Forrest football fires coach Eli Stephenson after six seasons
Forrest fired football coach Eli Stephenson on Monday, the school confirmed, three days after the Rockets' season ended with a sixth consecutive loss.
Stephenson went 45-36 in six seasons. In 2019, he led the Rockets to their first 12-win season. He was also at the helm when the program’s 13-year streak of TSSAA playoff berths ended in 2022.
Forrest lost 40-14 to Smith County in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs last week and finished 4-7.
“Forrest decided to move the (football) program in a different direction on Monday and started the search for a new head football coach. We appreciate all the time and hard work that Coach Eli Stephenson has put in our program,” Forrest principal Angie Phifer said in an emailed statement. “Forrest School has great kids who are more than willing to put in the hard work to build a strong team. We are also fortunate to have parents, a booster club, and community who are huge supporters of everything Forrest School. We look forward to finding someone who will take us to the next level and help our program continue to grow.”
Stephenson was elevated from assistant to head coach following Brent Johns’ resignation in 2018. Johns went 15-9 in two seasons with the Rockets, who went 4-7 the season before he resigned.
Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football: Forrest fires coach Eli Stephenson after six seasons
