CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Northwest High elevated Reynaldo Peña to head football coach on Tuesday.

“First, I would like to thank God for this opportunity,” Peña said. “I am so thankful for my wife Chasity Peña and our two kids for everything they have done for me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. I appreciate my family, friends, all the leaders and mentors that have prepared me for this opportunity.”

The move comes almost three months to the day after former Vikings head coach Neil Furnish resigned from the same position.

After reviewing a number of applications, Northwest athletic director Jason Greene believed hiring within the program was ultimately the right direction to go in.

“We had a wide variety of interest in this position,” Greene said. “We narrowed the large pool of resumes we received and interviewed the individuals we felt were the top candidates for the position. Ultimately, the administrative team felt that Coach Peña was the best fit for the position based on his experience, enthusiasm and vision for the program.

“Coach Peña has served in a variety of roles during his coaching career, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Viking program. He has a strong plan for the future, and we believe he will continue to grow our athletes and push them to achieve excellence, both on the field and in the classroom. I am excited to watch Coach Peña put his stamp on this program.”

The North Charleston, South Carolina, native served 13 years in the Army before obtaining a bachelor’s degree in sports and health science from American Military University.

Before becoming Vikings defensive coordinator in 2020, Peña made stops at Windsor Forest High School, Natchitoches Central High School, Chaparral High School, where he coached for a total of 10 years.

“I am just a young man from South Carolina who loves coaching football and I hope that we can do great things at Northwest High School,” Peña said. “I want to also thank the Northwest Viking family for allowing me the opportunity to become your head coach. I am excited to begin this journey with the Vikings and I look forward to helping this program grow.”

Northwest lost their final seven games of the season last year after defeating West Creek 24-12 in Week 1.