SC State Adds Coach Willie Jeffries' Name to Stadium Turf

ORANGEBURG, SC - SC State upgrades the stadium turf inside Oliver C Dawson Stadium. Between the 35-yard lines on the home side will now showcase the name of retired Hall of Fame football coach Willie E. Jeffries.

In addition to today's installation, Jeffries' name also sits on the skyboxes behind the home bleachers underneath the stadium name, leaving no doubt about where the action is happening on the gridiron.

The label will now be front and center for the home crowd and the TV cameras when the Bulldogs are in action.

The Bulldogs' home opener is slated for Sept. 23 against The Citadel at 6 pm. You can also catch the Bulldogs at home on Oct. 7, Oct 14, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, and Nov. 11.

The season kicks off on Aug. 26 against Jackson State in Atlanta, Georgia.

About Coach Willie E. Jeffries

Jeffries was the head football coach at SC State in two separate tenures for a total of 19 years. He began his SC State career in 1973, completing an impressive 50-13-4 record in six seasons.

He joined Wichita State University in 1979, becoming the first African American head football coach in Division I football. His 29-year collegiate head-coaching career also included a five-year tenure at Howard University.

In 1989, Jeffries returned for his second tenure with the Bulldogs. He served as SC State athletic director in 1990 and 1991. He retired following the 2001 campaign and remained at SC State as director of athletic fundraising.

In May 2010, he was enshrined in the National Football College Hall of Fame. He also is in the SC State Athletic Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, the MEAC Hall of Fame, and the Black College Sports Hall of Fame, alongside numerous other halls of fame and awards.

A native of Union, South Carolina, Jeffries earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from SC State. Additionally, he studied at Indiana University.