Remember that hiring Eddie George as coach was Tennessee State's idea, not his | Estes

They called him.

When thinking, now and forever, about Eddie George’s foray into head coaching at Tennessee State, don’t forget that important fact. 

Because the one who stands to lose most in this fascinating venture is George.

Though it wasn’t his idea. He really didn’t want to do it at first. TSU had to sell George on the job to which he was officially introduced Tuesday.

If you thought the idea of someone without coaching experience being handed a head-coaching job at an FCS program was ridiculous, well, so did George. That’s exactly how he said he first broached the topic with former Titans coach Jeff Fisher: “Listen to this ridiculous idea.”

At the time, George said he was about 70% sure he didn’t want to be the football coach at TSU. But Fisher loved the idea. He helped convince his former player.

TSU HIRE:George wants to be 'innovative, creative and fun' as Tigers' coach

AT FIRST:Initially, George turned down the TSU coaching job

MENTOR:Former Titans coach Jeff Fisher helped George to TSU

So did TSU athletics director Mikki Allen, who hasn’t yet been in his role a year since taking over for a legend in Teresa Phillips.

"I was like, 'Are you sure you know what you're asking me?' ” George said. “But it just resonated in my spirit, and it wouldn't go away.”

So there he was on Tuesday, the Titans great holding up a No. 27 TSU jersey.

This, truly, was a moment for TSU. The university has a proud tradition in football, but name the last time the program has received as much national – or, heck, regional – attention as it is getting right now. That'll carry far beyond football. This is going to benefit the entire university in untold ways, bringing an uptick in attention, donations, perhaps enrollment.

It was a football hire, but TSU’s administrative motivation was transparent, and it wasn’t to hire a proven football coach.

It was to land a big name. To that end, TSU couldn’t have fared much better.

In Nashville sports, there probably isn’t a better singular brand than Eddie George. While that once was tied solely to his football talent, it has since developed into much more. To this day, he's everywhere in the city. “He’s a Nashville hero,” Allen said.

True.

But careful there. Heroes are special. They are treasured. They are idealized, so respected as to be viewed as infallible. And that’s why, in watching Tuesday’s news conference, it was depressing to realize how very fallible George might end up appearing in this job.

What if this is a complete debacle? What if he struggles to win a game?

I don’t think that’ll happen, but it could, and it'll be sad if it does. 

There's no doubting what TSU accomplishes with such an outside-the-box hire, but it's more difficult to see those same gains from George's perspective.

He has such a proud and sterling reputation. He spoke passionately Tuesday, as you'd expect. You believe him when he says he’s serious about this. You believe him when he says he did his homework and is doing this for the right reasons — as a way to serve others more than himself.

You also believe there’s a lot he doesn’t know about the challenges of coaching an FCS program, but I think he knows that.

"I ask for your patience,” George said. “I ask for your support to do this, because the No. 1 goal is to win and bring prominence back to this university."

Here’s the thing: Those are separate goals. The second part – bringing prominence – he’d already accomplished before speaking to a player. The other one is going to prove much more difficult.

I hope he has a chance. I hope TSU's leadership – as the university surely gets what it sought from this high-profile partnership – holds true to its word and finds a way to give George the support and resources to be competitive on the field.

Allen meant well when he said near the end of Tuesday’s news conference: “We want to win national titles. We don't just want to win conference titles, OK?"

Sitting beside him, George nodded.

That, however, was an unfair expectation to casually toss out there.

TSU didn’t pursue a coach with championship credentials.

It chased Eddie George.

That's what TSU wanted first. And it'll be worth remembering that.

Reach Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.