NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Prior to Sunday's game against the Houston Texans, the Tennessee Titans recognized ten high school football coaches from across the state as their 2015 Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year award winners.
The Titans High School Coach of the Week program was created to recognize and reward high school coaches who continuously demonstrate hard work and dedication to their football programs and the health and safety of their players.
Each Coach of the Week received a grant in the amount of $1,000 to further develop and enhance his football program. The Coach of the Year received a grant in the amount of $2,000.
Both programs are an extension of the team's High School Game of the Week initiative, new to 2015, which brought schools and communities together by inviting fans to participate in the selection of the Titans Game of the Week. The head coach of the winning team of the Titans Game of the Week was subsequently named the Coach of the Week. More than 1.6 million votes were cast via TitansOnline.com during the ten-week high school season.
The 2015 Coach of the Week Award Winners
- George Quarles - Maryville
- Darren Bowling - Union City
- Brian Rector - Centennial
- Mac Bryan - Ooltewah
- James Counce - Henry County
- Scott Stidham - South Gibson
- Scott Blade - Independence
- Bill Whittemore - Franklin Road Academy
- Robin Jacobs - Brighton
- Thomas Osteen - Marshall County
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| Scott Blade (right) of Independence High School is the 2015 Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Year. |
Blade, named Coach of the Week in week 7, was also named the 2015 Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Year after leading his football team to a perfect 15-0 season and winning the school's first Class 5A state title.
"It was a great honor to be a part of the events celebrating the Titans Coach of the Week/Year awards," Blade said. "It was an even bigger blessing to have my family there to experience it all with me."
Blade's selection as the 2015 Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Year qualifies him for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year, announced by the league in January. The Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year receives a grant from the league in the amount of $10,000 and his high school football program receives an additional $15,000.
Since the inception of the Coach of the Week program in 1999, the Titans have donated more than $190,000 in grant funding to deserving coaches and their football programs across the state of Tennessee.
For more information on the Game of the Week and Coach of the Week program, visit www.titansonline.com/gameoftheweek.
