BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Eddie George was pondering the next steps in his burgeoning career as a college football coach while driving back from the NFL scouting combine.
He got a sign in the most unlikely of places.
George was driving through Bowling Green, Kentucky, on his way back to Nashville when he received a text from Urban Meyer asking if George would be interested in returning to Ohio and being the coach at Bowling Green State University.
After a couple weeks of discussions, George was formally announced this week as the 21st head coach in program history.
“It feels like a whirlwind. Last week felt like a whole month in terms of the interviews and the process,” George said during his introductory news conference at the Stroh Center on Monday, a day after his hiring was announced by Bowling Green. “This is not going to be an easy process. We still have a lot of work to do to get across the finish line.”
George replaces Scot Loeffler, who left Bowling Green on Feb. 28 for the NFL. Loeffler is now the quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, who won the Super Bowl last month.
Loeffler had a 27-41 record in six seasons leading the Falcons of the Mid-American Conference, including bowl appearances the past three seasons.
Meyer, who coached Bowling Green for two seasons (2001-02) before going on to Utah, Florida and Ohio State, was one of many former coaches and players athletic director Derek van der Merwe had discussions with about candidates.
George returns to Ohio — where he won the 1995 Heisman Trophy at Ohio State — after being the head coach at Tennessee State for four years. He had a 24-22 record a a program that had struggled and this past season took the Tigers to their first Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth since 2013.
The Tigers went 9-3 in 2024 and won a share of the OVC-Big South Football Association championship. George was named coach of the year in the league and was a runner-up for the Eddie Robinson Award for national coach of the year in the FCS, the lower tier of NCAA Division I.
Now it’s a step up as the Falcons compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Bowling Green was originally supposed to start spring practices Wednesday, but that will be delayed a couple of weeks as George finalizes his coaching staff.
“I wouldn’t say it’s great timing. But when I took over at Tennessee State, it was in the spring, ironically. It took us some time to get there, but we got there,” said George, a 51-year-old Philadelphia native. “I think now the goal is, ‘How do we get to September?’ It’s going to take diligence for us to be focused, operate with a great attitude and be intentional.”
George was selected in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers and became the league’s offensive rookie of the year. The Oilers left Texas for Tennessee after his rookie season and became the Titans in 1999, making the franchise’s lone Super Bowl appearance that season.
He spent eight years with the franchise before playing his final season in 2004 for the Dallas Cowboys. In his NFL career, George rushed for 10,441 yards, made 268 catches for 2,227 yards and had 78 total touchdowns.
However, the 2011 inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame also has appeared on Broadway as an actor, has been involved with other business interests, and has taught as an adjunct professor at both his alma mater and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where the Titans play their home games. George interviewed with the NFL’s Chicago Bears for their head coach opening in January.
“After meeting with Eddie, it became very clear to me that Eddie checked every aspect of that profile that we created. He is someone who cares about people, values, personal growth and development, defines himself by his ability to adapt, adjust, and have success in every aspect of his life,” van der Merwe said.
The coach’s wife, Tamara “Taj” George, is a member of the vocal trio Sisters with Voices, and they have two sons. Eriq George has been a starting defensive end the past two seasons for Tennessee State.
Bowling Green has been a successful springboard for past coaches. In addition to Meyer, successful tenures with the Falcons propelled Dave Clawson to Wake Forest — he led the Demon Deacons from 2014 through last season before retiring — and Dino Babers to Syracuse, where he headed up the Orange from 2016-23.
However, this could be a rebuilding year for the Falcons. All-America tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is a top prospect in the upcoming NFL draft, wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. and quarterback Connor Bazelak are graduating, and running back Terion Stewart transferred to Virginia Tech.
“We don’t stray away from what made this program successful,” George said. “I’m not here to blow it up. I’m here to enhance it.”