Ben Blacknall facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1946 |
| Died | April 25, 2012 (aged 65) |
| Playing career | |
| 1968–1971 | North Carolina A&T |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1972–1976 | North Carolina A&T (assistant) |
| 1977–1978 | South Carolina State (assistant) |
| 1979–1983 | Wichita State (assistant) |
| 1984–1988 | Howard (assistant) |
| 1989–1998 | South Carolina State (assistant) |
| 1999 | Morehouse (assistant) |
| 2000–2003 | Delaware State |
| 2007–2011 | Alabama A&M (assistant) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 16–24 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
|
|
Benjamin Sylvester Blacknall (born September 26, 1946 – died April 25, 2012) was an important person in American football. He was a player and a coach. Before his football career, he also served as a sergeant in the Air Force.
Ben Blacknall is best known for being the head football coach for the Delaware State Hornets at Delaware State University. He coached them from 2000 to 2003. During his time as head coach, his team had a record of 16 wins and 24 losses.
Contents
Ben Blacknall's Football Journey
Ben Blacknall started his football journey as a player. He played college football for the North Carolina A&T Aggies. This was at North Carolina A&T State University. He played under a famous coach named Willie Jeffries.
Playing Days
Blacknall was a key player for North Carolina A&T from 1968 to 1971. He was a talented player on the field. He earned a special recognition called a "letter" for his performance. He later graduated from the university in 1975. He earned a bachelor's degree.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Ben Blacknall became a football coach. He spent many years helping different teams. He was an assistant coach for several college teams.
- He started coaching at North Carolina A&T from 1972 to 1976.
- Then he moved to South Carolina State (1977–1978).
- He also coached at Wichita State (1979–1983).
- Next, he was with Howard (1984–1988).
- He returned to South Carolina State for a longer period (1989–1998).
- In 1999, he briefly coached at Morehouse. A former player he mentored, Anthony Jones, helped bring him to Morehouse.
Leading the Delaware State Hornets
In 2000, Ben Blacknall became the head coach for the Delaware State Hornets. This was a big step in his coaching career. He led the team for four seasons.
His first year, 2000, was very successful. The team had 7 wins and 4 losses. This was a great start! However, the team struggled in the following years. He coached until partway through the 2003 season.
Awards and Special Recognition
Ben Blacknall received several important awards during his career. These awards recognized his skills as both a player and a coach.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
- He was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year twice (in 1971 and 1972). This shows how good he was as a player.
- Later, as a coach, he won the MEAC Coach of the Year award in 2000. This was for his excellent first season with Delaware State.
North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame
- In 2000, Ben Blacknall was honored by being inducted into the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for former players and coaches.
100 Percent Wrong Club of Atlanta
- He also received the Coach of the Year award from the 100 Percent Wrong Club of Atlanta in 2000. This was another recognition of his coaching success.
