Tennessee Tech adds former local prep stars to coaching staff

Former Siegel and Georgia State running back Gerald Howse and LaVergne and Tennessee Tech defensive back Chris Grimes have joined the Tennessee Tech coaching staff.

Tech coach Dewayne Alexander confirmed both hires Friday night. 

Howse was the running backs coach at Northwestern State last season and Grimes was co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Gardner-Webb.

Howse, who will coach Tech's running backs, helped lead Siegel to its first state playoff berth in 2008. He rushed for 1,000 yards that season and then again as a senior in 2009.

Howse went on to play at Northeast Oklahoma A&M and Georgia State.

Grimes played running back and free safety at LaVergne (2000-02). He rushed for a total of 3,650 yards and recorded 231 tackles in high school.

At Tech Grimes was a cornerback who started in a total of 16 games and played in 39. He had 158 career tackles, recovered seven fumbles, broke up 16 passes and had three interceptions.

Grimes began his coaching career at Tech in 2010 as a graduate assistant and moved into a full-time role in 2012.

He later served as defensive coordinator at LaVargne (2014) and coached safeties at East Tennessee State (2015).

Earlier Friday Stewarts Creek coach Bert Browne was hired at Tech.

Browne was a quarterback at Tech (1988-90).

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Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.