New Tennessee State football coach Reggie Barlow has high expectations
New Tennessee State football coach Reggie Barlow hopes to continue the momentum the Tigers gained in 2024
- New TSU football coach Reggie Barlow acknowledges the financial challenges facing Tennessee State but expresses confidence in the leadership’s ability to address them.
- Barlow plans to bring most of his staff from the DC Defenders to Tennessee State and will focus on team building activities instead of traditional spring practice due to the timing of his hire.
Reggie Barlow said he is focused on coaching the Tennessee State football team and not the school’s financial woes after he was introduced as Eddie George’s replacement Monday at a new conference at Nissan Stadium.
Barlow left as coach of the DC Defenders in the UFL to return to the Historically Black College and University coaching ranks after previously being at his alma mater Alabama State and Virginia State.
George, who was hired at Bowling Green State on March 9, said his decision to leave was based on TSU’s financial struggles.
TSU has undergone extensive staff cuts and layoffs while dealing with financial shortcomings and a drop in enrollment. The school is awaiting state approval to repurpose $154.5 million in state funds intended to help steer the school out of its current conundrum.
Barlow, 53, accepted the job fully aware of the school’s financial challenges. He told The Tennessean he is confident the leadership under interim President Dwyane Tucker, who attended Monday’s news conference, will find answers to the problems leaving Barlow with only having to worry about maintaining the momentum the football program gained coming off a 9-4 season, which included winning a share of the Big South/OVC championship and a berth in the FCS playoffs.
“For me, I saw stability and the opportunity to be at a great school,” Barlow said. “The money aspect, I just wanted to know what’s going to be the salaries of the coaches and what’s going to be the budget for our program. Anything outside of that wasn’t really a deal for me.”
TSU athletic director Mikki Allen said Barlow’s salary and the terms of his contract are being finalized along with the budget for Barlow’s staff and the operating budget. Allen and Barlow reached an agreement in principle and Barlow signed a letter-of-intent.
Allen said the school’s financial issues did not hinder his search for a new coach.
“We had a lot of great candidates; up-and-coming stars, established head coaches in college football, from pro football we had some head assistants,” Allen said. “But Reggie was our first choice. He just fits what we need right now. He’s got credibility, experience, he’s been a proven winner. I really feel our program is not just in great hands, it’s in winning hands with Reggie Barlow.”
After spending eight years as a wide receiver and special teams player in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars (1996-2000), Oakland Raiders (2001) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-03), Barlow became the head coach at Alabama State in 2007.
Over eight seasons Barlow posted a 49-42 record and won three Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division titles at Alabama State.
He became the head coach at Virginia State in 2016. In six seasons there, he posted a 34-15 record. That included the program’s first undefeated season in 2017.
Barlow also had success with the DC Defenders where he was named the league’s coach of the year in 2023 after a 9-1 season, which included a berth in the championship game.
“Coming off the success Tennessee State had last year, that’s really something good to build on and have some momentum moving forward,” Barlow said. “We’ve been really successful as a head coach, but that has happened because we populate ourself with good people, good coaches, who are going to care about the kids and pour into the young men.”
Barlow said he will bring most of his staff from DC to TSU because most of George’s staff followed him to Bowling Green. Those coming with Barlow to Nashville includes former TSU offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss, former TSU quarterback and offensive coordinator Shannon Harris and former TSU offensive line coach Russ Ehrenfeld.
Barlow met with TSU’s players for the first time Sunday. He said the Tigers will not have a traditional spring practice due to the timing of his hire and will instead have meetings, weightlifting sessions, and on-field individual agility tests.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
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