One of the most coveted high school football coaching jobs in the state of Tennessee is open again.
Saying it was time for a fresh start for himself and the program, Scott Cummings resigned Thursday after four seasons at Cleveland to accept an offer to take over as coach at Halls High School in Knoxville.
"It's a bittersweet decision because I'm leaving a lot of people in the Cleveland community that I care about," Cummings said. "But I think it's fair to say that sometimes it's just better for both sides to have a fresh start, and that's what this feels like.
"I've never had an administration that's been more supportive than what I've had at Cleveland. Me leaving has zero to do with anything negative about this school."
Cummings compiled a 22-21 overall record at Cleveland, reaching the playoffs three times but never advancing past the first round.
Cummings was the program's fifth head coach since TSSAA Hall of Famer Benny Monroe resigned after the 1996 season. Three of those who came along after Monroe had state championships on their résumés when they arrived - Danny Wilson, Ron Crawford and Cummings - but Cleveland has advanced past the quarterfinals only once since 1995.
In his 18 seasons at Cleveland, Monroe built a powerhouse that included three consecutive Class 4A state championships (1993-95) and a 54-game winning streak. The school named the stadium in honor of Monroe, who has 259 career wins and has been inducted into six halls of fame.
Since the legendary Monroe left, Cleveland has won more than nine games in a season just once - when Crawford led the program to a 10-4 finish and the state semifinal round in 2013. The Blue Raiders' 37 all-time playoff victories rank sixth among Chattanooga-area programs, and when Cummings was hired, he was chosen from more than 60 applicants for the job.
For decades, Cleveland's program has produced a long list of college prospects and all-state caliber athletes, which makes the opening enticing for coaches.
"I hope the community gets behind the next head coach so that the program can be all it can be," Cummings said. "It's a tough thing to address, to be honest. I tried to honor the past while moving forward in a positive way, but it's been difficult.
"At some point people have to understand that programs change and it's important to get behind the new head coach's vision and not keep living in the past. That's for the betterment of the kids and the program. You can't get there if the train of support is only half full."
Cummings, who guided Knoxville's West High School to a Class 5A state title in 2014 and a runner-up finish the season before that, will replace Jeremy Bosken at Halls. Bosken left Halls two weeks ago to come south to Chattanooga and take over at Boyd Buchanan.
The most promising season in Cummings' Cleveland tenure came in 2017, when there appeared to be enough talent to compete for a region title and a possible deep run in the Class 6A playoffs. However, injuries decimated the Blue Raiders, who had to use five players at quarterback over the course of the season, and led to a disappointing 7-4 finish, though it still wound up being their best record under Cummings.
"We went through some things that nobody could have anticipated," Cummings said. "We didn't accomplish what we wanted to, but there's still a lot of positives from my time at Cleveland.
"The people at Halls are excited to have us, and that's a good feeling - to be wanted. It's just time for Cleveland football to have new leadership and for me to get back to feeling like me again."
In a news release, Cleveland High School stated, "We appreciate Coach Cummings' contributions to our football program and to our school. We wish him and his family the best in his new position."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.