Nashville's Father Ryan High School is embarking on a new chapter in its storied football legacy, ushering in former NFL quarterback Zach Mettenberger as the latest to head its football program, his installment marking him as the 14th head coach in the school's centennial history. According to WSMV, Mettenberger shared his enthusiasm about the role, saying, "I am honored by the opportunity to serve as a leader of Father Ryan's historic Football program and foster the legacy of excellence created by those who came before me in this role."

Before his coaching ascent, Mettenberger was a sixth-round draft pick for the Tennessee Titans in 2014, where he put up a decent rookie season throwing for 1,412 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Mettenberger's professional journey didn't just peak at his NFL run, he also made his mark playing for LSU and in the Alliance of American Football for the Memphis Express, then, returning to his alma mater Father Ryan his first foray into coaching started at Nashville's Hillsboro High School, followed by a two-year stint as a football analyst under coaching behemoth Nick Saban at Alabama, according to a deep dive by FootballScoop.

Mettenberger takes over from Brian Rector, who, after nine seasons and a 39-60 overall record, stepped down last November, the team's last season under Rector saw them advance to the TSSAA Division II-AAA football state quarterfinals. The Irish are coming off a 7-4 season which included a stand-out performance by quarterback Joseph Derrick, who threw for over 2,400 yards and 26 touchdowns, as highlighted by The Tennessean.

With his appointment, Mettenberger now joins a unique cohort of former Titans players currently coaching high school football in the Nashville area, where he's recognized for both his contributions on the field and his prowess in coaching circles, and now it seems this all-rounder's latest move is widely received as a positive helm-shift for the high-school powerhouse, with President Paul Davis expressing, "Coach Mettenberger has distinguished himself as a dedicated and humble leader who will inspire our students to grow as athletes and people," in a statement obtained by WSMV.