Tupelo Hires Hardin As Head Football Coach

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI / TPSD) — The Tupelo Public School District has hired Houston Hilltoppers head football coach Ty Hardin to the same position at Tupelo High School.

Hardin becomes the 27th head football coach in school history.

“When [the Tupelo job] popped open, I think everybody knew, including myself, that that’s the right fit right there,” Hardin said.

“It’s a special place to me. It’s my wife’s hometown. It’s been been a part of my life for the last ten years….when an opportunity like that happens, you got to go and get it. You can’t look back, and and that’s what I did.”

Hardin led Houston football to a 38-14 record in four seasons as the head coach, reaching the postseason in each year.

Houston won its second division championship in program history under Hardin in 2018.

“I can say I left this place better than I found it,” Hardin said.

“What’s been great about it is, everyone has reached out to me in support of it. Understanding. Excited about what’s about to happen in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can ask those people in Houston right now what the impact of Houston football has meant to the community.”

Along with hiring Hardin, Tupelo Public School District named Jason Miller the activities director.

Miller is certainly no stranger to the Golden Wave Family. A 1997 THS graduate, he lettered in both football and baseball, while coaching both sports from 2005-14.

He spent the last seven years at Desoto Central High School and served as the athletics director in 2019-20. From 2014-19, he was the associate head baseball coach.

Miller, who takes over for the retired Eddie Moore, earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Delta State, where he played baseball. He was on the 2000 squad that advanced to the College World Series, placing third.