Coach Buck Coatney

 As Buck Coatney enters his 15^th season at the helm of the Fulton football program, he stands just one win away from a milestone 100^th victory. His 99-72 record makes him the winningest coach in Fulton history. Coatney’s teams have developed a reputation for both a physical defense and a high scoring offense. Coatney’s roots are colored maroon and white, as his father John captained Fulton’s 1959 team. Coatney was known as a hard-nosed linebacker and tight end on the Falcon teams of the late 70s. He was named to the all-state team and the Knoxville Journal defensive player of the year, as he led Fulton to a region championship in 1979. Coatney earned Honorable-Mention All-American honors at Furman University where he was coached by current Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson. He began his coaching career at Furman as a graduate assistant. After leaving Furman, Coatney spent two years as an assistant coach at Middlesburg High School in Florida. He returned to Fulton in 1987, where he served as Defensive Coordinator. He was named Fulton’s 11^th head coach in 1992. Fulton has advanced to the playoffs under Coatney for the last 13 years. In 2003, Coatney directed what was thought to be a rebuilding effort into the school’s first ever-state championship team, and led the Falcons to a repeat championship in 2004. For his work in 2004, Coatney was named state coach of the year by the Tennessee Sportswriters Association, and the Tennessee Titans.