Scott Holsopple was the first member of the Tennessee State football staff that former coach Eddie George invited to join him at Bowling Green. And Holsopple was the only member of the staff who turned George down.
It wasn’t easy.
Holsopple, whose official title is assistant athletic director for sports performance, primarily serves as the program’s strength and conditioning coach and was a close friend to George. They arrived together at TSU in 2021.
“Before it even happened (George) asked me if I would go with him if he left?” Holsopple said. “Because of our relationship and what he and I were able to build during his time here, I had to think about it a lot. It was a tough decision.”
So why did Holsopple pass on the opportunity to step up to an FBS program, where the money, facilities and support are better than at the FCS level?
“The No. 1 reason was unfinished business,” Holsopple said. “And then the players. Anytime you’re going through chaos, like we were after Eddie and the staff left, you want to be a stabilizing factor for the players.”
The situation with the players was dire. Along with seven assistant coaches who went with George, 46 players also left.
A sense of uncertainty loomed over the players who chose to stay.
“Not having a coach, things were kind of in limbo,” said junior tight end Jason Hoath Jr., the only returning starter on the offense. “Coach (Holsopple) kept us all together and helped us maintain the standard. Having a familiar face tell us things are going to get better; things are going to be alright, really helped.”
By the time Reggie Barlow was hired 14 days after George’s departure, only 47 players were still on the roster. Barlow credits Holsopple for keeping those players around, providing him with a foundation on which to build.
“It’s obvious that our players respect (Holsopple). He has an ear and heart in their mind,” Barlow said. “One of the most critical things that he did since I’ve been here was keep the 40 or so guys that we had on the roster at the time and keep those guys structured and organized.”
Holsopple came to TSU with the goal to help elevate the program to another level and was not ready to abandon that hope when George left.
“You always come in with a vision. Hope keeps you going because you see what things can be,” Holsopple said. “And so you have that drive to try and follow through with it.”
Making sure Chazan Page Scholarship is intact
Holsopple was especially close to Chazan Page, an offensive lineman from Lipscomb Academy, who spent a lot of time in the weight room to secure a two-year starting role.
Heading into his senior season in 2024, Page was walking with his girlfriend when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. Page pushed his girlfriend out of the path of the speeding vehicle, but was killed in the crash.
Page’s family established a scholarship in Chazan’s honor, which is awarded annually to a TSU student-athlete. Holsopple took it upon himself to oversee funding for the scholarship after the staff was depleted.
“I really want to see Chazan’s scholarship be endowed,” Holsopple said. “We’re at $4,000 now and we need $25,000 to make it an endowed scholarship, so I want to see his legacy go on forever.”
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSU football: Why Scott Holsopple stayed and didn’t go with Eddie George
