West football's Lamar Brown named Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Year
The Tennessee Titans named Knoxville West football’s Lamar Brown its 2022 High School Coach of the Year on Tuesday after leading the Rebels to the program's first undefeated season and second state championship since 2014.
“It’s a great honor for our team,” said Brown, who has coached at West for six seasons. “To win Tennessee Titans coach of the year, you've had to have a special football team and all the credit starts with those players. We had great players that did an unbelievable job all year.
“My assistant coaches did a heck of a job preparing the young men to play every week getting them ready to go every Friday night to go undefeated with our schedule is a huge customer.”
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The Rebels (15-0) defeated eight-time defending Class 3A state champion Alcoa and Class 6A semifinalist Maryville during the regular season. Brown said that football teams in East Tennessee don’t predict having an undefeated season when those teams are slated on the schedule.
The Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Year is an extension of its game of the week and coach of the week programs. Brown will be awarded $2,500 from the Titans and an additional $1,000 from the NFL for the honor and will be recognized with the 10 coach of the week recipients at Nissan Stadium during the Titans vs. Jaguars game on Dec. 11.
“I couldn't be more proud of coach Brown and if anybody in this state epitomizes what a high school football coach should be its Lamar Brown,” said West athletic director Tom Poisal. “Lamar coaches the kids hard, but he also coaches them with a ton of love. He works as hard at developing his kids off the field as he does on the field and that's what every school and athletic director and principal wants in a football coach.”
Brown has a 61-19 overall record through six seasons at West and has won three consecutive region championships.
Two of his biggest coaching influences are his former coaches at Jefferson County when he was a player, coach Craig Kisabeth and defensive backs coach Jim Smith.
“They love their kids, they care for their kids, Brown said. "Those two guys were like father figures to me, and they are the reason I got into coaching. I wanted to try to give some of that back and they have been huge, huge influences on me throughout my career.”
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville West football coach Lamar Brown named Titans coach of year
