Tim Coutras

• Article
• April 12, 2025

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – To figure out where the Tennessee Tech football team is in April as the team held its annual Purple vs. Gold Spring Game, one just has to go back to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoff selection show. As the team saw the rest of the field announced, including three Big South-Ohio Valley Conference football teams, it stuck in the craw. The Golden Eagles, who defeated playoff picks UT Martin and Tennessee State to win the Sergeant York Trophy, were left out. It became a mission. “Our theme this year coming out of missing the playoffs by one game is ‘Run It Back,’” Wilder said. “You’ll see it out here on shirts and that’s our theme because of the bitter taste we had. Keeping this team together will add more value to the roster in April and May through the portal. I’m really excited about our high school recruiting here in-state and put us in good position heading into camp.”

• Article
• February 01, 2025

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Daniel Rickert and Tim Coutras put up a lot of highlight reel plays over the course of the 2024 campaign. It’s only fitting that the defensive duo also picked up two of Tennessee Tech’s top football honors as Rickert was named the winner of the Robert Hill Johnson Award and Coutras the Tony Stone Bumble Bee DB Award. Among the team’s other year-end awards, D.J. Linkins was named the winner of the Bill Dupes Inspiration Award, Jordan Yates the winner of the Sonny Allen Leadership Award, Aidan Littles the winner of the Josh Poplar Tech Pride Award, Donnell Wilson the winner of the Frank Omiyale Block Award, Wyatt Watson the winner of the Unsung Hero Award and Hunter Barnhart the Academic Award.

• Article
• January 17, 2025

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – In just a short time, Chase Mummau has proven himself to be a great defensive mind and a young talent in the profession. Now, with an Ohio Valley Conference-Big South Conference Football Association title under his belt, Mummau will get an opportunity to help lead the Tennessee Tech football team to new heights as Golden Eagle head football coach Bobby Wilder has promoted Mummau to the defensive coordinator position. The team announced the move on Friday.

• Article
• December 20, 2024

COOKEVILLE – The postseason football awards season continued on Friday as PhilSteele.com announced its annual conference and All-America teams. The Tennessee Tech football team finished with 16 total players on the squads.

• Article
• December 05, 2024

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – With the regular season complete and post-season accolades continuing to file in, the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference announced its All-Academic Team on Tuesday with defensive back Tim Coutras standing as Tennessee Tech’s representative on the roster. Each institution nominated one individual – with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average – for inclusion for the All-Academic Team. To be considered for Scholar-Athlete of the Year, which was voted on by the combined conferences’ football communications contacts, the nominees had to have at least a 3.30 GPA.

• Article
• November 25, 2024

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- With a share of the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association title, the Tennessee Tech football team took home a lot of awards on Tuesday as the Golden Eagles collected 11 players on the all-conference team.  Five players made it on the first-team roster, while six were on the second-team. With defense being the team's strength, there was no surprise that seven of the 11 players selected were on that side of the ball. 

• Article
• November 23, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech certainly did its part. With UT Martin defeating Lindenwood in overtime and Tennessee State beating Southeast Missouri in Nashville, the Golden Eagles earn their 11th Ohio Valley Conference championship – the first in tandem with the Big South. Not too shabby for a team that was projected seventh in the preseason. Now, the waiting game begins as the Golden Eagles will find out whether they will make their second NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs appearance on Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. The selection show will be aired live on ESPNU. 

• Article
• November 21, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Saturday could be a huge day for the Tennessee Tech football team. Depending on what happens Saturday at Tucker Stadium when the Golden Eagles host Eastern Illinois, as well as in Nashville and Martin, it could be championship worthy. It all starts in Cookeville though as the 6-5 Golden Eagles host the 3-8 Panthers. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:02 p.m. Roger Ealey and Marcelo Metzelar will have the call on 106.1 The Eagle, while Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will narrate the action on ESPN+ (subscription required).

