Johnnie Cole

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Johnnie Cole
Playing career
1982–1985 Texas Southern
Position(s) Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1986–1991Texas Southern (QB/WR)
1992 Southwestern (KS) (OC/asst. HC)
1993–1994 Southern (WR)
1995 Hamburg Blue Devils (DC)
1995 Cincinnati (asst.)
1996–1998 Tennessee State (OC)
2000–2003 Alabama State (OC)
2004 Arizona Western (WR)
2005–2007 Lane
2008–2010 Texas Southern
2011 Fort Scott CC (OC/asst. HC)
2013–2015 Eastern Hills HS (TX) (asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall34–32
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SWAC (2010)
1 SWAC West Division (2010) (vacated)

Johnnie N. Cole [1] is a former American football player and coach. He had been a high school and college football coach from 1986 to 2015, including as the head football coach at Lane College from 2005 to 2007 and at Texas Southern University from 2008 to 2010.

Contents

He had a career college football coaching record of 34–32. However, Cole had a history of ethical issues, resulting in 27 of his wins as a head coach being vacated and him being dismissed from multiple schools.

Early life and education

Cole graduated from Dunbar High School in Dayton, Ohio. [2] He then attended Texas Southern University, playing at quarterback for the Texas Southern Tigers football team from 1982 to 1985 and graduating in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. [3]

Coaching career

Assistant coach (1986–2004)

From 1986 to 1991, Cole was an assistant quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at Texas Southern. Then in 1992, Cole was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for Southwestern College in Kansas. [4] Returning to the NCAA Division I level, Cole was wide receivers coach for Southern in 1993 and 1994. [4]

In his first professional level job, Cole became defensive coordinator for the Hamburg Blue Devils of the Football League of Europe in 1995. [4] Later in 1995, Cole returned to college coaching as an assistant coach at Cincinnati. [4]

From 1996 to 1998, Cole was offensive coordinator at Tennessee State, under head coach and older brother L. C. Cole. [4] [5] Under Cole's direction, the Tennessee State offense led every offensive statistic in the Ohio Valley Conference in a 9–3 season. [4] However, following an NCAA investigation over rule violations related to scholarships and recruiting, Cole was reassigned to the Tennessee State division of student affairs in June 1999. [2] [6]

In 2000, Johnnie Cole followed L. C. Alabama State. From 2000 to 2003, Johnnie was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach under L. C. Another NCAA ethics violation followed. After an internal investigation by Alabama State found inappropriate recruiting methods, such as hiring strippers, both Cole brothers and another assistant were fired. [2]

Johnnie Cole was wide receivers coach at Arizona Western College in 2004. [3]

Lane (2005–2007)

From 2005 to 2007, Cole was head coach at Lane College, an NCAA Division II school in Jackson, Tennessee. After going 0–10 in his first season, Cole led Lane to an 8–3 record in 2006, followed by a 7–3 season in 2007. [7] However, all eight wins in 2006 were vacated due to the NCAA finding a lack of institutional control in the entire Lane athletics department. [2] [8]

Texas Southern (2008–2010)

On December 1, 2007, Cole returned to Texas Southern to become head coach. [3] Inheriting a team that went 0–11 in 2007, Cole led Texas Southern to two straight winning seasons in 2009 and 2010. [9] The 2010 Texas Southern team finished 9–3 with the first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 1968. [10]

However, Texas Southern fired Cole on April 1, 2011. [10] In 2012, the NCAA released a report finding numerous ethics violations in Texas Southern football under Cole, such as participation by academically ineligible student-athletes and inappropriate recruiting assistance from a donor. Based on these findings, the NCAA issued a show-cause penalty banning Cole from employment at any NCAA member school for three years, and Texas Southern vacated wins in multiple sports, including all football wins under Cole. The NCAA upheld its decision in 2013 following an appeal. [11] [12]

Later career

In 2011, Cole was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Fort Scott Community College. [2]

From 2013 to 2016, Cole was a physical education teacher and assistant football coach at Eastern Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas. [2] [13]

In 2016, an internal investigation by the Fort Worth Independent School District recommended that Cole be fired after finding evidence that he had an inappropriate relationship with a student, despite the student recanting her allegations. The FWISD school board voted 5–3, however, not to terminate Cole, so the district reassigned Cole to an off-campus athletics administrative position that does not involve interaction with students. [13]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Lane Dragons (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)(2005–2006)
2005 Lane0–100–910th
2006 Lane8–3 [a] 5–2 [a] 3rd
2007 Lane7–34–3T–4th
Lane:15–16 [a] 9–14 [a]
Texas Southern Tigers (Southwestern Athletic Conference)(2008–2010)
2008 Texas Southern 4–8 [b] 1–6 [b] 5th (West)
2009 Texas Southern 6–5 [b] 5–2 [b] 3rd (West)
2010 Texas Southern 9–3 [b] 8–1 [b] T–1st (West)
Texas Southern:19–16 [b] 14–9 [b]
Total:34–32
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 As a result of NCAA sanctions over findings of lack of institutional control, all eight wins in 2006, including five conference wins, were vacated. [2] [8]
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Due to NCAA sanctions finding extensive rule violations, all 19 Texas Southern wins from 2008 to 2010 were vacated. [11] [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Nutt</span> American football player and coach (born 1957)

