New Lions football head coach assisted under Fulmer, Kiffin, NFL’s Browns
A graduate assistant coach for then Tennessee Vols Football head coach Lane Kiffin in 2009, Ryan Bolinger comes to Concord Christian School as its new high school varsity football head coach having worked one year as a quarterback analyst for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.
Originally working under former Vols head coach Phillip Fulmer with the defensive line and special teams units, Bolinger was promoted by Kiffin as Assistant to the Head Coach.
Kiffin “fired me and all the graduate assistant coaches — we all left — but then he called me back six weeks later to make me the defensive assistant to his dad, (then defensive coordinator) Monte (Kiffin),” Bolinger said. “And then after three months of that (Lane Kiffin) promoted me to his assistant on offense.”
“After his stint at UT, Ryan continued to work with athletes doing both private coaching lessons and was also a SAQ director working with kids ages 7 to 18,” new CCS athletic director Bruce Johnson said. “… Ryan has trained football players from Maryville, Alcoa, Greenback, William Blount and (Knoxville) Catholic.”
Though most recently an assistant coach at Grace Christian Academy, “there was no teaching job available there, and I live in Maryville and that was a lot of driving just for a coaching stipend,” said Bolinger, who will serve — while high school football is suspended this fall — as CCS Middle School football head coach in 2018.
While also serving at the school’s assistant athletic director, “I will get the opportunity to teach middle school P.E. and strength and conditioning,” Bolinger said.
“I’m really excited about coach Bolinger,” Johnson said. “You can’t build (a new varsity program) without the right person.
“I was really worried because (former varsity football head coach) Troy (Fleming) was leaving,” he added. “Who am I going to get to come in here and take over basically nothing?”
However, “As soon as I met coach Bolinger, I said to myself, ‘He’s everything I want in a head coach,’” Johnson said. “He wants to use football to disciple young people. He’s got a great football background.
“He sees what needs to be done here,” the AD added. “All Troy needed was support. I’m going to give that support to coach Bolinger. He’s going to get the school’s support.”
One year off
Bolinger said former and prospective CCS high school football players will assist with the middle school program, “and learn the offense, learn the defense,” Bolinger said. “That way when you roll out (junior varsity high school football) for spring (2019) you’re ready to go.”
However, no prospective CCS high school player for the JV season in 2019 will practice on the field in 2018, the new Lions football head coach said.
About the program taking a year off from fielding a high school football team, and two years from fielding a varsity football team, “We’re just taking a step back so that we can get this thing organized the right way,” Johnson said.
Moreover, “It was about the safety of these kids. We only had 15 and too many of them were young,” he added about a specific reason for suspending football.
Placing the foundation for a successful high school football program “is going to be a challenge,” Johnson said. “But I think the school wants to attract good talent, good athletes.
“… If people see we know what we’re doing, I think there’s a great niche here, where we can get kids who are interested in a great Christian education,” the new AD added.
“… We’re going to come back a legitimate, competitive football team.”
Bolinger and his wife, Heather Bolinger, live in Maryville and have two sons, Jensen, 8, and Grey, 1.
