Tennessee State football coach Eddie George names his staff
Mike Organ
New Tennessee State football coach Eddie George officially announced his staff Wednesday.
As already reported, George named former NFL coach Hue Jackson the Tigers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and Brandon Fisher, the son of former Titans coach Jeff Fisher, as defensive coordinator.
Jackson was the coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011 and the Cleveland Browns from 2016-18. His most recent position was in 2018 with the Cincinnati Bengals as special assistant to coach Marvin Lewis.
Fisher, a former Christ Presbyterian Academy star, spent last season at Auburn as a defensive analyst and before that was the defensive coordinator at Southern Utah.
“I couldn’t be more excited to get started coaching our student-athletes with this staff of exceptional men,” George said. “These men are all great football coaches, but they are even better men. We really took our time to make sure each one of these coaches was the right fit for our program."
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The other coaches:
• Joe Bowden, linebackers, who spent the last four years at Missouri Baptist as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Bowden played linebacker for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1992-99.
• Keith Burns, special teams coordinator/defensive specialist, who was a standout specials teams player for the Denver Broncos. Since his 15-year NFL career ended in 2006 Burns, who also played linebacker, has coached in the NFL with Denver, Washington and the L.A. Chargers.
• Corey Harkey, tight ends, who spent the last two years at Azusa Pacific coaching tight ends. He played five seasons as a tight end in the NFL for the Rams (2012-16).
• Mark Hutson, offensive line, who was a senior offensive analyst at LSU the last two seasons. Before that Hutson spent three seasons as an assistant offensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns. Earlier in his career he was the tight ends coach for the Oakland Raiders.
• Richard McNutt, defensive backs, a former Ohio State defensive back who has been a secondary coach at Southeastern University, Youngstown State, Toledo, Kent State and Northern Illinois.
• Pepe Pearson, running backs, a former Ohio State running back who was the running backs coach at Marshall the previous five seasons.
• Clyde Simmons, defensive line, who played 15 seasons in the NFL and was the defensive line coach at Western Carolina last year. He also spent one season at Missouri and two as the assistant defensive line coach of the Cleveland Browns.
• Kenan Smith, passing game coordinator/wide receivers, who was wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Utah the previous two seasons.
“Make no mistake, we expect to win football games at Tennessee State University, but our ultimate goal is to prepare our current and future student-athletes for life,” George said. “I’m looking forward to the impact our coaches will have on Tennessee State University and the Nashville community.”
FISHER TAKES OVER TSU DEFENSE:Brandon Fisher, son of ex-Titans coach Jeff Fisher, joins Eddie George's staff at Tennessee State
HUE JACKSON'S SALARY:How much Hue Jackson will make as Tennessee State's offensive coordinator on Eddie George's staff
Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame special airs June 26
The “Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Special Presented by the Tennessee Titans” will debut as a two-hour televised special June 26 (7 p.m. CT) at tshf.net and through the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s Twitter, YouTube and Facebook pages.
It will also air in Nashville on Comcast Xfinity channel 250, Charter Spectrum channel 182, Digital Channel 5.2 and be available on the NewsChannel5 app on Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
Mike Keith, 2021 inductee and voice of the Tennessee Titans, will host the event.
Along with Keith, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2021 class includes Bill Bates, Cathy Bender, Mike Caldwell, Cindy Parlow Cone, Todd Helton, Mary Lou Johns, Reggie Johnson, David Poile, Brandon Rowland and Tommy Woods.
"I have had the honor of hosting the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame induction and awards dinner since 2000, but I have to admit this year is quite different,” Keith said. “For years, I have had the pleasure of sharing the stories of the TSHF inductees and honorees. It is humbling to be part of this year's inductees, especially since this group is so accomplished in their respective fields."
Additional honorees include: Amateur Female Player of the Year winner Anastasia Hayes (MTSU basketball), Amateur Female Team of the Year winner Belmont women’s basketball, Amateur Male Player of the Year winner Brady White (Memphis football) and Amateur Male Team of the Year winner Memphis men’s basketball.
Nashville ranks 21st best hockey city
Nashville was ranked 21st in the Best Cities for Hockey Fans by WalletHub.
A total of 73 cities were ranked based on several metrics including the local team's performance, ticket prices to stadium capacity.
Boston was No. 1 followed by Detroit, Pittsburgh, New York, St. Louis, Denver, Newark (New Jersey), Tampa, Chicago and Buffalo.
Some of the cities Nashville ranked ahead of included Las Vegas (22), Los Angeles (23) and Minneapolis (51).
Nashville was the only city in Tennessee ranked.
For the complete list click on Hockey Cities.
Former TSU AD Teresa Phillips elected to OVC Hall of Fame
Retired TSU athletics director Teresa Phillips has been elected into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame.
Phillips retired in 2020 after spending 31 years at TSU.
After playing basketball at Vanderbilt and coaching at Fisk, Philips became the women's basketball coach at TSU in 1989 and was promoted to athletics director in 2000.
During her time as a coach Phillips guided the Tigers to back-to-back OVC regular season and tournament championships (1993-94 and 1994-95) and was twice named OVC Coach of the Year.
She transitioned to AD in 2000. TSU won 12 conference championships — five indoor track and field championships, three outdoor track and field championships, two volleyball titles and one women’s basketball championship — on Phillips' watch.
Sports Illustrated named Phillips one of the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports in 2003 and The Tennessean named her one of 10 Legends in Women's Basketball in Tennessee during the 2014 Women's Final Four played at Bridgestone Arena.
Joining Phillips in the 2021 hall of fame class are former UT Martin AD Phil Dane and former Murray State women’s tennis coach Connie Keasling.
