Interim River Ridge Head Football Coach Named Finalist For Position

River Ridge High School interim Football Coach Tyler Wynn has been named the top finalist for the head football coach position, and the Cherokee County School Board will consider approval of the appointment at its Feb. 5 meeting.

Wynn, who has served as the team’s offensive coordinator for the past four years, was selected from a pool of 115 applicants, with 14 being interviewed prior to a top finalist being recommended by Principal Darrell Herring to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo. He was introduced as the top finalist to the football program’s players, coaches and supporters during a meeting at the school on Wednesday night.

“The applicant pool was very strong this year with many successful coordinators available to interview,” Herring said.

Wynn, as part of his interim role for the past month, has been overseeing the reconditioning of equipment and winterizing the field.

“He has gone above and beyond his outlined duties in this regard, undertaking many other tasks and roles as they needed to be addressed,” the River Ridge principal added. “He has an established reputation as a strong, energetic leader who is invested in the players and in the River Ridge community.”

Wynn said his love for the game and desire to build young men of character, both on and off the field, was mentored in his earliest years by his father, who served as a football coach for 36 years. As a result of this relationship, Wynn became an English teacher and a coach of two sports after graduating from Carson-Newman University. He began his coaching career at Troup County High School and came to River Ridge in 2010 to teach English and coach football and baseball.

A two-sport scholarship athlete at Carson-Newman University, Wynn served as team captain for its baseball team while earning a bachelor’s degree in English, and continued his education by earning a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.

Wynn also is an instructional leader, Principal Herring said, noting that he serves as the school’s Writing Across the Curriculum director, training all of the staff to enhance students’ writing scores. He has also served as the sponsor for the school’s FCA club since 2010.

Photo: Tyler Wynn. Credit: Cherokee County School District