Haidar Zaidan

• Article
• April 15, 2020

IRVING, Texas – There are many things the Tennessee Tech football program can take pride in – a historical tradition, legendary performances and excellent student-athletes. That excellence isn’t just on the gridiron as it extends into the community and in the classroom. As the National Football Foundation released its 2020 Hampshire Honor Society, four senior Golden Eagle football players were named to the list. In all, 1,432 players from 364 schools across all levels of the sport were named to the roster, reaching student-athletes with a cumulative 3.2 grade point average and making significant contributions to their teams over their careers.

• Article
• January 07, 2020

COOKEVILLE. Tenn. – As the 2019 football season is coming to a close, another set of accolades were announced on Tuesday as the Tennessee Tech football team claimed seven spots on the Phil Steele all-Ohio Valley Conference teams. Freshman receiver/return specialist Metrius Fleming was the lone first-team pick, while junior defensive lineman Chris Tucker and senior linebacker Aderick Moore were selected to the second team. Sophomore quarterback Bailey Fisher, junior offensive lineman Mike Rhoades, junior defensive lineman Henry Karimu and senior kicker Haidar Zaidan were selected to the publication’s squads.

• Article
• November 25, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the 2019 season in the books, the future certainly looks bright for Tennessee Tech football. With a 6-6 finish after two consecutive years of 1-10 finishes, the Golden Eagles tied for second in the Football Championship Subdivision in increased wins. Sacramento State saw the biggest turnaround in 2019, going from 2-8 a year ago to going 9-3, including a 7-1 record in the Big Sky Conference. Tech, UT Martin and Southern Illinois all saw win increases of five to improve on their 2018 campaigns.

• Article
• November 23, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech had 14 points on the board before Tennessee State even ran an offensive play. But as the game wore on the visiting Tigers surged back and a late punt sealed the game for TSU 37-27. But as the 2019 season comes to a close, a 6-6 record for the Golden Eagles and 3-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference, there are so many positives to take away. Tech had its most wins since the 2011 campaign. The Golden Eagles tied for the second-best turnaround in the Football Championship Subdivision as Tech, UT Martin and Southern Illinois all improved on last year’s tally with five more wins.

• Article
• November 21, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Twenty-one Tennessee Tech football players will put on their uniforms for the last time on Saturday as the Golden Eagles close out the 2019 campaign against Tennessee State. But the tears aren’t being shed just yet nor the memories being recollected as there’s still plenty of business at hand for Tech in this 12th and final game of the season. Kickoff from Tucker Stadium is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will handle play-by-play coverage on ESPN+ (subscription required), while Roger Ealey and Buddy Pearson will tackle radio duties on 98.5 KISS FM.

• Article
• November 16, 2019

RICHMOND, Ky. – Defense was the name of the game on Saturday as Tennessee Tech saw first-hand why Eastern Kentucky has one of the top defensive units in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Colonels yielded an early touchdown on short field for the Golden Eagles, then a 54-yard field goal, but that was it on offense for Tech as EKU topped the Golden Eagles 22-10 on Saturday from Roy Kidd Stadium.

• Article
• November 14, 2019

RICHMOND, Ky. – The regular season is winding down to the final two games of the campaign and Tennessee Tech is on a mission. The Golden Eagles have won six games this season – only 15 teams in Tech’s 98 seasons have won more – and there’s a chance Tech could get even higher should they win these final two games. There’s also an outside chance of reaching the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, but with the Golden Eagles currently standing in a tie for fourth, they will need help. The three teams ahead of Tech comprise their three conference losses – Austin Peay, Southeast Missouri and UT Martin.

• Article
• November 10, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As Nick Madonia was being recognized before the game Saturday as the 2018 Robert Hill Johnson Award winner, it was only fitting that his protégé, Haidar Zaidan, show off his leg as well. That he did, kicking a career-long 54-yard field goal as Zaidan went 3-for-3 on field goals, as well as 4-for-4 on PATs for 13 points to help lead Tennessee Tech to the 37-27 victory over Jacksonville State on Homecoming. For his efforts, Zaidan was selected as the Ohio Valley Conference’s co-Specialist of the Week, sharing the honor with Tennessee State’s Chris Rowland, who had 131 all-purpose yards and a 57-yard punt return touchdown before getting sidelined for injury.