• Article
• November 16, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Sergeant York is coming home. With a tremendous defensive effort, Tennessee Tech knocked off No. 18 UT Martin 10-9 to claim the Sergeant York Trophy for the first time since the Spring 2021 season as well as the Golden Eagles’ first win over a ranked opponent since 2014. It also gives Tech (6-5, 5-2 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) a chance next week to potentially earn a share of the conference championship for the first time since 2011. Tech hosts Eastern Illinois next Saturday starting at Noon.

• Article
• November 15, 2024

MARTIN, Tenn. – As the Tennessee Tech football team locks horns with the UT Martin Skyhawks on Saturday, there’s a lot on the line. The Golden Eagles are very much in the hunt for the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association championship and the annual battle for the Sergeant York Trophy is at a fever pitch. For Tennessee Tech’s Tim Coutras, the battle for the Sergeant York Trophy cuts a little closer to home. After all, Coutras is the eponymous war hero’s great-nephew. Alvin York’s sister, Hazel, married Tim’s grandfather Nick Coutras. Tennessee students have studied York’s exploits in World War I for over a century as the Pall Mall native was one of the most decorated American soldiers of that conflict. As a corporal in the 2nd battalion in the 328th Infantry, York earned the Congressional Medal of Honor as he led an attack with sixteen other soldiers on a German machine gun nest, capturing 132 prisoners during the Battle of the Meuse River-Argonne on Oct. 8, 1918.

• Article
• November 15, 2024

MARTIN, Tenn. – While the Sergeant York Trophy is in play Saturday with the winner between UT Martin and Tennessee Tech taking home the bronze bust, there are bigger stakes as well. If Tennessee Tech wins out and Southeast Missouri falls in its final two games of the season, the Golden Eagles will be Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association champions. It’s a tall order, but not an out-of-question one as the Golden Eagles head to Martin for Saturday’s contest. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

• Article
• November 09, 2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On a rainy Saturday afternoon, it took a little while for Tennessee Tech to get going, but once the Golden Eagles did, they proved to be unstoppable by Samford as Tech took a 27-7 victory at Pete Hanna Stadium. The Golden Eagles improve to 5-5 on the season with two games remaining in the regular season. Tech returns to Big South-Ohio Valley Conference play next week as they head to UT Martin.

• Article
• November 07, 2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Tennessee Tech football team will get a one-week reprieve from the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference jaunt this weekend as the Golden Eagles head down to Birmingham to take on Samford in a Saturday battle. Kickoff against the Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m. Roger Ealey and Dylan Vazzano will have the call locally on 106.1 The Eagle, while the game will also be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).

• Article
• October 31, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As the calendar page turns from October to November and the final month of the 2024 Tennessee Tech football season begins, the temperatures are getting cooler and the fall colors are starting to shine through. That must mean it's time for Homecoming in Cookeville. The Golden Eagles will entertain Lindenwood for the 93rd edition of Tech's Homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will have the call on ESPN+ (subscription required), while Roger Ealey and Marcelo Metzelar will narrate the action on 106.1 The Eagle.

• Article
• October 26, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Charleston Southern made things interesting in the fourth quarter as the Buccaneers returned an intercepted two-point conversion for two points of its own to make it a two-point contest. But Tennessee Tech persevered. The defense came up strong on a couple of short-field situations created by a fumble and a punt as the Buccaneers missed a field goal on the first try, then Tim Coutras snagged the ball out of the air off of a tip by Theron Gaines on the second run at the end zone. With Dom LeBlanc’s 32-yard field goal with 1:47, the Golden Eagles forced Charleston Southern to score a touchdown in the final possession. Once again, Tech’s defense held strong, limiting the Bucs to a last-ditch fourth-down try on the Golden Eagle 44, but Kaleb Jackson’s pass fell incomplete, giving Tech a fresh set of downs in victory formation to close the contest with a 28-23 victory.

