ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Clinton High School's former athletics director, Nate Martin, voluntarily stepped down from his new position and is no longer with Anderson County Schools, according to the district.
Martin previously was an athletic director for football at the high school. Clinton High School named Josh Reid as the school's new athletics director on June 13, and Martin was moved to a different role at Clinton Middle School. Knox County Schools said he would join West High School as a new assistant principal.
This all follows Clinton football playing an ineligible player last season and a grade-fixing investigation. Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association is requiring CHS to forfeit games. The number of games is still being determined.
Martin self-reported the infraction to the TSSAA on May 17. He claimed the grades were changed and they did not play the player willingly or intentionally.
The school is in the middle of a grade-changing investigation which resulted in two teachers being fired, the school's principal resigning, and the contracts of three guidance counselors not being renewed.
Football head coach Darell Keith didn't have his contract renewed either. The school system didn't give a reason, but he was let go after the ineligible player news came to light. He was accused by one of the fired teachers of also trying to change grades for a student-athlete in 2022.
"It is with great sadness that I have to report that we believe we have illegally played a player this past football season," Martin wrote in an email on May 17 to the TSSAA, obtained by WBIR through a public records request. "This student's transcript reflects only having 5 credits from his previous school year where he would need 6 due to our school system requiring 28 credits to graduate. We humbly request the review of this situation and will ultimately be prepared to suffer whatever consequences. This is not something that was done knowingly or wittingly to attempt to circumvent the rules but ultimately it is my responsibility to ensure that all students are allowed to play. I will wait with patience to hear your answer when you return. Thank you for your time."
He sent a separate email later that day.
"When this rolls downhill I am going to lose my job but this is not fair," he wrote. "Our school is in the middle of a grade changing scandal that is about to hit national news. This student's transcript has been doctored and the school district has no idea who did that. When I say in our system the student's grades from the previous year, they were changed but yet I am being held responsible for this. This kid's grades have been changed and how my CO is still pushing me out to dry is beyond me. I hope and pray you will look into this further as this is a totally different story. I would never have made that mistake and I would have already reported it if so."
WBIR also requested emails between Martin and Keith. On July 14, 2023, Martin sent an email to Keith and other fall sports coaches.
"Next week on Weds. the 26th, is the third day of official practice and the deadline which makes all athletes locked in with Clinton in the fall," he wrote. "Please make a copy of the google sheet template I attached to this email and input that data so input your athletes and mark eligible for this season. If any of your athletes were in grade trouble last year, let me know so I can ensure they passed at least 6 out of 8 classes. Have a great day and Go Dragons."
At the bottom of the email is a link to submit rosters. The link was still active. When clicked on there was no place noted to enter eligibility. It only listed name, year entering high school and date of birth.
Keith told WBIR last week that eligibility is handled by the athletic director and not the coach. He reiterated that Tuesday in a phone call when asked if coaches had to mark eligible or ineligible when submitting rosters.
There are several emails between Martin and the TSSAA where the athletic director handled the eligibility of transfers and other student-athletes for the 2023-24 academic year.