Why former Tennessee Vols assistant Joe Osovet was fired from high school position

Why former Tennessee Vols assistant Joe Osovet was fired from high school position.

Key points

• In 2018, he was Director of Player Development and, in 2019, Director of Football Programming.
• 21, former Tennessee Volunteers tight end coach Joe Osovet was fired from his position as head coach of the Heritage High (TN) football team.
• Before being named head coach at Heritage, Osovet served in multiple coaching roles at the University of Tennessee under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
• Knox News documented Friday that Osovet was fired for not after concussion protocol during a road game against Carter (TN) on Sept.
• Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: [email protected].

Why former Tennessee Vols assistant Joe Osovet was fired from high school position. Joseph Spears USA TODAY High School Sports.

On Oct. 21, former Tennessee Volunteers tight end coach Joe Osovet was fired from his position as head coach of the Heritage High (TN) football team. The reason for that firing has now been published.

Knox News documented Friday that Osovet was fired for not after concussion protocol during a road game against Carter (TN) on Sept. 25.

In practice, an investigation into a report received by the Heritage administration discovered that Osovet "attempted to exert inappropriate influence upon assigned athletic trainers and upon a student-athlete to circumvent concussion protocol".

In practice, a press release from Blount County Schools director Justin Ridge stated that the established concussion protocols are there to for the health and well-being of the athletes. After the protocols is not optional, since of that.

According to Ridge additionally, all decisions by athletic trainers and qualified medical personnel must be respected.

"Established concussion protocols exist to protect the health and well-being of student-athletes, and adherence to these protocols is not optional, " wrote Justin Ridge, Blount County Schools director, in a school release on Nov. 6. "The professional judgement of athletic trainers and qualified medical personnel must be respected, and no athletic competition or outcome should ever take precedence over a student's safety."

Heritage won the game 37-20, and a week afterwards, on Oct. 2, Osovet was placed on administrative leave. The district confirmed his firing three weeks afterwards.

"The investigation determined that Mr. Osovet engaged in unprofessional conduct and insubordination, including actions inconsistent with the district's expectations for protecting student-athlete health and safety, " Ridge states in the release. "These findings are serious and do not reflect the standards of professionalism and accountability expected of Blount County employees."

Notably, a report from 10News states that athletic trainers Josh Ivens and Jennifer Stanley informed Osovet that a player for his team might have a concussion after a major hit. Nevertheless, another coach stated Osovet ignored the trainers and noted the player should play.

Both trainers asserted that Osovet repeatedly questioned them and tried to change their minds. He additionally informed the athlete that if he were symptom-free by the after Monday, he'd play that upcoming Friday. The student additionally stated he felt Osovet was trying to obtain him to deceive the trainers.

Despite the claims, Osovet denied them all and remarked his relationship with the trainers was "Terrific!"

Osovet still has his teaching job at the high school but received a three-day suspension and will be reassigned to another school. He will additionally be placed on a formal improvement plan.

In 2018, he was Director of Player Development and, in 2019, Director of Football Programming. Osovet was promoted to tight ends coach in 2020 but was not retained by Josh Heupel when Pruitt was fired after the 2020 season.

In four seasons with Heritage, Osovet and the Mountaineers were 18-27. They were 2-4 at the time of his dismissal. Heritage finished the 2026 season 4-6 and failed to qualify for the postseason.

Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: [email protected]. For extra high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around why former Tennessee Vols assistant Joe Osovet was fired from high school point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.