Iconic College Football Coach Dead At 93 Years Old originally appeared on The Spun.
An iconic college football coach who helped break the color barrier passed away this week.
He was 93 years old.
Bill Tate, a college football coach at Wake Forest, started to recruit Black players back in the South in 1964. He was asked by the school’s president before the season if that was something that he would be OK with. He didn’t hesitate.
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“The first thing he said to me is ‘What do you think about recruiting black athletes?’ I said, ‘I’m all for it,’” Tate said. “I played with black athletes at Illinois. That doesn’t bother me.”
Tate admitted that it was tough, though it was an incredibly important step for a big school in the South.
“That was not a pleasant experience. Wake Forest was the ideal school to do this because it was a small school,” Tate said. “It didn’t require a whole board of trustees to say I like this or don’t. It just took one person.”
WINSTON SALEM, NC – NOVEMBER 06: A general view of the Clemson Tigers versus Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at BB&T Field on November 6, 2014 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Wake Forest remains forever indebted.
“Hiring Coach Tate in 1964 remains a great moment in Wake Forest’s history,” said Dr. Gene Hooks, former Wake Forest Athletic Director.
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“His commitment to doing what was right, even when it was difficult, left an indelible mark,” said John Currie, Wake Forest’s current Director of Athletics.
Tate ended up passing away on Monday evening at the age of 93. He died at the Josie Harper Hospice House in the Omaha, Nebraska area.
Our thoughts are with his friends and family members following this difficult time.
Iconic College Football Coach Dead At 93 Years Old first appeared on The Spun on Jun 29, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.