Why Rick Rice resigned as Summertown football coach two games into the season
Rick Rice has left Summertown and is heading back to Rutherford County
But it won't be in a football coaching capacity.
Rice will begin teaching business at Oakland High beginning Thursday, after resigning as football coach at Summertown on Wednesday.
The reason isn't football related, rather a financial decision for the veteran coach, who started the Rockvale program in 2019 before taking the Summertown job in March.
The move was to get back on the insurance at Rutherford County Schools, something essential for taking care of his son, Austin, who was critically injured in an automobile accident in October 2019.
"Our state insurance (which Summertown High is part of), will not be able to provide insurance for my son, who is past the age of 26," Rice said. "With Rutherford County insurance, he was able to continue being covered on my insurance, since he was disabled before the age of 26."
Although leaving Rockvale earlier in the year, Rice was still on the Rutherford County insurance plan until Sept. 1. The county isn't part of the state insurance plan, but will be beginning in January 2023. After that, the coverage for Austin (now 28) will be continued through a grandfather clause, Rick Rice said.
"If I had stayed in Lawrence County, he would not have insurance," Rice said.
Summertown, which is 0-2 to begin the season, has named former assistant Jason Busby as interim head coach.
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Rice doesn't know if he will be helping Oakland coach Kevin Creasy this fall. He said the two would discuss options in the coming days, but it would likely be in a freshman or junior varsity role if it happened.
The main reason for that is Rice would still like to attend Summertown games on Friday nights throughout the remainder of the season.
"Maybe I can be in the (press) box and help call plays or something," Rice said of staying connected to the Summertown program. He added that he wasn't sure what his coaching/teaching future was after this year.
"I still want to be close to my son and granddaughter," Rice said.
Rice has a 231-147 career record that includes a long stint at Wayne County before taking over at Rockvale.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Rick Rice: Summertown football coach resigns, will teach at Oakland
