Willie Jeffries facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 4, 1937 Union, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| c. 1959 | South Carolina State |
| Position(s) | Center |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1968–1971 | North Carolina A&T (DL) |
| 1972 | Pittsburgh (assistant) |
| 1973–1978 | South Carolina State |
| 1979–1983 | Wichita State |
| 1984–1988 | Howard |
| 1989–2001 | South Carolina State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 180–132–6 (college) 64–8–2 (high school) |
| Bowls | 3–4 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 3 black college national (1976–1977, 1994) 7 MEAC (1974–1978, 1987, 1994) |
|
| Awards | |
| 5× MEAC Coach of the Year (1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1992) | |
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 2010 (profile) |
|
Willie E. Jeffries (born January 4, 1937) is a famous former American football player and coach. He is known for his long and successful career. Coach Jeffries led football teams at South Carolina State University, Wichita State University, and Howard University.
A very important part of his story is that he was the first African American head coach for a top-level college football team (NCAA Division I-A) at a school where most students were white. This happened when he coached at Wichita State. Because of his amazing career, he was chosen to be in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Contents
Early Life and First Coaching Jobs
Willie Jeffries grew up in South Carolina. He went to Sims High School in Union, South Carolina, which was a segregated school at the time. He played football there under coach James F. Moorer.
Jeffries began his coaching journey in 1960. He started as an assistant coach at Barr Street High School. Later, he became a head coach in Gaffney, South Carolina. There, he had a fantastic record, winning 64 games, losing only 8, and tying 2 over seven seasons.
Coaching at South Carolina State
Coach Jeffries had two different times coaching the South Carolina State Bulldogs football team. His first time was from 1973 to 1978, and his second was from 1989 to 2001. During these years, his teams achieved great success.
- They won three national championships for historically black colleges (in 1976, 1977, and 1994).
- They also won seven championships in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
- Many of his players went on to become professional football players. Some famous ones include Harry Carson and Donnie Shell, who are also in the College Football Hall of Fame.
In 2010, South Carolina State University honored Coach Jeffries. They named him Head Football Coach Emeritus. This special role means he helps the university connect with its alumni and supporters. The university president, Dr. George Cooper, said that Coach Jeffries helps build strong relationships for the school.
Coaching at Wichita State
In 1979, Coach Jeffries made history when he became the head coach at Wichita State. He was the first African American to lead a Division I-A football team at a mostly white university. This was a very important step for diversity in college sports.
He coached Wichita State for five seasons, from 1979 to 1983. His team in 1982 had a winning record of 8 wins and 3 losses. This was the last winning season for Wichita State's football program before it ended in 1986.
During his time at Wichita State, the team faced some challenges. They were put on probation by the NCAA for a couple of seasons. This meant they couldn't appear on live TV, lost some scholarships, and couldn't play in post-season games. These issues contributed to the football program being stopped after the 1986 season.
Some of the talented players Coach Jeffries coached at Wichita State include Anthony Jones and Jumpy Geathers.
Coaching at Howard University
After Wichita State, Coach Jeffries coached the Howard Bison football team from 1984 to 1988. In 1987, his team won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title. However, this championship was later taken away. This happened because some players on the team were not allowed to play according to the rules.
Even with this challenge, many players from his Howard teams went on to play in the NFL. These include Jimmie Johnson and Sean Vanhorse.
Awards and Special Honors
Coach Jeffries has received many important awards for his contributions.
- In 1988, the Governor of South Carolina gave him the Order of the Palmetto. This is the highest award a civilian can receive in South Carolina. It's given to people who have a big impact across the state.
- In 2001, he received the Order of the Silver Crescent. This award recognizes people who have made important contributions to their local communities or professions.
- In 2009, he was inducted into the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame. This honored his groundbreaking role as head coach at Wichita State.
- The biggest honor came in 2010 when he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. This means he is recognized as one of the greatest college football coaches of all time.
South Carolina State University also honored him by naming their football field after him. On November 5, 2010, the field at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium became Willie E. Jeffries Field.
Personal Life and Legacy
Willie Jeffries has been a close friend of Herman Boone, another famous football coach. Boone wrote a letter supporting Jeffries' induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. He said that without Jeffries' leadership, movies like Remember the Titans might not have happened. He also noted Jeffries' role in improving race relations in sports.
Coach Jeffries' career shows his dedication to football and his impact on many young athletes. He broke barriers and inspired many people throughout his long and successful coaching journey.
College Coaching Record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina State Bulldogs (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) (1973–1978) | |||||||||
| 1973 | South Carolina State | 7–3–1 | 4–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1974 | South Carolina State | 8–4 | 5–1 | 1st | L Pelican | ||||
| 1975 | South Carolina State | 8–2–1 | 5–1 | T–1st | L Pelican | ||||
| 1976 | South Carolina State | 10–1 | 5–1 | T–1st | W Bicentennial | ||||
| 1977 | South Carolina State | 9–1–1 | 6–0 | 1st | W Gold | ||||
| 1978 | South Carolina State | 8–2–1 | 5–0–1 | 1st | |||||
| Wichita State Shockers (Missouri Valley Conference) (1979–1983) | |||||||||
| 1979 | Wichita State | 1–10 | 1–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1980 | Wichita State | 5–5–1 | 4–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1981 | Wichita State | 4–6–1 | 3–3–1 | T–5th | |||||
| 1982 | Wichita State | 8–3 | 4–1 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1983 | Wichita State | 3–8 | 3–3 | T–4th | |||||
| Wichita State: | 21–32–2 | 15–12–2 | |||||||
| Howard Bison (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) (1984–1988) | |||||||||
| 1984 | Howard | 2–8 | 0–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1985 | Howard | 4–7 | 0–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1986 | Howard | 9–3 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1987 | Howard | 9–1 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1988 | Howard | 7–4 | 3–3 | T–4th | |||||
| Howard: | 31–23 | 11–13 | |||||||
| South Carolina State Bulldogs (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) (1989–2001) | |||||||||
| 1989 | South Carolina State | 5–6 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1990 | South Carolina State | 4–6 | 2–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1991 | South Carolina State | 7–4 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1992 | South Carolina State | 7–4 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1993 | South Carolina State | 8–4 | 4–2 | 2nd | L Heritage | ||||
| 1994 | South Carolina State | 10–2 | 6–0 | 1st | W Heritage | ||||
| 1995 | South Carolina State | 6–4 | 4–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1996 | South Carolina State | 4–6 | 4–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1997 | South Carolina State | 9–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | L Heritage | ||||
| 1998 | South Carolina State | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 1999 | South Carolina State | 4–6 | 2–5 | 7th | |||||
| 2000 | South Carolina State | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 2001 | South Carolina State | 6–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| South Carolina State: | 128–77–4 | 77–44–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 180–132–6 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
