Former LSU, NFL QB Zach Mettenberger named head coach at Father Ryan High School in Nashville

Former LSU and NFL quarterback Zach Mettenberger was named the head coach of Father Ryan High School (Tenn.), per Football Scoop.

“I’m excited about the opportunity for my first head coaching opportunity and to be around such great people,” Mettenberger said. “I want to be a head coach and this is a great chance to get to see what I’m made of.

“There’s really good people around here, and I believe there’s a foundation to build a real powerhouse program. We’re excited.”

Father Ryan athletic director Ann Mullins also released a statement on the hire of Mettenberger.

“I am confident that Coach Mettenberger will build upon the strong foundation established by the coaches before him, leading our student-athletes to new heights both on and off the field,” Mullins said. “His passion for the game, commitment to developing young athletes and leadership qualities make him the right person to guide our football program into the future.”

Having observed some of the best, Mettenberger is eager to get on the sidelines.

“It’s hard to put into words the experience, not only did I get to watch Coach Saban operate day to day and see how’s been successful and holds to the standard and holds everybody else to the standard,” Mettenberger said to FS. “But I got to work with Tommy Rees, Holmon Wiggins, Robert Gillespie, Joe Cox, Derek Dooley and so many other coaches on really an unbelievable offensive football staff.

“That’s the greatest masterclass that anybody could have ever taken. It really accelerated my football knowledge from a coaching standpoint. And it further confirmed that I was heading in the right direction in my life in getting into coaching.”

Mettenberger was a sixth round pick in 2014 by the Tennessee Titans out of LSU and spent three years in the NFL. After three years out of football, he played for the Memphis Express of the AAF in 2019.

Mettenberger referred to learning from Nick Saban as a coach. He did so in 2022 and ’23 as an analyst for Alabama. Prior to that, he coached Hillsboro (Tenn.) as the team’s OC in 2020 and was an assistant coach in 2021 and ’24 at Father Ryan before being named head coach.

Mettenberger finished his LSU career with 5,783 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 61.8% completion percentage.