Lipscomb mourns the loss of long-time football coach Glenn McCadams

Deby Samuels  | 

A memorial page for Coach Mac has been setup for students, alumni and friends to leave condolences. Click here to visit the memorial page

Colleagues around the state and former players describe the impact Coach Mac had on their lives. Click here.

Lipscomb Academy lost its football coach of 31 years today following a short illness. Glenn McCadams was 66 years old.

Under McCadams’ leadership, the Mustangs won three state championships. In 2008, McCadams was named the State of Tennessee High School Football Coach of the Year. His total career wins ranked him among the leaders statewide for the most number of wins among active head coaches as well as all-time most number of victories for a head coach.

“Lipscomb Academy has lost an irreplaceable icon in its history and its soul,” L. Randolph Lowry, president of Lipscomb University, said. “Coach Mac’s time with the academy spans three decades and several generations of students. He knew his game, and taught it well. But more than that, he knew that the most important thing he was teaching was character and faith. Day after day, year after year, he taught thousands of young people that they had it within themselves to be better than they thought they could be, on the field and in life.” 

Born March 4, 1947, in Huntingdon, Tenn., McCadams’ love for football began early in his life. A graduate of Huntingdon High School, he played football there until an injury ended his playing career. He switched to baseball and basketball and continued to play basketball at then-Bethel College. McCadams graduated from now Bethel University, and completed his master’s degree at the University of Tennessee-Martin.

McCadams began his career as an assistant coach at Milan High School in 1967.  After nine years at Milan, McCadams took over the athletic program at neighboring Trenton Peabody High School and was there for four seasons, compiling a 31-12 record. In fall of 1982, McCadams came to David Lipscomb High School as the director of athletics and football coach.

This past fall marked McCadams’ 44th year coaching high school football and his 31st season at the helm of the Lipscomb Academy football program. During his tenure, McCadams won more than 75 percent of his games, compiling a 283-94 record in his first 30 seasons. His teams averaged nine wins per year including the regular season and playoffs. McCadams held an overall career mark of 319-112 as a head coach

“Coach Glenn McCadams is the reason for the enormous success of Lipscomb Academy Mustang football,” Mike Hammond, vice president and headmaster of Lipscomb Academy, said. “He is highly respected by present and former players, his staff of assistants, coaches and administrators across the state, parents and colleagues at Lipscomb. His wisdom, integrity, forthright manner in expressing his position on important matters, love for others and the game of football, and his ability to demonstrate profound issues about faith and life were uniquely influential as the head coach. He will be greatly missed.”

“Glenn McCadams is one of the finest men I have ever known,” Mike Roller, Lipscomb Academy athletic director, said. “He was exactly who you want coaching your kids, not because he would make them better athletes – he did – but because he would make them better people. Yes, he was a Hall of Fame coach, but even with that very well-deserved recognition, he was a far better person than he was a coach.”

Under McCadams, the Lipscomb Academy Mustangs won two state championships in Class 2A (1994 and 2002) and one state championship in Class 3A (2007). Lipscomb Academy has played in four different classifications beginning in Class A and currently participating in Class 4A. McCadams’ teams played in a total of seven state title games as well as five bowl games. He took the program to 21 TSSAA playoffs including 18 consecutive playoff trips from 1993-2010. The Mustangs went on to post-season play a total of 27 times with McCadams at the helm.

McCadams is survived by his wife of 43 years, Alacia, and their two children, Chip (currently serving in Afghanistan) and Jill; and seven grandchildren, Sam, Nate, Eli, Grace, Mary Frances, Abby and Michael.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.