Remembering Former Dresden Football Coach Scott Hewett

Former Dresden football coach Scott Hewett died Thursday after a short illness. He was 72.

Services were held Saturday, March 8 at Southside Church of Christ in Dresden with Will Norrid officiating. Burial was in Sunset Cemetery in Dresden.

Hewett arrived at Dresden High School to assume the football coaching post in 1981 after playing football for UT-Martin from 1976-79. He had two head coaching stints while there. He led the Lions to the 1986 Class A quarterfinals and to the 2011 Class 2A state finals. His 1992 team was District 13A champions and was ranked No. 1 in the state for a time. He also coached Dresden girls’ softball.

Hewett, known for his sense of humor, was described by some of his former players as a player’s coach. He was a tough task master but had his players’ best interest at heart.

“He was a typical football coach with a rough exterior,” said former Dresden quarterback Peanut Winn, “but deep down, he was a teddy bear.”

Winn said that he and Hewett became closer after Winn left high school.

“He was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever been around. He had a great sense of humor,” Winn said. “He was a typical old-school football coach, but deep down, he had your best interests at heart. He was a caring individual.”

Winn remarked that Hewett could have gone elsewhere and had success, “but Dresden was his home. This is where he wanted to be.”

Dresden High School principal Scott Killebrew was one of Hewett’s players back in the 1980s and later coached with him.

“He was a player’s coach. He was the kind of guy who liked to take players out to eat,” he said. “Sometimes, he’d have watermelons in the cooler at the school for after practice, or popsicles or something. Sometimes we’d go to his house after practice for spaghetti.”

Killebrew said Hewett enjoyed coaching and being around his players.

“He loved the game of football and spending time with his players,” he said. “To share the knowledge of the game he had with his players meant a lot to him. He got the most out of his players and they loved playing for him.”

Popeye Jones, an assistant coach with the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, embarked on a 12-year career as a player in the NBA. As a student at Dresden High School, Jones played offensive and defensive line for Hewett.

“We lost a really good man, one who was quick-witted who could tell a funny joke. He was great to be around,” Jones said. “As a football coach, I will remember he knew how to rally the team and how fun he made the game of football, especially during the tough two-a-days in August. My condolences go out to (Hewett’s wife) Angie and the family.”

Hewett is survived by his wife Angie (Westbrooks), a son Matt Hewett, a daughter Jamie Smith, his mother Nettijene Williams Hewett; two brothers, Jim Hewett and Lee Hewett; a sister Carolyn Scott, grandchildren Blakely Smith, Hollyn Smith, Wyatt Smith, Rhett Hewett and Wilkes Hewett; nieces Abbey Stoker Harrison, and Cortlyn Westbrook; nephew Blake Stoker; great niece Olivia Westbrook, and great nephews Jaxxon and Grayson Collins. Besides his father, he was preceded in death by a brother Mike Hewett.