• Article
• November 09, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The last time Tennessee Tech saw victory over Jacksonville State in Cookeville was a come-from-behind victory that spoiled the Gamecocks’ Ohio Valley Conference championship bid in 2010. The following year, the Golden Eagles won the OVC’s automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Granted, that’s talking about a year from now. Tennessee Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander isn’t finished talking about this year yet. With the 37-27 victory over Jacksonville State in Saturday’s Homecoming game, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Gamecocks, the Golden Eagles improve to 6-4 on the season – the most wins since going 7-4 in 2011 and tied for the 16th most wins in a single-season in Tech’s 98 seasons of play.

• Article
• November 02, 2019

MURRAY, Ky. – Racer One ran around the track at Roy Stewart Stadium fairly quickly as Murray State turned a Tennessee Tech turnover into a touchdown drive. However, that was the only time Murray’s equine mascot made the trip around the field as the Golden Eagles scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17-7 victory and snap a three-game losing streak. “It was a response,” said Tech head coach Dwayne Alexander. “We have had a rough last few weeks and a couple of tough home losses. It shows you just how far this program has come. These guys are showing that they can respond. It started off with us down 7-0 and from there these guys just played their tail off."

• Article
• November 01, 2019

MURRAY, Ky. – As the Tennessee Tech football team enters the final third of the 2019 regular season, there’s still a lot to play for. The Golden Eagles will start the last leg of the season Saturday as it travels to Murray State. Kickoff is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. Roger Ealey and Dylan Vazzano will provide the call on 98.5 KISS FM, while Neal Bradley and Josh McKeel will handle broadcast duties on ESPN+ (subscription required). One task at hand for the Golden Eagles is breaking their current three-game slide, falling in consecutive Ohio Valley Conference contests against Southeast Missouri, UT Martin and Austin Peay – the latter two at home in Tucker Stadium.

• Article
• October 26, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech football team made a statement on its first drive. But Austin Peay took the wind out of the Golden Eagles, scoring on nine straight drives as the Governors took a 58-21 decision on Saturday at Tucker Stadium. Following APSU’s first drive, freshman receiver/return specialist Metrius Fleming showed the arm he flashed in high school, throwing a 58-yard pass to David Gist. On the next play, sophomore quarterback Bailey Fisher found Fleming, who worked his way into the end zone to put the Golden Eagles up 7-0 after Haidar Zaidan’s PAT.

• Article
• October 24, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – By the time kickoff rolls around on Saturday, it will have been two weeks since the Tennessee Tech football team last took the field. The open date allowed the Golden Eagles to put a tough loss to UT Martin in the rearview mirror and look forward to the final five games of the 2019 regular season. After all, Tech has so much still to play for. The Golden Eagles host Austin Peay on Saturday afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 1:35 p.m. Dylan Vazzano and Sam Brooks will provide the call on ESPN+ (subscription required), while Roger Ealey and Buddy Pearson will handle the radio duties on 98.5 KISS FM.

• Article
• October 12, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – To build success, sometimes there must be some growing pains. Saturday night was one of those times. UT Martin came into Tucker Stadium and scored 48 straight points before the Tennessee Tech football team dented the scoreboard. As the final quarter wound down, the Golden Eagles added two touchdowns to keep from going empty-handed. The Skyhawks ended the game 55-14 victors, improving to 3-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference, 4-2 overall. Tech enters its open date with a 4-3 record, 1-2 in the league.

