Jason Fitzgerald of Hixson High school has been named Titans High School Football Coach of the Week! Traveling into a hostile environment, the Hixson Wildcats played spoiler by defeating seventh ranked (Class 3A) Tyner Rams on homecoming night, 28-19.
Heading into the fourth quarter with a two point lead, Hixson was able to muffle the Rams momentum by recovering a fumble and converting the turnover into a game sealing scoring drive.
The win marks the first for Hixson over the longtime opponent since 1991!
“I have known Coach Fitzgerald for a while and we knew he was a great coach and person,” said Hixson High Athletic Director Brian Bray. “He is great for our kids and a role model for the student-athletes throughout the school.”
Titans Owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr. will make a $1,000 contribution from the Titans Foundation to the Hixson High School football program in Coach Fitzgerald’s honor.
"High school football enjoys a great tradition in Tennessee," said Adams. "That tradition is based not only on the outstanding quality of play but on the devotion of their coaches who continue to develop high school football players into young men of strong character. I'm very pleased to underwrite this program that recognizes the efforts of so many talented high school coaches across the state!"
Coach Fitzgerald will be the team’s guest at the Titans season finale versus the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 30th when the team honors all 2012 Coach of the Week winners and announces the winner of the 2012 Coach of the Year! Coach Fitzgerald is also eligible for the Tennessee Titans Coach of the Year award. Mr. Adams will make an additional $2,000 grant to the Titans Coach of the Year winner on that date.
Also receiving strong consideration in this week’s poll were Isaac Shelby, of Northeast High, whose team defeated Henry County High School 41-26 for his school’s first win in the series since 1995 and ; Dresden High’s Keith Hodge, whose team defeated eighth ranked (Class 1A) West Carroll, 13-7.
Now in its 13th season, Mr. Adams has awarded more than $155,000 from the Titans Foundation to football programs across the state in honor of the Coach of the Week and Year winners.
The criterion for selection includes the coach’s impact on his team, school, community and emphasis on health and safety. A statewide media panel votes each week to determine the weekly winner. All high school football coaches in Tennessee, regardless of their school’s size, league, or division, are eligible to be selected each week. The program recognizes high school coaches who transform, through hard work and dedication, student athletes into the best possible football players, scholars and citizens in their community.