• Article
• October 25, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After a tough two-game trek to Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Macomb, Ill., the Tennessee Tech football team is back home for the first of two straight contests as the Golden Eagles entertain Charleston Southern in a Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association battle on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will have the broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required), while Roger Ealey and Marcelo Metzelar will narrate the action on 106.1 The Eagle.

• Article
• October 19, 2024

MACOMB, Ill. – Early turnovers, costly penalties and short field positions gave Western Illinois the advantage on Saturday and every time the Tennessee Tech football team tried to climb back from the deficit, the Leathernecks extended their advantage right back. By the final buzzer, Western Illinois came away with a 37-21 victory Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles (2-5, 2-2 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) return home next week for the first of two home contests as Tech hosts Charleston Southern (1-6, 0-4 BS-OVC) and Lindenwood (3-5, 2-2 BS-OVC) in back-to-back weeks.

• Article
• October 18, 2024

MACOMB, Ill. – After a tough outing last week at Cape Girardeau, the Tennessee Tech football team will hit the ground running once more this week as they head to Macomb, Ill., to take on Western Illinois. Kickoff for the game Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m. Dylan Vazzano will have the call locally on 106.1 The Eagle, while the game will also be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required). It's the third time overall the two teams have met, but just the first time in conference play as the Leathernecks joined the conference last season but this is their first season in football.

• Article
• October 12, 2024

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – For a half, the Tennessee Tech football team went toe-to-toe with the No. 9-ranked Southeast Missouri squad, creating turnovers and opportunities. However, the Redhawk defense showed its strength, forcing the Golden Eagles into three turnovers – which created 13 SEMO points – and held Tech to 31 yards on the ground and 262 overall as Southeast Missouri claimed the 34-3 victory on Saturday afternoon. Tech (2-4, 2-1 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) returns to action next week as it hits the road again to Western Illinois for a 3 p.m. kickoff.

• Article
• October 10, 2024

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – It’s still early in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference slate, but Saturday will be a battle for sole possession of first place in the league as Tennessee Tech heads to Southeast Missouri for an important battle in league play. Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (subscription required) while Roger Ealey and Dylan Vazzano will have the call locally on 106.1 The Eagle.

• Article
• October 05, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – South Carolina State jumped out to an early lead, but it wasn’t insurmountable. The Tennessee Tech team had opportunities and reclaimed the lead with some timely takeaways and had a chance to win the game on a last-second field goal. However, the kick sailed wide left as time expired, leading the visiting Bulldogs to a 22-20 win over the Golden Eagles on Saturday in their non-conference affair. Where Tech had relied on the running game in the last two games, both teams presented an aerial attack, combining for a whopping 708 yards through the air and just 114 yards on the ground. South Carolina State (3-2) was expected to come in with a strong quarterback in Eric Phoenix and he lived up to the hype, throwing for 412 yards and three touchdowns.

• Article
• October 03, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech Football team is red-hot in Big South-Ohio Valley Conference, standing alone at the top of the standings with a 2-0 mark, its first in league play since the 2011 campaign. Tech (2-2 overall) will try to keep the momentum building this weekend as the Golden Eagles step back into non-conference action as they welcome South Carolina State to Tucker Stadium for the first time on Saturday afternoon as they try to send their third Bulldog opponent in their first five games back to the doghouse. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will have the call on ESPN+ (subscription required), while Roger Ealey and Marcelo Metzelar will narrate the action on 106.1 The Eagle.

• Article
• September 28, 2024

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – For the first time since 2011, the Tennessee Tech football team is starting conference play with a 2-0 record, but it was an adventure to get there. Seeing the effects of Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm Helene first-hand as they made their way to Charlotte, then to Boiling Springs, the Golden Eagles overcame those adversities to take a 52-21 victory over the defending Big South-Ohio Valley Conference champ in a statement victory.

• Article
• September 26, 2024

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Tennessee Tech Football team is at the top of the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference standings with Southeast Missouri after a big win this past Saturday over Tennessee State and the Golden Eagles don't want it to be a short stay. It'll be a big test, however, as Tech heads into Boiling Springs to take on Gardner-Webb, who made its second-straight appearance to the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs and tied with UT Martin for the Big South-OVC championship last season.

