Tullahoma football’s fairytale first state title win will also open door to new era
TULLAHOMA, Tenn. (BVM) — It took 100 years, but the Tullahoma Wildcats football team is finally a Tennessee state champion following its thrilling 21-14 win in double overtime over Elizabethton in the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association Class 4A state championship Dec. 4.
The game itself was a hard-fought battle between the Wildcats and the Fighting Cyclones as the two teams found themselves at a 7-7 stalemate following regulation. After exchanging touchdowns in the first overtime, a touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Scott to receiver Jacob Dixon gave the Wildcats the edge. The Wildcats’ defense would seal the game off of an interception in the end zone by senior Krys Uselton. The moment would not only be recognized by the Tullahoma community, but also be shared by the Sportscenter Twitter account where it has over 500 retweets and over 5,000 likes.
Nothing beats moments like these ❤️
A game-winning INT in double OT to claim Tullahoma HS’ first-ever state title!@KrysUselton | @noahsmith_media pic.twitter.com/cFDJBIRxtA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 6, 2021
The moment was a perfect ending to a perfect season for the Wildcats as they finished their first undefeated campaign with a 15-0 record. Perhaps it was for this reason, a perfect season record and winning the program’s first state title, that Wildcats head coach John Olive announced his retirement following the game, leaving a post he held for the past 29 seasons.
“It’s just time in life,” Olive said in a Tullahoma City Schools press release. “Coaching is a young man’s game. I’ve been very fortunate to have coached as long as I have. I think at the age of 63, I have been fortunate to have had as many years of coaching as I have.”
Thank you Tullahoma! pic.twitter.com/lwPfWcTDnY
— John Olive (@CoachOlive) December 6, 2021
With his announced retirement, Olive will leave the program with a 203-126 record after joining the Wildcats in 1993. His career record is 229-141, having previously spent four seasons at Maryville from 1989-92 before coming to Tullahoma.
For Olive, the state championship was a long time coming and one that took patience and trust to achieve. Though he coached the Wildcats for nearly three decades, that didn’t mean his job was always secure. In both 2015 and 2016, Olive’s teams registered zero wins, going 0-20 over the two seasons.
To survive back-to-back seasons where we couldn’t win a game is rather miraculous in itself, particularly in this day and time,” Olive said. “It meant a tremendous amount to me that the administration and the community still believed in us as coaches.”
The winless streak ended in the first game of 2017 when his team defeated Shelbyville in the 37-29 in the season opener during a 5-5 campaign. This turnaround was just the start for the Wildcats as the next year they’d make the quarterfinal round of the playoffs before doing so again in 2020. All the patience by the administration, Tullahoma community and the football players paid off in the greatest way possible, a program-history making state title.
“The last four years have been special,” Olive said. “To win the state championship in your final season, that’s a fun way to end your career.”
“Thank you, Tullahoma.” -HBC, @CoachOlive pic.twitter.com/iFnFwsazc6
— Tullahoma Football🏴☠️ (@Ttown_FB) December 6, 2021
The Tullahoma High School administration thanked Olive for his service and the historic heights he helped lead the team to this year.
“I am thankful to John for his leadership and especially for his commitment, service and dedication to the THS football program over the last 29 years,” Tullahoma County Schools Director of Schools Dr. Catherine Stephens said. “What an exciting journey he has had, and the state title is certainly a remarkable way to conclude his football coaching career with THS. It has been thrilling to enjoy my first two years as superintendent with this amazing group of senior athletes. Congratulations to Coach Olive on a remarkable football coaching career and a magnificent, historical football state championship win.”
“John Olive is Tullahoma High School and the community of Tullahoma,” Tullahoma High School Principal Jason Quick said. “I’ve never met a person who has served a community and high school program with more integrity and character than John Olive. It is evident in our school, not just with the football team but also throughout all of our school. Whether you are an athlete or not, John has had an impact on you in some form or fashion.”
Now, the school will have to handle the difficult task of replacing such a beloved pillar of the community. With 22 seniors also graduating from the team, the 2022 season would’ve been one of change regardless, but with the departure of Olive that change will feel even more significant.
However, the program is also at its most recognizable and desirable coming off of its only state title. Though the next Wildcats coach will have big shoes to fill and high expectations, they will also come in with a highly-talented roster hungry to defend its state title for the first time.