Belmont great Craig Bradshaw hired at CPA
Craig Bradshaw, who played at Christ Presbyterian Academy and Belmont, has returned to CPA as director of middle school basketball and a varsity assistant coach.
Bradshaw led CPA to a 37-2 record in 2012 and the TSSAA Class AA state championship. He was the Class AA Mr. Basketball.
Bradshaw was a four-year starter at Belmont who scored 1,698 career points and was a three-time All-OVC selection.
Tennessee Tech hires TSU linebacker great Rico Council
Former TSU middle linebacker Rico Council, one of the Tigers' all-time leading tacklers, is the new outside linebackers and assistant special teams coach at Tennessee Tech.
Council spent the last five years as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at TSU. He began his coaching career as defensive coordinator at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy (2014-15).
The Chattanooga native recorded 295 career tackles, which is fourth on TSU’s all-time list. His 15 tackles in a single game rank 10th in school history. He earned three All-OVC selections — first-team defense in 2011, second-team defense in 2010 and all-newcomer team in 2010.
"I'm excited about the opportunity," Council said. "It's not often to have a quick change like this or to stay in the same conference for a bit. It's new, but it's familiar.”
Audie Johnson finishes second in Senior Open
Mt. Juliet golfer Audie Johnson finished tied for second in the Tennessee Senior State Open Tuesday.
Johnson shot a 1-over par 145 to tie with Kingston’s Allen Fennell and Williston’s Tim Jackson at Stonehenge Golf Course in Crossville. Johnson shot 73 on the first day and 72 on the second.
Cliff Kresge from Knoxville won with a 4-under par 140.
Nashville’s Bill Breen, the 2020 champion, tied for fifth at 2-over while Tullahoma’s Jared Melson and Buddy Harston tied for eighth with one other at 4-over.
For the complete results click onto Senior Open.
Tyler Williamson from Springfield won the Tennessee Junior PGA Championship played last week at Stones River in Murfreesboro.
He shot a 5-under par 137 to beat Bo Maradik from Nashville by one stroke.
Jackson Harrington from Dickson finished third at 1-under.
David Collie makes another hole-in-one
Longtime Midstate high school boys basketball coach David Collie made his second career hole-in-one recently.
Collie, who coached at Wayne County, East Robertson, Riverdale and Columbia and is in the TSSAA Hall of Fame, aced the 165-yard, No. 6 hole at Rock Hollow Golf Club in Peru, Indiana. He used a 4-hybrid.
Collie made his first hole-in-one in 2016 in Palm Springs, California.
Trevecca coach throwing out first pitch for the Sounds
First-year Trevecca baseball coach Chase Sain, who led the Trojans to the NCAA Division II College World Series, will throw out the first pitch for the Nashville Sounds' game (7:05 p.m.) June 30 against the Louisville Bats at First Horizon Park.
It was Trevecca's first trip to the World Series. The Trojans finished with a 36-13 record after being eliminated in the first round.
Discounted tickets for Trevecca fans in section 102 are available at fevo.me/trevecca.
Sounds cookout coming back
The Sounds are bringing back the Great American Club Level Cookout July 3-4 for games at First Horizon Park against the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
Tickets start at $65 and include a club level ticket to the game, all-you-can-eat buffet on the Budweiser Deck or Advance Financial Deck, beer and soft drinks, access to the Brauer Club Lounge and a pair of Sounds branded sunglasses.
Additional amenities are available for an extra $5 including a ticket to the Houchens Insurance Group Club (fully padded back and bottom seats) located in sections 208-210.
July 4 activities include a postgame fireworks celebration along with the Kids Run the Bases promotion.
Tickets for the event are available at milb.com/nashville/tickets/cookout or by calling 615-690-4487.
MTSU's Chemadi wins NCAA steeplechase championship
Middle Tennessee State senior Kigen Chemadi capped off his career with an NCAA championship in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Chemadi ran an 8:28.20 to set an outdoor school record in the event.
Chemadi also was named a first-team All-American for the second straight year in the event. He finished third overall in the event in 2019.
It was the Blue Raiders' first national title in the event and only the second overall in meet history. The first Blue Raider to win an outdoor national title was Mardy Scales in the 100 meters in 2003.
Estes promoted on Lipscomb volleyball staff
Brittnay Estes was promoted Friday from volunteer volleyball coach to assistant at Lipscomb.
Estes, a former star outside hitter for the Bisons (2012-15), joined the staff last summer after returning from Los Angeles.
The Palm Harbor, Florida, native received her master’s degree from Loyola Marymount in California and went on to play in the Association of Volleyball Professionals.
Ross Brown signs extension at Austin Peay
Austin Peay men's and women's tennis coach Ross Brown agreed to a contract extension through the 2023 season.
Brown is coming off his second straight OVC women's tournament championship. He has a total of three conference titles between the men's and women's teams during his nine years at Austin Peay.
Neely leaving Martin Methodist
Martin Methodist assistant athletic director for communications Wade Neely announced Thursday he is resigning
Neely, a Pulaski native, spent 12 years at the school including 10 in his current position.
Belmont softball gets transfer pitcher
Emma Summers, a right-handed pitcher from Miami (Ohio), has transferred to Belmont.
Summers, who is from Nashville, Indiana, appeared in two games out of the bullpen this past season facing Eastern Kentucky and Akron. She has two years of eligibility remaining.
"I couldn't be more excited to have Emma as a part of our Belmont family," Belmont coach Laura Matthews said. "She is a talented pitcher who we expect to be able to make an impact right away."
If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.