Ken ColquetteAfter taking the weekend to think over his decision, Ken Colquette has resigned as head football coach at Sequatchie County High School.
The 67-year old Colquette, who has undergone two hip-replacement surgeries, said the decision came after a season filled with his own health problems and on-field issues.
"I just felt too old to deal with some of the things going on," said Colquette, who coached the Indians for two years. "I told Tommy (Layne, the principal) when I took the job that I'd give him two years and see where we were. I've thought about it since about midseason and took the weekend to make sure this is what I wanted to do. It's harder on my hips and legs to walk the sideline, and really, it's just time.
"It's the second time I've retired, and I don't have any plans right now to be a head coach anymore. I might think about helping somewhere as an assistant, but I don't know about that."
In his first season with the program the Indians finished 5-6, but this year they finished a disappointing 3-7, including four straight losses to end the season. The Indians, who lost two games by four points or less, also missed the playoffs.
"It was 100 percent his decision," Layne said. "We've had injury after injury and just all sorts of problems this year. Once it started to go bad, it just snowballed.
"We want to move quickly on this to find the right person and have them in place for spring practice."
Colquette, whose career record is 257-94, was first a successful head coach at Bridgeport (Ala.) before taking over at Marion County in 1980 and guiding that program to unparalleled success. The Warriors won four state championships, were state runners-up twice and had just one losing season in his term. During one stretch in the mid-1990s, they went 56-1.
After resigning from Marion in 1996, Colquette coached at Vidalia (Ga.) and Grundy County, then worked as an assistant at Soddy-Daisy, Marion County and Ooltewah before retiring briefly.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.