[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 27, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S6298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO WILLIE JEFFRIES

 Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, today I ask the Senate to join me 
in recognizing Coach Willie Jeffries on the occasion of his induction 
into the College Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 17, 2010. 
Willie Jeffries is a legend in the State of South Carolina. As the 
first African-American head coach of a NCAA Division I-A football 
program, he was a giant in the football world, and proved to be an 
incredible leader both on and off the field.
  Coach Jeffries was born in Union, SC, on January 4, 1937. He 
graduated from South Carolina State University, SCSU, where he would 
later return as the head football coach. If there was ever a ``glass is 
half full'' guy, it was Willie Jeffries. Coach Jeffries was defined by 
his optimistic outlook on life and the world around him.
  Willie Jeffries began his career at South Carolina State University 
where he served as coach from 1973-1978. From there, he went on to 
become head coach at Wichita State University in 1979. With his hiring, 
Coach Jeffries became the first African-American head coach of a NCAA 
Division I-A program. After winning only one game his first season, he 
held the post for five seasons and led his team to an 8-2 record his 
third year. During his tenure at Wichita State University, Coach 
Jeffries became the only man to coach against legendary coaches Eddie 
Robinson of Grambling and Paul ``Bear'' Bryant of the Alabama. He left 
Wichita State University with a record of 21-32-2, ranking him third in 
university history for total wins.
  From 1984-1988 Coach Jeffries took over the program at Howard 
University, leading them to the first of his seven Mid-Eastern Athletic 
Conference--MEAC--Championships. In 1989 he returned to his alma matter 
to take his position as head coach for the South Carolina State 
University Bulldogs. Coach Jeffries finished out his career as the head 
coach of South Carolina State.
  During his time in coaching, he led his teams to numerous post-season 
appearances, six Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference--MEAC--titles, and two 
Black college national championships. Coach Jeffries won almost 60 
percent of the games he coached, and when he retired in 2001 he did so 
as the winningest coach in MEAC history with a 179-132-6 career record. 
In 2010, South Carolina State University further honored him by naming 
him Head Football Coach Emeritus by the University Board of Trustees.
  Throughout his career, Coach Jeffries was named coach of the year on 
eight different occasions. In 2002 he was awarded the lifetime 
achievement award by the Black Coaches Association. In addition to 
being an inductee of both the MEAC Hall of Fame and SCSU Athletic Hall 
of Fame, Jeffries was awarded the Order of the Silver Crescent in 2001. 
This is South Carolina's highest honor for Outstanding Community 
Service.
  Coach Jeffries success on the field is not only matched but exceeded 
by his actions off the field. He possesses a great spirit of optimism, 
humor, intellect, and decency that has made him a role model for all 
the young men he has coached and those of us who call him a friend.
  I ask that the U.S. Senate join me in honoring him for his impressive 
coaching career and newest honor as an inductee into the College 
Football Hall of Fame.

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