• Article
• October 10, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Following last week’s 43-37 double-overtime loss to Football Championship Subdivision No. 23 Southeast Missouri, the loss was tough for the Tennessee Tech football team, but one couldn’t help but feel optimistic for the rest of the season. After all, the Golden Eagles had literally stood toe-to-toe with one of the favorites to win the Ohio Valley Conference championship and had a play here or there gone another way, could have seen the result come out the other way. Needless to say, the loss helped build confidence within the Golden Eagles. Through their work last season and this year to this point, Tech has shown itself to be a contender in the Ohio Valley, but its work is far, far from finished. The Golden Eagles will have to prove that this week as they host UT Martin Saturday night at Tucker Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

• Article
• October 06, 2019

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – For Tennessee Tech, 5-1 didn’t happen. The Golden Eagles come home 4-2, but there’s no reason to hang their heads. Tech played one of its grittiest games of the year, coming up with play after play when it needed to and fell in double overtime, 43-37, to Football Championship Subdivision No. 23 Southeast Missouri, a team that made an appearance in the FCS playoffs a season ago. “I’m proud of this team,” said Tech coach Dewayne Alexander. “I couldn’t be any prouder of this team, even if we did win the game tonight. Three weeks on the road and to do what our guys have done, then to play a double-overtime game, I couldn’t be any prouder.

• Article
• October 06, 2019

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – There were plenty of players providing heroics for the Tennessee Tech football team Saturday night even though the game ended in a 43-37 double-overtime loss to No. 23 Southeast Missouri. The Ohio Valley Conference football contacts recognized that as the Golden Eagles earned two OVC player of the week nods. Senior kicker Haidar Zaidan was named the OVC Specialist of the Week and freshman wide receiver/return specialist Metrius Fleming was named the OVC Newcomer of the Week on Sunday.

• Article
• August 31, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After watching an early 12-point lead disappear, the Tennessee Tech football team kept falling further and further behind. Late in the third quarter, the Golden Eagles trailed by 23 points. With 2:20 left in the contest, Tech was down by 16. Most prognosticators would probably have put the game squarely in Samford’s pockets. The Golden Eagles, however, weren’t listening. The total touchdowns ties the Tech record for touchdowns responsible for in a game. Tech’s 671 yards is also a new school record, breaking 644 yards against Valparaiso in 2002. After Samford scored on the first half of the second extra session, Andrew Goldsmith scored the final touchdown on a 14-yard run, then Fisher found David Gist in the end zone for the game-winning score.

• Article
• August 29, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It’s hard to believe it’s been 12 years since Tennessee Tech last faced Samford on the gridiron. It was a completely different scenario then – the Golden Eagles were 32 years removed since their previous Ohio Valley Conference championship (Tech later broke its drought four years later) and both teams were under the direction of new coaches (Watson Brown for the Golden Eagles facing long-time assistant Pat Sullivan across the way – who went on to become Samford’s all-time winningest head coach. Now, Dewayne Alexander enters his second year at the helm of the Tennessee Tech program, while a familiar foe comes into Tucker Stadium leading Samford as former Murray State skipper Chris Hatcher enters his fifth campaign as the Bulldogs’ top dog. Tech will open its 98th football campaign Saturday night at 6 p.m. from Tucker Stadium.

• Article
• August 10, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – If Tennessee Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander’s call to get better every day continues to be heeded, come August 31 as the Golden Eagles host Samford, the memories of the 2018 campaign could be a distant memory. While it wasn’t a perfect scrimmage Saturday night at Tucker Stadium – and no first scrimmage is -- there were still plenty of highlights and reasons to be excited about the Golden Eagles’ progress. It did take a full offensive rotation for the Golden Eagle attackers to put points on the unofficial scoreboard, but when quarterback Bailey Fisher and the first-team offense got going, the unit looked solid. The first score came as David Gist III was able to evade the top-line defense and break loose for a 72-yard touchdown run, the longest offensive play of the night.

• Article
• April 05, 2019

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – If one listened to Tennessee Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander talk to his Golden Eagle players following Friday’s Spring Game at Tucker Stadium, they heard the veteran coach explain why the windshield was larger than the rear view mirror. To keep focused on what’s ahead more than what’s behind. After back-to-back 1-10 seasons and the transition from a coaching change, the focus is on the future of the Tech football program, and that’s what the 2019 spring practices were about. With the 15 sessions in the books, the inherent focus was to get the team ready to improve on what they started in the 2018 campaign and try to bring the Tech football program back to good graces.