Tyner Academy did not have to look far to find its next football coach.
Christian Mainor, the team's offensive coordinator the past two seasons, has been promoted to head coach of the Rams by the school's administration. The move became official Friday.
"We did advertise the job, but ultimately we kept coming back to the fact that Coach Mainor is our guy," Tyner athletic director Ronald Davis said. "The kids know him, know how much he cares about them and the program, and having that consistency and familiarity was a big key.
"He is someone who has worked in our building and knows all of the players and has proven himself on the field. We're just very comfortable with this decision and excited to have him taking over."
Mainor replaces Scott Chandler, who stepped down in mid-February to accept a defensive assistant's job with Georgia's Chattooga High School, which is closer to his home.
A native of the Florida Panhandle town of Baker, Mainor came to Chattanooga five years ago to join Chandler's staff at Ooltewah High School, where he worked as receivers coach for two seasons before being promoted to offensive coordinator for one year. He joined Chandler's staff at Tyner in the same role prior to the 2021 season.
During Tyner's run to the TSSAA Class 2A state championship last season, the Rams averaged 38 points per game, including eight games of scoring 40-plus points. The Rams also set numerous program records on offense and had a Tennessee Titans Mr. Football winner in quarterback Josh Jackson while finishing the season 14-1 overall, winning the BlueCross Bowl at Finley Stadium in December for the program's second state title — 25 years after the first one.
"If someone had told me five years ago that at the age of 30 I would be the head coach at a reigning state championship program, I never would've believed it," Mainor said. "I have been fortunate to be around some really quality coaches and learned something from all of them.
"Coach Chandler is a big culture guy. The X's and O's are important, but if the culture isn't maintained in the right way, it's really hard to have a successful program. I learned a lot from him on how to build and maintain the right type of culture. The kids in our program now have seen the hard work we put in as coaches when we arrived a couple of years ago, so they know how much I care about them.
"I think the fact that they already know me and we have that relationship, that will help make this transition smoother. Consistency is the key for so many kids, so for them to have a voice preaching the same message they have heard for the past two years, that will be good, especially for the younger guys coming up."
Although he will be looking to fill several assistant jobs that are currently open on the staff, including the need for a new defensive coordinator after Tyler Manes left to join the staff at Cleveland High School, Mainor said he will continue overseeing the offense.
"I'll continue to call plays," Mainor said. "We're graduating a lot of really good talent that we'll have to replace, but I'm excited about what we have coming back up front and the young skill position kids who I believe will step up and be good for us.
"Tyner has always been known as a very physical team, and we will continue to play that way. I think that's a big key to maintaining success — we will be physical. I'm really excited to get going with these kids now."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.