COLE BACK IN THE SADDLE:
Lawrence "L.C." Cole has been hired as the new head football coach at Stillman, effective Dec. 4. Cole comes to Stillman from Texas Southern, where he served as defensive coordinator and assistant head football coach this past season. He is Stillman's third head coach since the college reinstated football in 1999.

"It's a great opportunity for me to come back to the state of Alabama and to coach at Stillman," said Cole, who has coached high school and college teams in Montgomery. "Stillman is known for its competitiveness. I look forward to getting Stillman back into that winning spirit."

Cole has 26 years of collegiate coaching experience, including seven years as a head coach at Tennessee State and Alabama State, both NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision schools. He was selected from more than 40 applicants and recommended to Stillman athletic director Curtis Campbell by a three-person search committee.

Cole has an overall record of 48-31 in seven years as a collegiate head coach. He began his career at Tennessee State in 1996, taking a team that won just two games the year before he arrived and getting them into the postseason in just his third year. During his last two seasons at TSU, Cole led the Tigers to a 20-4 mark and two Ohio Valley Conference titles as well as ending one regular season as the No. 1 team in I-AA football. He ended his tenure by winning his final 19 regular season contests and averaged more than 40 points per game during that span.

In 2000, Cole took an Alabama State team that had won just two games in 1999 and led it to a winning record. By 2001, the Hornets played in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game. Cole has also held assistant coaching positions at Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Morgan State, Toledo, Wisconsin, Kansas State, Ball State, and New Mexico State.

Prior to his position at Texas Southern, Cole spent two years as head coach and athletic director at Sidney Lanier High School. Before Cole arrived at Lanier in 2006, the Poets had not been to the playoffs in six years and had won only two games the previous season. While there, Cole led the team to the playoffs both years and the team advanced to the state quarterfinals in 2006.

His honors include being selected as defensive coordinator for the Alabama/Mississippi High School All-Star Game in 2007, Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999, GTE Regional Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999, Rutherford Spirit Award-Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999, American Football Coach's Division 1-AA National Coach of the Year in 1999, Street and Smith's Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year in 1999, and TeamLink.Com's Division 1-AA Coach of the Year in 1999.

Cole. who has a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Nebraska, played professionally with the New York Jets in 1980 and had internship experience with the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers.

LYNN OUT AT BOWIE STATE:
Bowie State Athletic Director Derek Carter and Head Football Coach Mike Lynn have reached a mutual agreement that a change in direction is needed for the Bulldogs' program.

"After five enjoyable and successful seasons, the time has come for a change in leadership of the Bowie State University football program," said Lynn. "I want to thank (President) Dr. Burnim and Derek Carter for giving me this wonderful opportunity and wish the University much success in the future."

Lynn compiled a BSU career record of 26-25, tying him for the most wins ever by any Bowie State football coach. Lynn's best season came in his second year (2005) when the Bulldogs finished with an 8-4 record and advanced to the CIAA Championship game. Bowie State also participated in the Pioneer Bowl that same season.

© 2008 Azeez Communications, Inc.

Return to Front Page