Willie Slater is in his 16th season as the head coach of Tuskegee University.
Going into the 2021 season, Slater has 42 years of coaching experience which include 36 years at the collegiate level. Over half of those years – 18 – were spent as an offensive coordinator at multiple levels
During his time at Tuskegee, Slater has recorded a record of 120-39, which ranks him second all-time in wins at the university. In 2019, he passed Rick Comegy placing him behind Cleve Abbott (203 victories). He is currently second in winning percentage for a career at the school, with a percentage of .755. During his tenure, Slater has coached more than 60 SIAC All-Conference selections, and numerous All-Americans.
Slater and the Golden Tigers have claimed seven conference championships since 2006, including a string of four consecutive from 2006 until 2009. He also helped the lead the Golden Tigers to their eighth HBCU national championship in 2007 with a 12-0 record. Tuskegee recorded nine wins in eight of Slater’s first 10 seasons at the helm, and recorded a winning season in nine of those 10 seasons under his direction.
Slater was named The Pigskin Club of Washington, DC and the Sheridan Broadcasting Network National Coach of the Year in 2007, a year in which he led Tuskegee to a perfect 12-0 record and the HBCU title. Additionally, Slater has been tabbed as the SIAC Coach of the Year five times (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014).
In 2014, the Golden Tigers made a historical run that reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs (the Super 2 Region championship game) against West Georgia. The team finished with a 10-3 record overall, finishing second in the SIAC West Division. Since that time, TU has made four straight playoff appearances.
In 2015, Tuskegee Slater had one of the best defenses in the country as they ranked at the top or near the top in every statisical category. The team also led the SIAC in scoring offense and scoring defense, and led the nation in defensive touchdowns.
A five-time NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year, Slater has five NCAA Division II national championships on his resume. He joined the Tuskegee staff as the head coach after serving as the offensive coordinator at Temple University (FBS member) in 2005 under Bobby Wallace.
His first stop as a full-time collegiate coach came Troy University (1983-90), where he served as the running backs under Chan Gailey (1983-84). In total, he spent eight seasons with the Trojans, also working as the quarterbacks and running backs coach under Rick Rhoades (1985-87) and as the offensive coordinator for Robert Maddox (1988-90). The Trojans went to the NCAA Division II playoffs three times with Slater on staff, winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 1984 and 1987. He was named the NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year in both of the title campaigns for Troy.
Following his stint at Troy, Slater moved on to a stint at his alma mater – the University of West Alabama (1991-92).
After his stay at West Alabama, Slater moved to the perennial NCAA Division II power – the University of North Alabama (1992-99), which included six seasons as the offensive coordinator under Wallace. During his stay in Florence, the Lions qualified for the
COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Won his seventh SIAC Football Championship in 2007
- Slater is second on the all-time wins list at Tuskegee with 92, passing Rick Comegy during the 2015 season and that leaves him behind only Cleve L. Abbott who amassed 202 wins during his tenure at the helm of the Golden Tigers.
- The Golden Tigers have won 10 or more games in five of Slater’s seasons, including a 12-0 mark in 2007 that lead to an HBCU National Championship. The Golden Tigers amassed nine or more wins in three of the other five seasons under Slater.
- Tuskegee has reached the playoffs three consecutive seasons under Slater, and reached the postseason in seven of the 10 seasons under Slater - which include four bowl games (all Pioneer Bowls).
- The Golden Tigers have had nine winning seasons under Slater during his tenure, including winning six Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championships.
- The Golden Tigers have played in nine postseason games under Slater in 10 years, which is second only to the 12 played by Cleve L. Abbott’s teams from 1930 until 1949.
- Slater has coached two American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-Americans during his tenure at Tuskegee in Matthew Reece (2013) and Jewell Ratliff (2015). That is second only to the three coached by Rick Comegy.
- The Golden Tigers have had 47 All-SIAC selections during the tenure of Willie Slater, which ranks him first all-time in Tuskegee just ahead of James A. Martin, Sr. who had 36 from 1970 until 1980.
- Tuskegee has not lost back-to-back games since the 2013 season, and have only lost back-to-back games two times under Slater when they lost the first three games of that 2011 season and dropped the final regular season game and bowl game in 2013. The Golden Tigers are 17-2 in games immediately followins a loss.
- Under Slater, the Golden Tigers are 27-8 against their four major rivals that include Alabama State (5-2), Albany State (8-1), Miles (6-4) and Morehouse (8-1).
- Tuskegee won the 2007 HBCU National Championship under Willie Slater, finishing the year with a 12-0 record. The season included all 12 games that the Golden Tigers scored 30 or more points, including nine of those game being 40 or more points. The Golden Tigers allowed 10 or more points just five times in the 12 games played that season.
- The Golden Tigers won four consecutive SIAC championships from 2006 until 2009, and followed that up with titles in 2012 and 2014.
