Sweetwater names Caleb Slover football coach

Before that, Slover led Cocke County for six seasons from 2013-18 with an 18-44 record and an appearance in the Class 5A playoffs.

Slover also brings collegiate experience as an assistant at Tusculum University for seven seasons.

“He is about kids first, he builds his system around what his kids can do instead of what he wants,” Sweetwater Principal Eric Weaver said. “He is energetic and his personality seems to fit Sweetwater High School. It is pretty much cut and dry.”

Cocke County had only made the playoffs twice since 2002 before Slover returned the Fighting Cocks to the postseason in 2018 where they lost in the first round to eventual state champions Knoxville Central.

Slover’s tenure at Morristown East saw the Hurricanes make two playoff appearances — including in the most recent season.

Per Weaver, the school received 47 applications and did a two-interview process with a committee board.

“We went through the first interviews and everyone went through the same set of questions. We scored them based on the responses,” Weaver said. “The top four guys we brought back for a second interview and they were to present their plan on how they would move Sweetwater football forward.”

Slover’s best individual season record was 7-4 in 2018 with Cocke County — the best record in Newport since 8-3 in 1996.

Slover will take a step down from the largest classification in the state to the Class 3A Wildcats, but Weaver indicated Slover’s focus was on the field.

“I asked him if he wanted to know the supplement and he said ‘I don’t care. I am here to coach football,’” Weaver said.

Sweetwater is coming off of a Class 3A quarterfinal appearance and the resignation of distinguished coach Mike Martin, who brought stability and the best season in over a decade to the gridiron.

Slover had resigned from his position at Morristown East a few days prior.

A former starting quarterback for Tusculum, Slover went 15-6 from 2000-01 and is a member of the Tusculum Hall of Fame. He also played in the Arena Football League.

Slover also played at Anderson County High School and Georgia Military College.

“There is no guarantee that he is going to be successful, just like there is no guarantee that any of us are going to be successful,” Weaver said. “The community needs to buy in, the kids seem to be energetic when they met him. They are glad to have a coach.”