Former Putnam County quarterback Gerald Kilgore announced last week that he is seeking a transfer from Tennessee Tech, where he originally signed in 2021 out of high school. Kilgore broke the news on Nov. 30 on his personal X (Twitter) account.
“First, I would like to thank Tennessee Tech University, Coach (Dewayne) Alexander, and all the staff included in making my Division I dreams come true,” Kilgore’s statement stated. “I have endured a lot of challenges so far in my college career, and those have only molded me into a better man. All of the relationships and memories I have created over this time will never fade. With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining.”
The news of Kilgore transferring comes less than a week before head coach Dewayne Alexander was fired. Alexander, an alumnus of the school, has been part of its football program for the past six years.
Kilgore, a 6-foot-1, 202-pound athlete, transitioned to play defensive back when he arrived on campus. He redshirted his freshman season but played in 11 games for the Golden Eagles in 2023.
Kilgore totaled 37 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and had five pass breakups as a redshirt freshman this past season. The former Putnam County standout also had a career-high seven tackles for the Golden Eagles in each of their consecutive losses in November against Tennessee-Martin and Gardner-Webb.
According to Kilgore’s X account, he’s received several offers, including Tennessee Chattanooga, Tennessee State, East Tennessee State, Ball State, and South Carolina, where his brother Jalon plays.
Kilgore helped Putnam County win a Region 4-AA championship and make it to the Elite Eight round of the Class 2A state playoffs during the 2021 season under former head coach Shaun Pope.
“Gerald (Kilgore) was a delight to coach,” Pope said in 2021. “There’s not a better example of a leader than him. Gerald comes from a great family, and I can’t wait to see him succeed at the next level.”
In 2021, Kilgore showed his arm during his senior campaign. In 13 games for Putnam, he completed 96 of 178 passes for 1,870 yards – an average of 19.5 yards per completion and 143.8 yards per game.
Kilgore also passed for 20 touchdowns, while tossing only three interceptions. He also ran the ball well, totaling 478 yards on 67 carries – an average of 7.1 yards per tote and 36.8 yards per game. Kilgore also rushed for a team’s second-best 11 touchdowns during his senior season at PCHS.
Kilgore also ran track and played basketball for the War Eagles during his high school career.