Eddie George will leave Tennessee State University to become Bowling Green State University’s head coach, his new school announced Sunday.
George, 51, has agreed to a five-year deal with the Ohio-based Falcons of the Mid-American Conference, per ESPN.
"I am truly excited to be the head coach at Bowling Green State University," says George in a release.
"Bowling Green is a wonderful community that has embraced the school and the athletics department," he continues. "We are eager to immerse ourselves in the community and help build this program to the greatness it deserves. I am overwhelmed with excitement and joy for the possibilities this opportunity holds."
A former star at Ohio State, George will head back to the state where he won a Heisman Trophy in 1995. George played eight of his nine NFL seasons with the Titans, running for 10,009 yards and 64 touchdowns in 128 games.
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"I'm also thrilled to be back in the great state of Ohio, where I played my college football," George said. "I look forward to meeting the team, the coaches, everyone in the athletics department and everyone in the BGSU and Bowling Green community."
George spent four seasons at Tennessee State's head coach, guiding the Tigers of the FCS to a 24-22 record.
In 2024, George led TSU to a 9-4 season that included the school’s first trip to the postseason since 2013. The Tigers lost 41-27 to No. 14 seed Montana in the first round of the FCS playoffs and finished the season ranked No. 19.
Tennessee State had earned a share of the Big South-OVC title in 2024, the Tigers’ first conference crown since winning back-to-back OVC championships in 1998 and 1999. TSU was chosen for one of 14 at-large spots to the FCS playoffs.
George was named the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2024, and he also finished second in the voting for the FCS' Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year award.
In George’s first three seasons at TSU, the Tigers went 5-6 in 2021, 4-7 in 2022 and 6-5 in 2023.
At Bowling Green, George replaces Scot Loeffler, who took a job as the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterbacks coach after guiding the Falcons to a 27-41 record over six seasons. Bowling Green has gone to bowl games in three straight seasons, and the Falcons posted 7-6 marks in each of the past two years.
A first-round pick of the former Houston Oilers in 1996, George spent eight of his nine NFL seasons with the Oilers/Titans. He was named NFL rookie of the year in 1996 and earned Pro Bowl honors four times. George was an integral part of the Titans in 1999, when the team made its only Super Bowl appearance, losing 23-16 to St. Louis.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
