Tennessee State’s Eddie George is emerging as a hot commodity in the football coaching world. The former Heisman Trophy winner has built an HBCU and FCS Power with the Tigers that saw his team win a share of the OVC-Big South Championship and an FCS Playoff. Now, he’s on the radar for open coaching vacancies with a new FBS opportunity soon to present itself.
Per a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, George is considered a top target for the Bowling Green open head coaching vacancy.
“Tennessee State head football coach Eddie George has emerged as a target in Bowling Green’s head coaching search, sources told ESPN,” Thamel said in his report. “A final decision is expected in the near future, as he was one of three finalists interviewed Friday.”
The head coach position at Bowling Green is now open following Scot Loeffler’s departure in late February to join the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. During his six years with the Falcons, Loeffler compiled a 27-41 record and guided the team to three consecutive bowl games over the past three seasons.
Success brings opportunities in almost every profession, especially in sports. George’s work to restore Tennessee State, a blue-blood HBCU football power, back to it’s traditional dominance captured the attention of the sports world. Since taking the helm of Tennessee State football in 2021, Eddie George has transformed the program into a rising powerhouse. In his first season, the team finished with a 5-6 record, but this year they’ve achieved a remarkable 9-4 record and secured a conference title.
Following the Tigers loss to Montana in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs, George expressed his desire to stay at Tennessee State and build upon their massive success in a quote obtained by The Tennessean.
“I’m excited. I’m really excited,” George said. “It hurts that we can’t go on (in the playoffs), but in order to get there we had to go through it. This is part of the process. God willing, if I’m here for the next five or six years, it’s going to take us time to become an elite program where we’re consistent and we’re sustainable.”
George’s name has been attached to other jobs in his time at Tennessee State. Following the 2023 season, rumors swirled during the offseason about Ohio State being interested in bringing in George as a running back coach. Ohio State reporter Tim May poured cold water on the rumors with a post on X in March 2024.
“To nip one rumor in the bud, former Ohio State Heisman-winning RB Eddie Geroge now TSU Tigers HC tells me he is NOT interested in now-open OSU rb job,” May wrote in a post on X. “But his current RB coach and former Ohio State rb Pepe Pearson likely is.”
Not even a year later, George’s name popped up as a surprise in the Chicago Bears’s coaching search. Viewed by some as a way for the Bears to satisfy the requirements of the “Rooney Rule”, even by George himself, he was able to find value in the experience and delivered an amazing interview that could open himself up to other NFL jobs in the future.
“The thing about the Rooney Rule is, it doesn’t matter how you get in the room,” George said in a quote obtained by the Tennesseean. “Whether it’s through the front door, backdoor, side door, window or the roof − if I get in the room, you still gotta deal with me. Then I’ve got to go out there and perform, meaning I’ve still got to interview well.”
Per ESPN reporter Courtney Cronin, George aced the interview.
“A source close to George described the interview as a “great experience” that will lead to other coaching opportunities for the former NFL running back. George’s interview was deemed “excellent” by a member of the Bears’ interview committee,” Cronin wrote in her wide-ranging report detailing how Ben Johnson was ultimately hired as the head coach of the Bears.
George will soon be faced with a choice. Will he stay in HBCU football and continue to build upon the success of Tennessee State? Or, will he leave to lead Bowling Green, a program that has been the destination of several coaches such as former Ohio State coach Urban Myer and former Syracuse coach Dino Barbers?
Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: Eddie George is reaping the benefits of his coaching success.
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