On Sunday, Nov. 9, Samford University announced Chris Hatcher had been relieved of his duties as head football coach. Hatcher led the Bulldogs for 11 seasons, with a 62-59 overall record and Southern Conference championship win in 2022.
As for Hatcher’s time at Samford, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Martin Newton stated he was grateful for his representation of Samford and its athletics department.
“He is a man of high character and always handled himself with class and dignity. I wish him and his family nothing but the best and know the Samford community will continue to keep him in their prayers,” Newton said.
After meeting with Hatcher and the coaching staff, Newton stated the search for a new head coach had begun. Newton, President Beck Taylor and Executive Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs Corey Green will comprise the primary search committee, but they will also consult others in the industry and the community for feedback and recommendation. Regarding the desired qualities of candidates for the head coaching position, he said character, competency and chemistry are high on the list.
“We want to make sure we hire someone that embraces and understands the Christian mission of the university. An understanding that we are first and foremost an academic institution and graduating our student- athletes is a must,” Newton stated.
Newton also said the
committee is intent on finding candidates that understand the uniqueness and value of Samford’s campus and local communities. Winning and competing for SoCon championships is also a high priority.
For the rest of the 2025 season, Bulldog defensive coordinator Scott Sloan will be serving as interim head coach. Although the season is quickly drawing to a close, Sloan stated that he and his staff are working hard to ensure his players not only succeed, but finish the season knowing that the coaching staff was invested in their success. He also said he was grateful for the coaching
and support staff’s diligence and commitment during this transition. During this week’s practice, Sloan said that the players displayed a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm in preparation for this past weekend’s game versus the Austin Peay Governors. This work ethic and spirit is not new, however, and Sloan said that he is proud of the determination they have shown through the adversity they have experienced this season. “The players, as far as their amount of leadership or how much they care, I think that’s always been there. There’s a lot of times as I’ve graded film, I’ll be on the last five plays of the game and the guys are
playing just as hard as they did the first five plays of the game,” he said. Going forward, Sloan hopes to make his interim position a permanent one in the future, as serving as head coach at Samford is one of his goals. “I’ve always had a lot of respect for this university… with the community, the school itself, and what it stands for. I think it’s a unique place, a place that embraces strengthening young men through the program; [strengthening] their faith,” Sloan stated. The Bulldogs fell to Austin Peay 16-30 Saturday. They will play their final game on Nov 15 at 1 p.m. against Texas A&M.
Staff Reporter
