Former MTSU coach and Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Andy McCollum is Sewanee's new coach
Former Middle Tennessee State football coach Andy McCollum, who also served briefly as an assistant at Tennessee and was the defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, was hired Friday as the Sewanee coach.
McCollum, 63, replaced Travis Rundle, who served as the Tigers coach the past six seasons before being named the coach at Albion College two weeks ago. Sewanee went 2-8 last season.
"I am looking forward to representing the University of the South as the head football coach with tremendous energy and enthusiasm in the opportunities the Sewanee culture provides for the student-athlete and the campus community," McCollum said. "Sewanee has an excellent reputation for its tremendous educational, cultural, and environmental opportunities. I, and my energetic staff, look forward to expanding the Sewanee football reputation with pride and winning."
After playing tight end at Austin Peay (1977-80) McCollum began his coaching career at MTSU on Boots Donnelly's staff coaching receivers, tight ends, running backs and defensive ends from 1981-87.
After stints at UTEP and Baylor McCollum spent the spring of the 1995 season at Tennessee as linebackers coach. He moved on to Baylor as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the 1995 season.
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In 1999 he returned to MTSU and replaced Donnelly, who had been promoted to athletics director, as the head coach as the program transitioned from FCS to FBS.
McCollum posted a 34-45 record at MTSU though the 2005 season. In its first season in the Sun Belt Conference, MTSU posted an 8-3 record and finished as co-champions. McCollum was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year in Tennessee in 2000 and 2001.
McCollum spent the 2006 season with the Tennessee Titans as an advance scout and defensive assistant.
He then spent two seasons as linebackers coach at North Carolina State before going to Georgia Tech in 2009, where he remained for 10 seasons.
McCollum continued to recruit the Midstate area after he left MTSU and believes that will benefit him at Sewanee.
"The opportunity to return to the state of Tennessee to continue developing my long-standing relationships with high school football coaches throughout the area is coming home for me, and I could not get here fast enough," he said.
In 2022 McCollum served as the chief of staff and senior defensive analyst for the University of Buffalo and in 2020 was the defensive coordinator at Western Carolina.
"In the long and storied tradition of Sewanee athletics, our coaches have always been teachers and educators first, but they are also mentors, advisors, and leaders in our campus community," said athletics director John Shackelford. "In coach Andy McCollum, we have found a walking bear hug that embraces challenges as opportunities, and solves those problems by loving his students harder − with the care of a parent, the steady discipline of a school principal, and the wisdom that comes with a lifetime of experience.”
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ex MTSU coach, Georgia Tech assistant Andy McCollum is new Sewanee coach
