A year after Tennessee State made a triumphant return to the FCS playoffs under Eddie George, the Tigers are being treated like underdogs heading into 2025. Despite placing six players on the Preseason Players to Watch list, TSU was picked to finish eighth out of nine in the OVC-Big South Football Association’s preseason coaches poll.
That’s not exactly the welcome Reggie Barlow might’ve envisioned for his first year leading the Tigers. But the new head coach, a championship winner at nearly every level he’s coached, isn’t sweating the low expectations.
“That preseason poll is cute. But it is what it is… The game is won on a rectangle in between white lines,” Barlow said at Media Day.
“We’re no strangers to this… At Alabama State, we were picked in a similar situation, ended up playing for the championship. Same at Virginia State. Same in the UFL—we were picked last and played for the title.”
From George to Barlow: Changing of the Guard
Barlow inherits a TSU program that reached the 2024 FCS playoffs before Eddie George departed for Bowling Green. George’s tenure at Tennessee State was marked by growing pains, but his final season was a long-awaited breakthrough for the HBCU program.
The transition between coaches has been smooth.
“Eddie (George) and I were drafted the same year in 1996… When I got this job, he reached out and told me if I needed anything, I could call him,” Barlow shared.
Now, it’s Barlow’s turn to carry the torch—and his resume should raise eyebrows. He led Alabama State and Virginia State to winning seasons, then guided the D.C. Defenders to the 2023 XFL North Division title and a spot in the championship game. Though they fell just short that season, the Defenders won the 2025 UFL Championship shortly after Barlow left to take the TSU job—a testament to the foundation he helped build.
Yet, in the eyes of many OVC-Big South coaches, he remains unproven in this setting.
Talent is There—But Respect Isn’t
Despite the low ranking, TSU’s roster features plenty of returning talent. Wide receiver Delanie “Juice” Majors, tight end Jason Hoath Jr., and veteran lineman Anthony Smith headline the offense. Defensively, linebacker Sammy Taylor and defensive back Camani Cobbs were also recognized, along with punter Mark Shenouda on special teams.
Still, Barlow had to rebuild fast.
“When we got the job, we had to hit the ground running,” he said. “We brought in about 25 transfers. The opportunity for young guys is what I’m excited about.”
He’s also installed a new identity, shaped by what he calls his “Live the DASH” philosophy: “Discipline, Attitude, Sacrifice, Habits, and Heart. If our habits don’t align with our expectations, we’ll never reach our goals.”
Let Them Doubt
Barlow’s message to doubters is simple: let them count us out. “This is Tennessee State University. The tradition, the history—Oprah Winfrey, Big Joe Gilliam, Earth, Wind & Fire. It’s a special place,” he said. “We want to embrace that legacy and build something new on top of it.”
Eyes on August 30
The Tigers open their 2025 OVC-Big South campaign at home in Nissan Stadium against North Carolina A&T, another proud HBCU program with its own legacy to uphold. It’s the kind of matchup that can set the tone for a program still navigating transition.
One thing is clear: Barlow and the Tigers don’t need preseason votes to define their season. But they’ll gladly take the underdog role if it means proving the doubters wrong.
