Greenback football coach resigns

Chris Thomas knoxnews.com

Dustin Lyles resigned as Greenback High School’s football coach on Tuesday, five weeks before the season opener.

Lyles, 27, was promoted by Greenback to replace Jason Hicks in March.

Greenback was the first head-coaching job for Lyles.

"Life as a head coach was a lot more than I ever imagined," Lyles wrote in a text message to the News Sentinel on Wednesday. "It’s caused me to lose focus on the more important things in life and I felt the need to step back so I can refocus on the those things. It was too much, too fast for me."

Phone calls to Loudon County Schools director of schools Jason Vance weren’t returned to the News Sentinel.
Greenback, which is expected to name an interim coach on Thursday, is scheduled to play host to Loudon in the season opener on Aug. 21.

Lyles said he will remain at the school as a teacher, adding that he does not plan to coach in any capacity this season.

He previously served as the Cherokees’ run-game coordinator and assistant head coach the past two seasons under Hicks, who resigned in February for family reasons.

Greenback went 16-8 the past two seasons, including last season’s Class 1A quarterfinal appearance.

Previously, the Lenoir City graduate spent three seasons as the offensive line coach at Farragut, and one year as Loudon’s defensive line coach.