Rick Whitt resigned Friday morning after four seasons as head football coach at McCallie School. Previously the Blue Tornado's defensive coordinator, Whitt was promoted to head coach in 2007 after Ralph Potter left to become coach at Brentwood Academy.
"Everybody knows Rick is a great guy and a very hard worker, and the entire McCallie family appreciates what he's done for the program," athletic director Bubba Simmons said. "We respect Rick's decision and would love for him to remain at the school and continue working with the football program.
"We will now begin searching for the next coach, and I know [headmaster] Kirk Walker has already assembled a committee to begin that process."
Whitt, who works in the school's admissions office, compiled a 19-24 overall record, finishing 4-7 each of the last two seasons.
Eight Blue Tornado players went on to play college football, and two more from this past year's team -- Keenan Hale (Syracuse) and Jarrod Coleman (UTC) -- have committed to sign scholarships.
"After a lot of conversation, thought and self-evaluation, I am stepping down as the head football coach at McCallie," Whitt said in a statement released by the school. "We've always made decisions based on what we thought was in the best interest of our team and players, and this program needs a change and a new direction."
McCallie upper school head Kenny Sholl said, "Rick is an excellent teacher of the game of football. He is a coach who always has his priorities in proper perspective and has the well-being of the student athletes at heart."