Houston Dale Nutt Jr. is an American former college football coach and player. He formerly worked for CBS Sports as a college football studio analyst. Previously, he served as the head football coach at Murray State University (1993–1996), Boise State University (1997), the University of Arkansas (1998–2007), and the University of Mississippi (2008–2011). Nutt's all-time career winning percentage is just under 59 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Stoops</span> American football player and coach (born 1960)

Robert Anthony Stoops is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League (UFL). He was the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1999 through the 2016 season, and on an interim basis during the 2021 Alamo Bowl. He led the Oklahoma Sooners to a record of 191–48 over his career. His 2000 Oklahoma Sooners football team won the 2001 Orange Bowl, which served as the BCS National Championship Game, and earned a consensus national championship. Since 2020, Stoops has been a head coach with the XFL, coaching the Renegades in 2020 and has been re-signed for 2023. Stoops' Renegades won the XFL Championship in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Neuheisel</span> American football analyst, coach, player, and attorney (born 1961)

Richard Gerald Neuheisel Jr. is an American football analyst, coach, and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Colorado Boulder from 1995 to 1999, at the University of Washington from 1999 to 2002, and at his alma mater, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), from 2008 to 2011, compiling a career college football coaching record of 87–59. From 2005 to 2007, Neuheisel was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL), as quarterbacks coach for two seasons and offensive coordinator for one. He formerly served as head coach for the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) before the collapse of the league. Before coaching, Neuheisel played quarterback for the UCLA Bruins from 1980 to 1983, then spent two seasons with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the United States Football League (USFL) before splitting the 1987 NFL season between the San Diego Chargers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Sarkisian</span> American football player and coach (born 1974)

Stephen Sarkisian is an American football coach and former player who is the head football coach at the University of Texas at Austin. He previously was the head football coach at the University of Washington from 2009 to 2013 and the University of Southern California (USC) from 2014 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Franchione</span> American football coach (born 1951)

Dennis Wayne Franchione is a former American college football coach. He is the former head football coach at Texas State University, a position he held from 1990 to 1991, when the school was known as Southwest Texas State University, and resumed from 2011 to 2015. Franchione has also served as the head football coach at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas (1981–1982), Pittsburg State University (1985–1989), the University of New Mexico (1992–1997), Texas Christian University (1998–2000), the University of Alabama (2001–2002), and Texas A&M University (2003–2007). In his 27 seasons as a head coach in college football, Franchione won eight conference championships and one divisional crown.

Mike Shula is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the South Carolina Gamecocks. He played college football as a quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was the school's head coach from 2003 to 2006. He was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 1999, the Carolina Panthers from 2013 to 2017, and the New York Giants from 2018 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lane Kiffin</span> American football coach (born 1975)

Lane Monte Kiffin is an American football coach who is the head coach at Ole Miss. Kiffin was the offensive coordinator at USC from 2005 to 2006, head coach of the National Football League's Oakland Raiders from 2007 to 2008, head coach at the University of Tennessee in 2009, and at USC from 2010 to 2013. He was the youngest head coach in modern NFL history at the time when he joined the Raiders, and, for a time, was the youngest head coach of a BCS Conference team in college football. Kiffin was the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama from 2014 until 2016, when he was hired to be the head coach at Florida Atlantic, a position he held until December 2019, when he became the head coach at Ole Miss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 NCAA Division I-A football season</span> American college football season

The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season was the highest level of college football competition in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The regular season began on September 1, 2005 and ended on December 3, 2005. The postseason concluded on January 4, 2006 with the Rose Bowl, which served as the season's BCS National Championship Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tee Martin</span> American football player and coach (born 1978)

Tamaurice Nigel "Tee" Martin is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee, University of Southern California, University of Kentucky, University of New Mexico, North Atlanta HS, North Cobb HS, and Morehouse College.

