A sixth-straight non-winning season, even with some improvements against the 2022 season, was not enough for Dewayne Alexander to get a seventh season at Tennessee Tech.
The Football Bowls Subdivision program, which competes in the newly aligned Big South-OVC Football Association, parted ways Tuesday with Alexander, who had one year remaining on his contract.
"Dewayne Alexander is a proud Tech Football alum and we thank him for all of the hard work and dedication he has poured into this program for the past six seasons," said AD Mark Wilson. "We truly appreciate the devotion and commitment he showed to our student-athletes. We certainly wish him and his family great success in their future endeavors."
Tennessee Tech posted an 4-7 ledger in 2023 after the Golden Eagles won just a combined five games in the 2021-22 seasons.
Alexander seemingly had steadied and then pointed the Golden Eagles forward in 2019, a 6-6 campaign in his second year that followed up the one-win season of 2018.
But whether it was the COVID-19 pandemic, budget constraints or other factors, Tennessee Tech football never took off under Alexander.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the head football coach at my alma mater," Alexander said. "I have served as a player, a graduate assistant coach, an assistant coach and as head coach for the past four decades. God opened the door for me to serve as the Head Football Coach at TTU on December 17, 2017. I have tried to honor that opportunity with passion, enthusiasm and the 'Golden Eagle Way' each and every day.
"I was taught early on in this profession to always leave things better than you found it. Through the hard work, enthusiasm, love and accountability of so many players, assistant coaches, loyal football alums and support staff over the past six years, I feel the foundation of the program is firm with the best yet to come. #GEP #GoldenEagleWay Galatians 6:9."
Meanwhile, other FCS programs in the Volunteer State -- notably Austin Peay, UT-Martin and Chattanooga, as well as ETSU in 2021 -- generated FCS Playoff pushes.
Sources with direct knowledge told FootballScoop that TTU officials already have begun to identify, vet and reach out via third-channel conduits to potential candidates.
While much of Tech's 2024 slate is still to be finalized, it does have money games scheduled at MTSU and also at two-time defending national champion Georgia, as well as an FCS non-conference tilt against South Carolina State.