Former University of Tennessee outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton, who was terminated in January along with head coach Jeremy Pruitt and inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer for committing NCAA Level I and II rules violations, has been named head coach at Valdosta High School in Georgia.
Felton will coach the 2021 season on an interim basis, replacing Rush Propst, who was not retained last month after allegations he illegally recruited five players with the help of booster club money resulted in a postseason ban for the upcoming season. Valdosta has won 24 state championships and claims six national titles, but the Wildcats will play just a 10-game regular season.
Felton was hired as a Valdosta assistant in March and was named acting coach late last month. He has an extensive background of high school coaching in the Peach State, having worked stints at Crisp County, Dooly County and Colquitt County.
His first college opportunity transpired in 2017, when he was named University of Tennessee at Chattanooga outside linebackers coach under former Mocs head coach Tom Arth.
After spending the 2018 season as a Tennessee defensive quality control analyst, Felton was hired by Arth for a second time at Akron. Last season was Felton's only year as outside linebackers coach of the Volunteers.
Pruitt is now a senior defensive assistant with the NFL's New York Giants, while Niedermeyer has yet to publicly resurface on the coaching front.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.