Lester Watson Brown is an American retired college football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at Tennessee Technological University, a position he held from 2007 to 2015. Previously, Brown served as the head coach at Austin Peay State University (1979–1980), the University of Cincinnati (1983), Rice University (1984–1985), Vanderbilt University (1986–1990), and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1995–2006). He was also the athletic director at Rice from 1984 to 1985 and at UAB from 2002 to 2005. Brown played college football as a quarterback at Vanderbilt. He is the older brother of Mack Brown, the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Malzahn</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Arthur Gustavo Malzahn III is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator at Florida State. He was the head coach at the University of Central Florida (UCF) from 2021 to 2024, Auburn University from 2013 to 2020, and Arkansas State in 2012. He also served as offensive coordinator at Auburn from 2009 to 2011; in that role, he helped lead the 2010 Auburn Tigers to a national championship victory. As head coach at Auburn, he led the team to a SEC Championship win and an appearance in the 2014 National Championship. Malzahn has coached Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and two Heisman candidates: Nick Marshall and Tre Mason, including coaching 14 All-Americans. During Malzahn's tenure at Auburn, he was the second-longest tenured head coach at one school in the SEC, behind Nick Saban.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas State Red Wolves football</span> Football team representing Arkansas State University

The Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represents Arkansas State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football competition. The team was founded in 1911 and has competed as a member of the Sun Belt Conference since 2001. Their home field is Centennial Bank Stadium and the head coach is Butch Jones.

Lawrence "L. C." Cole is an American college football coach and former player. He is the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for Clark Atlanta University, positions he has held since 2024. He was the head football coach for Tennessee State University from 1996 to 1999, Alabama State University to 2000 to 2002, Sidney Lanier High School from 2006 to 2007, Stillman College from 2009 to 2010, Wilcox Central High School from 2012 to 2013, Fairfield High Preparatory School from 2015 to 2016, Loachapoka High School from 2018 to 2019, and Park Crossing High School from 2020 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Freeze</span> American football coach (born 1969)

Danny Hugh Freeze Jr. is an American college football coach. Since 2023, he has served as the head coach for Auburn University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Hudspeth</span> American football player and coach (born 1968)

Mark Douglas Hudspeth is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Gulf Shores High School in Gulf Shores, Alabama, a position he has held since 2021. Hudspeth served as the head football coach at the University of North Alabama from 2002 to 2008, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 2011 to 2017, and Austin Peay State University in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Chaney</span> American football coach (born 1962)

James Allen Chaney is an American football coach and former player. He is the offensive coordinator for Georgia State University, a position he has held since 2024. He previously served as an offensive analyst for the Texas A&M Aggies. Chaney previously served as the offensive coordinator for the University of Georgia from 2016 to 2018. Chaney also served as the offensive coordinator at University of Arkansas from 2013 to 2014 and University of Tennessee from 2009 to 2012, assuming the role of interim head coach for the final game of the 2012 season after Derek Dooley was fired. He was also the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee from 2019 to 2020, under Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Pruitt</span> American football player and coach (born 1974)

Jeremy Pruitt is an American football coach who most recently was a senior defensive assistant for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach at the University of Tennessee from 2018 to 2020 and defensive coordinator at the University of Alabama from 2016 to 2017, University of Georgia from 2014 to 2015, and Florida State University in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Tennessee Volunteers football</span>

The Tennessee Volunteers football team represents the University of Tennessee in American football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Luke (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Matthew Barham Luke is an American football coach and former player who is currently the offensive line coach at Clemson University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherrone Moore</span> American football player and coach (born 1986)

Sherrone Banfield Moore is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach for the University of Michigan. Moore served as Michigan's acting head coach in four games during the national championship-winning 2023 season. He succeeded Jim Harbaugh as head coach in 2024.

References

  1. Texas Southern University Graduate Catalog, 2008-2010 (PDF). Texas Southern University. 2008. p. 5. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The coaching career of Johnnie Cole". Knight Lab. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Johnnie Cole". Texas Southern University. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Alabama State University Football Coaching Staff". Alabama State University. Archived from the original on August 27, 2001. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  5. 1996 Football Media Guide. Eastern Kentucky University. 1996. p. 46. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  6. Pulle, Matt (April 20, 2000). "Tiger Bait - What's wrong with TSU's once-proud athletics program?". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 29, 2025 via Newsbank.
  7. "NCAA Statistics: Lane, Football". NCAA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  8. 1 2 "NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions Penalizes Lane College". NCAA. February 27, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  9. "NCAA Statistics: Texas Southern, Football". NCAA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Turner, Ronnie (April 1, 2011). "TSU fires football coach Johnnie Cole ahead of report". Houston Chronicle . chron.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Eder, Steve (October 10, 2012). "Texas Southern Is Penalized By the N.C.A.A." The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  12. 1 2 Associated Press (May 21, 2013). "Johnnie Cole's show cause upheld". ESPN. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  13. 1 2 Smith, Diane (October 28, 2016). "Despite attempts to fire him, Fort Worth coach remains on the job" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2025.