CLINTON, Tennessee — Many Clinton football players and parents are angry, frustrated and sad after Anderson County Schools decided not to renew the contract of Darell Keith. the school's football head coach.
The school system didn't give a reason why. However, this comes after Clinton had to forfeit games last season for playing an ineligible player. A former teacher of the school who was fired for fixing test scores accused Keith of replacing the grades of student-athletes in August 2022.
Keith told WBIR he did not intentionally play a player who was ineligible. He said he didn't find out until last week the player was ineligible.
He also said the allegations he attempted to fix grades are not true and that he never asked anyone to change the grades of players. Keith said he only tried to put student-athletes in credit recovery classes.
Many members of the community were shocked and couldn't believe Keith would be involved in something like that. Players said he was a man of high integrity, which meant a lot to them.
"He is literally a father away from home," said Bo Wright, a Clinton football player. "I loved him, he loved me. He is someone I could talk to when I couldn't talk to my parents."
Another teammate echoed what Keith did for the players.
"He was basically like a father figure to me, like a second father," Konner Baylis said. "He was disciplinary, very uplifting and he helped me with anything I needed help with. He taught me how to tie a tie, how to be respectful and how to eat properly."
Parents were shocked and confused as to why his contract was not renewed.
"I don't know who the next hire will be, I don't have a clue who it will be but I just hope and pray they pour into these kids like Coach Keith did," said Allison Hall, the mother of Baylis. "It is going to be really big shoes to fill and I don't know if anyone can do it as well as he did."
Keith led the Dragons to two playoff wins last season, which could be vacated if the ineligible player played in them. It was their first playoff win since 2018.
In his four seasons, players and parents said he inspired the community and was there for their kids. WBIR asked one parent what Keith meant to their son who played football for them.
"More than what he knows," said Cassandra Love, the mother of a player on the team. "He meant a lot really. I'm trying not to cry but he meant a lot."