ROME, Ga. --- Former Tusculum College head football coach Tom Bryant passed away suddenly Thursday night in Rome, Ga., announced College officials.

Bryant, a special education teacher and assistant football coach at Armuchee High School, Thursday evening after taking an evening walk with Armuchee head football coach John Mullinax according to the Rome News-Tribune newspaper. The cause of the collapse is unknown at this time.

The 58-year-old Summerville, Ga. resident was pronounced dead at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Redmond Regional Medical Center according to Deputy Coroner Ernie Studard. Studard said a cause of death has not been determined.

Bryant served as Tusculum's football coach from 1991-94 where he posted a 15-24 record in his four seasons on the Greeneville, Tenn. campus. Bryant orchestrated the reinstatement of football at TC after a 41-year absence of the sport on Tennessee's oldest college. After his first Tusculum team went winless in the 1991 campaign (0-10), Bryant's Pioneers rebounded by going 15-14 in his final three seasons combined, including a 6-3 record in 1994.

"This is a sad day for all Pioneer fans," said Frankie DeBusk, Tusculum Director of Athletics and head football coach. "Coach Bryant led our college football program during a time of great transition as the Pioneers searched for a playing identity. He was a true ambassador of the game of football and will be greatly missed."

While at Tusculum, Bryant mentored 16 NAIA All-District 24 squad, while 56 of his players earned All-Mid-South Conference honors. He also coached the first two All-Americans in school history in Matt Shults and Eric Claridy.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced at this time.

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