Former Tennessee Tech assistant coach Dewayne Alexander is returning to the school as the Golden Eagles next head football coach.
Alexander, a Hendersonville native who spent this past season as the offensive line coach at East Tennessee State, was introduced Friday morning as Marcus Satterfield's replacement at a news conference.
Satterfield was fired after just two seasons at Tech. He led the Golden Eagles to a 5-6 record in 2016 and was 1-10 this past season.
"It feels good to be back (at Tech)," Alexander said. "I'm just anxious to get started, ready to get started. I'm trying to get in touch with all of our players to talk to them, talk to their families, put one foot in front of the other and take Tennessee Tech football where I know it can go."
Former Tennessee Tech quarterback Tre Lamb, now the offensive coordinator at Mercer, was the other finalist for the position along with Alexander.
"It is an excellent fit," athletics director Mark Wilson said. "(Alexander) loves Tennessee Tech. He truly bleeds purple and gold. He is the head coach to build a winning program here, can build a championship-level program, but do everything right with a commitment to academic excellence, a commitment to developing our football student-athletes as a whole person and provide great service to our community."
Alexander, who played at Tennessee Tech (1984-87), served as the Golden Eagles' assistant head coach and offensive coordinator on Watson Brown's staff (2012-15).
He had also served as Tech's interim head coach after Brown retired and before Satterfield was hired. Alexander applied for the position on a permanent basis then, but didn't get it.
He said he has always wanted to be the Golden Eagles' head coach.
"I'm a product of Tennessee Tech; I've been associated with Tech since 1983 in some form or fashion on and off," Alexander said. "I have two degrees from Tech. I'm a former player. The one thing that has always made Tennessee Tech special is the people. It's an amazing group, the continuity is special, and it's something we want to do with the football team."
Alexander has spent his entire career in Tennessee and Wilson said the strong recruiting ties he has established will benefit the Golden Eagles.
"He has great connections throughout the state and the southeast in recruiting," Wilson said. "He's been a high school coach, a collegiate head coach, a collegiate assistant coach. He has tremendous connections that will help us in recruiting, and I know the staff that he's working to put together will be a great staff, a strong staff that will do great things as they build a championship football program together here."
Alexander was the head coach at Cumberland (2006-12). He returned to Cumberland after leaving Tech in 2016 as offensive coordinator.
In 2008 Alexander led Cumberland to the Mid-South Conference West Division championship,
In 2010 Alexander was named NAIA Region I Coach of the Year and also the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year after leading Cumberland to an 8-3 record.
The following year Cumberland climbed to No. 14 in the NAIA at one point and finished with a 7-3 record.
Alexander's career record at Cumberland was 41-33.
Alexander began his coaching career in 1988 as an assistant at Hendersonville where he spent eight seasons. He also coached wrestling and softball at Hendersonville.
He left coaching for one season when he became the assistant principal and athletic director at Jackson County in 1996.
He returned to coaching as the head coach at Upperman (1999-2000) where he posted a 12-9 record and then as offensive coordinator at Gallatin.
Alexander became the head coach at Wilson Central in 2003 where he stayed through 2005.
He led Wilson Central to a 6-5 record and the first round of the TSSAA state playoffs in 2004 and a 10-2 mark and the second round of the playoffs in 2005.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 and on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
