Eddie George explains why he left Tennessee State for Bowling Green

/ Football, Tennessee State / By

Eddie George is moving on to the FBS as the new head coach at Bowling Green.

Before officially departing for Ohio, George did address the decision on Sunday to leave Tennessee State after four seasons.

“There is never a good time for retirement or making a transition, moving on to a new coaching position. I had to really weigh my options and look at what I was walking away from and where I was going toward. There’s a lot of reasons why I made this decision,” George said in a statement. “My intentions were really to stay here at Tennessee State with hopes that things would definitely get better and so forth. And they will, eventually. But just not in this time frame. And I understand that.”

ESPN senior college football writer Pete Thamel reported George — one of three finalists for the job — has signed a 5-year contract to be the school’s new coach.

“Bowling Green really came out of left field,” he said. “I wasn’t searching for a job. I wasn’t looking for interviews. The interviews that I did take were interviews I was asked to take. I wanted to explore because it was a time in my career when I had to look at other options and see what was available.

“I did not come into the profession seeking to become a coach at a Power Five school, NFL, none of that. I just came in with the mindset to develop young men holistically.”

In his fourth season leading TSU, George guided the team to a 9-4 overall record and a share of their first OVC conference championship since 1999. TSU also made the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2013, giving 2023 FCS runner-up Montana a scare before falling 41-27.
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Photo: Tennessee State Athletics

“On behalf of Tennessee State University, I wish Coach Eddie George and his family the best as they pursue their next chapter. His passion and relentless commitment to developing student-athletes and providing a first-class experience have been invaluable,” said Mikki Allen, TSU athletics director.

“As we move forward, I am excited and focused on attracting a top-tier leader who will build on the solid foundation Coach George has laid and lead us to even greater achievements.”

Allen, the Tennessean newspaper reporter, will be the school’s interim coach until a permanent hire is made.

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