Billy Joe

Bio

Billy Joe made the transition from a successful professional playing career to becoming one of the most highly decorated black college football coaches in history. After two seasons as an assistant coach, he got his first head coaching job at Cheyney State in 1972. He had a winning club that first season and stayed with the Wolves for six more years. Joe then honed his skills with two years as an assistant in the NFL before taking the head job at Central State (OH). There he turned the Marauders into a national black college power. In 13 years at CSU he had six seasons where he lost only one game. His second team made it to the NCAA Division II finals, the first of 11 consecutive playoff teams. In both 1990 and 1992 his teams won the NAIA national championship. In 1994, he moved to Florida A&M. Joe quickly built this program as well. His second team won a league title while his third went to the first of six straight playoff appearances with his 1999 team advancing to the national semi-finals. A year after his Hall of Fame election he returned to coaching for three years at Miles College. On the Black College level he won six national championships and is second to only Eddie Robinson on the all-time black coaching win list. Greatly respected by his peers, he served the American Football Coaches Association as both president and vice president.