For the second time in three years, Soddy Daisy High School will be looking for a new head football coach.
The school announced Wednesday that it was parting ways with Carter Cardwell, who took over the program prior to the 2022 season.
“Soddy Daisy High School is very appreciative of everything Coach Cardwell has done for our football program as an assistant coach and most recently as our head football coach,” athletic director Jared Hensley said. “Coach Cardwell has continued to uphold the traditions and expectations of our student-athletes on and off the field. The number of athletes in our program the last two years is the highest it’s been in years, and the academic achievements of these athletes are not to go unmentioned.
“However, it is our administration’s decision to go in a different direction moving forward. We feel that this is in the best interest of our football program and athletic department. No timeline has been set in regards to a new hire, and we will be accepting applications. Coach Caleb Collier will serve as the interim head coach and will take over all day-to-day football operations effective immediately.”
The TSSAA playoffs begin Friday, but the Trojans will miss the postseason for the second consecutive year, having finished 3-7 overall (2-4 in Region 3-4A) this season after going 2-8 in 2022.
“I was informed yesterday by the administration that they have decided to go in a new direction with the leadership of the football program,” Cardwell posted on the school’s football Facebook account. “I have enjoyed coaching at Soddy Daisy these past five seasons and I appreciate all the players, coaches, students and families that have poured into this football program.
“I will continue to teach history at Soddy Daisy and I want to thank everyone in the community for these past five seasons.”
Cardwell, who had been a Trojans defensive assistant for three years prior to taking over as head coach, is a Loudon High School graduate who began his career at his alma mater before stepping into the college ranks as a graduate assistant at Clemson, followed by stints at Auburn, Catawba College, Virginia Military Institute and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga twice as well as Maryville College and the University of the South (Sewanee), where he was offensive coordinator.
After working on John Mullinax’s staff at McMinn County High School, Cardwell worked at Red Bank and then spent 10 years on the Boyd Buchanan staff, the first eight as offensive coordinator and the final two as head coach.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.
This story was updated on Nov. 2, 2023, to correct Soddy Daisy's consecutive years of missing the playoffs from three to two.