Farragut honors longtime football coach with road dedication
By Ken Lay
Farragut High School honored one of its own on a cloudy Wednesday morning at its outdoor classroom.
But the school wasn’t the only one to honor longtime head football coach Eddie Courtney.
Courtney, who announced his retirement from coaching in March, was surprised with the christening of Eddie Courtney Way and a large turnout of students, family, friends and colleagues. Eddie Courtney Way connects Campbell Station Road to Farragut High.
He was also honored by Town of Farragut Mayor Ron Williams, who proclaimed July 10, 2024, Eddie Courtney Day.
The Tennessee House of Representatives voted unanimously to adopt a resolution making the day Eddie Courtney Day. Representative Jason Zachary gave Courtney a copy of the resolution.
Courtney, a staple at Farragut for decades, was the Admirals head coach from 1996-2023. He served as an assistant before becoming head coach.
Courtney first arrived at Farragut in 1977 and leaves the gridiron with 204 wins — fifth among active coaches in victories in the Volunteer State.
He has also won 28 postseason games and guided the Admirals to the Class 5A State Championship in 2016, the school’s lone state football title.
In a highly decorated coaching career, he was named regional Coach of the Year four times and was inducted into the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021 as part of the Class of 2020 inductees. He will be inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame this year.
A two-time cancer survivor, Courtney was awarded the Greater Knoxville Area Sports Hall of Fame Pat Summitt Ignite Award in 2017.
He has coached six NFL players, six Mr. Football Finalists, more than 200 college signees and 47 all-state standouts.
But that’s not what matters most to the coach, who was the Grand Marshal of the 2023 Town of Farragut Fourth of July Parade.
“It means the world to me because Farragut allowed me to be a part of this community,” Courtney said at the surprise ceremony. “This is special because it’s the people you’re around all the time. They saw this in you.
“They support you and they love you. I’m very blessed.”
Farragut principal Dr. John Bartlett said the honor was a long time coming.
“This is well-deserved,” he said. “People know Eddie Courtney from all over the state.”
Knox County Board of Education member Susan Horn, who represents Farragut, was at the ceremony. She also said the honor was well-deserved.
“I’m thrilled that the state and the Town of Farragut honored coach Courtney,” Horn said. “This is big.”
