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 released.
Knox News reported Friday that Osovet was fired for not following concussion protocol during a road game against Carter (TN) on Sept. 25.
An investigation into a report received by the Heritage administration found that Osovet "attempted to exert inappropriate influence upon assigned athletic trainers and upon a student-athlete to circumvent concussion protocol".
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. Because of that,
following the protocols is not optional.
Ridge also noted that 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 later, on Oct. 2, Osovet was placed on administrative leave. The district announced his firing three weeks later.
"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."
A report from 10News states that athletic trainers Josh Ivens and Jennifer Stanley told Osovet that a player for his team might have a concussion following a big hit. However, another coach said Osovet ignored the trainers and said the player should play.
Both trainers claimed that Osovet repeatedly questioned them and tried to change their minds. He also told the athlete that if he were symptom-free by the following Monday, he'd play that upcoming Friday. The student also said he felt Osovet was trying to get him to deceive the trainers.
Despite the claims, Osovet denied them all and said 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 also be placed on a formal improvement plan.
Before being named head coach at Heritage, Osovet served in multiple coaching roles at the University of Tennessee under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
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: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why former Tennessee Vols assistant Joe Osovet was fired from high school position
