NASHVILLE, TN — The coaching staff of Eddie George includes one former NFL head coach and the son of another. George announced his full staff last week for the upcoming 2021 fall season, his first as head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers. The biggest name is former Las Vegas (they were Oakland when he coached them) Raiders and Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson’s most recent position had been as an assistant to former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis in 2018. Jackson will be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher’s son Brandon will be the defensive coordinator. He last held the role of
defensive analyst at Auburn University and also was a defensive coordinator at Southern Utah. Several of the other new coaches have extensive pro and/or college coaching experience, something that should be a benefit for a first-time as well as first year head coach.
Linebackers coach Joe Bowden was a defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Missouri Baptist. Special teams coordinator/defensive specialist Keith Burns formerly coached for the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Football Team. Tight ends coach Corey Harkey coached the same position at Azuza Pacific. Offensive line coach Mark Hudson formerly coached at LSU and with both Cleveland and Las Vegas (Oakland). Running backs coach Pepe Pearson held that same position at Marshall. Passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Kenan Smith was Southern Utah’s wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
On the defensive side, line coach Clyde Simmons was defensive line coach at Western Carolina, and also coached at Missouri and with the Cleveland Browns. Defensive backs coach Richard McNutt has been a secondary coach at Southeastern University, Youngstown State, Toledo, Kent State and Northern Illinois.
It was also announced last week that former TSU women’s basketball coach and later athletics director Teresa Phillips has been elected into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame. She had a 31-year career at TSU before retiring last year. Phillips also was a top basketball player at Vanderbilt and later coached at Fisk.
She was a two-time Ohio Valley Coach of the Year and the Lady Tigers were consecutive regular season and tournament champions in the OVC during her coaching tenure.
