crap that always comes along.

Who was that person because I can't for the life of me remember who iit was? Would they be interested again this time or not?

[Guest Brian Peppers]

Thank GOD! Down goes the red machine. Without Rutledge, MBA's scheduele will be much different (forget Trinity!) and they wont be as good.

[KWoodroof]

Thank GOD! Down goes the red machine. Without Rutledge, MBA's scheduele will be much different (forget Trinity!) and they wont be as good.

The people down on Elliston place said the same thing when Howard Allen left.

[truthhurts]

[My question is I remember someone being offered the job or supposedly offered the job, but the head master said he wasn't offered. You know what I'm getting at, he said , they said, you said, bull crap that always comes along.

Who was that person because I can't for the life of me remember who iit was? Would they be interested again this time or not?

 

That person was the Kingsport coach. He was offered the job and the Gioia pulled the offer after the staff about had a mutiny. Rutledge was 4th choice. After Pack, after the Kingsport coach, after Ed Caudill (an assistant who is now at Ensworth who turned the job down). Of course Gioia told Rutledge all that never happened. Therein lies the problem. Distrust from day one.

 

Alums are split on this one and there are some very hard feelings. How do you start a www.firegioia.com site ???

[beethoven]

Will pack be in the running for this job? Would he want to leave Ensworth for an established program?

[Ensworth11]

Will pack be in the running for this job? Would he want to leave Ensworth for an established program?

 

 

 

No Pack won't want to leave. I go to Ensworth and he chose not to even coach football anymore so i dont see why he would want to now at mba.