JONESBORO — The Nettleton school board officially accepted the resignation of head Nettleton football coach Donnie Tennison on Tuesday and promoted assistant coach Jay Murphree to take over the program.
Former Nettleton coach Donnie Tennison (foreground) and Jay Murphree look on during a game with Jonesboro earlier this season. (Photo by Chris Graddy)
Tennison was hired in 2004 and led the school to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 the school advanced to the state semifinals behind the running attack of Derek Lawson, who broke the state single-season rushing with 3,090 yards.
However, Tennison and the Raiders have struggled in their past two seasons both on and off the field. Numbers for the football program were down in 2008 despite the success of the previous seasons and the trend continued into the 2009 season. Nettleton went a combined 3-17 in the past two seasons and failed to a game in the 5A-East conference this past season.
Tennison informed his players of his decision a few days ago, but it did not become official until Tuesday night. He will remain on staff at Nettleton as a faculty member.
Murphree joined the Raider coaching staff in 2007 as the offensive line coach and spending several years in Tennessee as a head coach. Nettleton flourished under Murphree's tutelage in his first season, helping the Raiders make a second straight playoff appearance with another strong running attack.
In 2005 Murphree went 11-3 as a head coach in Tennessee and was named in the West Tennessee Football Coach of the Year. In 2000 he went 11-3 while coaching in Louisiana and was named the Northeast Louisiana Football Coach of the Year. His past playoff apperances include 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Murphree also served as the head boys' track coach and is the Nettleton High School Dean of Students.
Comments: