Whitwell fires head football coach

WHITWELL, Tenn. (WDEF) — Amid all the signing day hoopla, the Whitwell Tigers have decided to make a coaching change. Whitwell administration has confirmed that they have fired Head Coach Travis Olinger.

CONFIRMED: Coach Travis Olinger has been let go as @WhitwellHigh football coach. Olinger was informed of the decision this morning. The 2018 1A State Champs finished the season 3-8 last year.

— Angela Moryan (@SidelineStormer) February 6, 2020

Coach Olinger tells News 12 that he was asked to step down last week and refused. He was then fired Wednesday, with the reasoning being “pressure from the outside.”

However, Principal Teena Casseday says there was no outside pressure, and that she’s looking at every level to find a coach that can rebuild the program — from the youth level and up.

She says the goal is to not lose any momentum from the state championship win in 2018.

The Tigers finished the 2019 season 3-9.

Olinger says he was asked last week to step down. He told the school he didn’t want to. Administration then fired him today, citing “pressure from the outside” as reasoning. @WhitwellHigh

— Angela Moryan (@SidelineStormer) February 6, 2020

Casseday also added that she doesn’t want to lose momentum after winning state in 2018. She wants someone to come in, overhaul the Whitwell football program from youth to varsity, and bring winning back to @WhitwellHigh.

— Angela Moryan (@SidelineStormer) February 6, 2020