• Article
• September 07, 2024

ATHENS, Ga. – Facing the top-ranked team in all of college football is a daunting task to say the least. And while the 48-3 result against No. 1 Georgia still puts another notch in the loss column, the Tennessee Tech football team accomplished its goal against the Bulldogs with a respectable effort. Injuries were kept to a minimum, the Golden Eagles (0-2) kept the game respectable in the first half, Tech scored its first-ever points against the Bulldogs (2-0) in the third meeting and the team is coming back with a decent payday to help improve the program’s future.

• Article
• August 29, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – On the very day, almost to the very minute, when Tennessee Tech introduced Bobby Wilder as the new head coach of the Golden Eagle football team, Middle Tennessee was introducing Derek Mason as the new head coach of the Blue Raiders. It was purely coincidence, but it almost seemed fitting that the two coaches open their first seasons at the helm on the opposite sidelines.

• Article
• August 26, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It’s probably a little cliché when a new coach comes into a program and it’s suddenly declared a ‘new era.’ With the direction Bobby Wilder looks to take the Tennessee Tech football team, however, it is the literal truth. With the ever-changing landscape of college football, as well as the transfer portal and Name-Image-Likeness deals, the game is not the same as it was even 10 years ago.

• Article
• August 19, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech football team announced its 2024 captains on Monday morning, selecting returnees Aaron Swafford, Tim Coutras and Daniel Rickert as well as newcomer Jordan Yates as the team’s leaders for the approaching season. With as strong as the Golden Eagle defense was last season, selecting linebacker Swafford, safety Coutras and defensive end Rickert for the leadership was an easy choice as those three put up tremendous numbers in the 2023 campaign.

• Article
• August 02, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After being selected to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America third-team roster on Wednesday, defensive back Tim Coutras was selected to another preseason All-America team on Friday as he was named to PhilSteele.com's preseason squad on the fourth-team defensive roster. In addition to the All-America nod, the Golden Eagles also collected nine players on the PhilSteele.com Preseason Big South-OVC team including tight end Hunter Barnhart (first team), defensive lineman Daniel Rickert (first team), defensive lineman Hudson Tucker (first team), linebacker Aaron Swafford (first team), Coutras (first team), running back Obie Sanni (third team), wide receiver Tremel Jones (third team), offensive lineman Logan Weedman (third team) and offensive lineman Nate Hodnett (third team).

• Article
• July 29, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The college football season is a month away and Tennessee Tech defensive back Tim Coutras is coming away with some early-year hardware as he was selected Monday to the STATS Perform FCS Preseason All-America third-team roster. Coutras, a product of Nolensville, Tenn., had a breakout season in his first season in Cookeville. He finished third in total tackles with 55 total – 24 solo and 31 assisted – while also collecting 4.5 for-loss for 12 yards. He also led the team in interceptions with four for 56 yards with two pass breakups and a forced fumble.

• Article
• July 17, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As Tennessee Tech head football coach Bobby Wilder addressed the gathered media on Wednesday’s Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association Media Day, the veteran coach entering his first season with the Golden Eagles was excited for the new opportunity ahead of him. “I’ve been living here for eight months now and I’m absolutely living the dream in Cookeville,” he said. “We’re working toward building a successful football team. The goal right now is getting everyone in the organization focused on the process of winning. That’s in every day – our planning, our preparation and our execution.

• Article
• July 16, 2024

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The offense had its day to shine on Monday, so as the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association announced its second wave of Preseason Players to Watch, it was the defense and special teams’ day in the spotlight. The second day of honors saw six Tennessee Tech student-athletes selected for seven positions with defensive lineman Daniel Rickert, linebacker Aaron Swafford, defensive back Tim Coutras, punter Spencer Ashby, Tremel Jones as both kick and punt return specialist for his third nod of the week and long snapper Turner McLaughlin on the roll.