Tommy Tate

This article is about the football coach. For the singer, see Tommy Tate (musician).

Tommy Tate

Current position
Title	Athletic director, defensive coordinator
Team	Opelousas Catholic (LA)
Biographical details
Born	(1956-02-26) February 26, 1956 (age 68) Washington, Louisiana, U.S.
Playing career
1975–1978	McNeese State
Position(s)	Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1979–1999	McNeese State (assisant/DC)
2000–2006	McNeese State
2007–2011	Crowley HS (LA)
2011–2012	Rayne HS (LA) (assistant)
2013–oresent	Opelousas Catholic (LA) (DC)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2013–present	Opelousas Catholic (LA)
Head coaching record
Overall	49–26 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 SLC (2001–2003)
Awards
Eddie Robinson Award (2002) [1] SLC Coach of the Year (2003)

Thomas Tate (born February 26, 1956) is an American football coach and athletics administrator. He is the athletic director and defensive coordinator at Opelousas Catholic School in Opelousas, Louisiana, positions he has held since 2013. Tate served as the head football coach at McNeese State University from 2000 to 2006. He compiled a record of 49–26 led the McNeese State Cowboys to three consecutive Southland Conference titles, from 2001 to 2003. Tate was given the Eddie Robinson Award in 2002 as the coach of the year in NCAA Division I-AA, when he guided the Cowboys to a 13–2 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship, where his team finished as runners-up. Tate was fired in the middle of the 2006 season after the Cowboys started 1–3. ^[2] He was replaced by Matt Viator, who coached McNeese to a 6–2 record the rest of the way (finishing 7–5) and earned the school another Southland Conference title. ^[3]

Early life

Tate hails from Washington, Louisiana. He graduated from Port Barre High School in Point Barre in 1974.

Coaching career

Tate was an assistant coach at McNeese State for 21 seasons, from 1979 to 1999, serving under six head coaches: Ernie Duplechin, Hubert Boales, John McCann, Sonny Jackson, Bobby Keasler, and Kirby Bruchhaus. Tate was appointed as head coach in June 2000 after Bruchhaus resigned amid allegations that he had bet on professional and college football games. ^[4]

Head coaching record

College

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	TSN#	Coaches°
McNeese State Cowboys (Southland Conference)(2000–2006)
2000	McNeese State	8–4	5–2	T–2nd	L NCAA Division I-AA First Round	16	16
2001	McNeese State	8–4	5–1	T–1st	L NCAA Division I-AA First Round	13	13
2002	McNeese State	13–2	6–0	1st	L NCAA Division I-AA Championship	2	2
2003	McNeese State	10–2	5–0	1st	L NCAA Division I-AA First Round	8	7
2004	McNeese State	4–7	1–4	T–5th
2005	McNeese State	5–4	3–3	T–3rd
2006	McNeese State	1–3	0–0
McNeese State:		49–26	25–10
Total:		49–26
National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

References

1. "W. Ky. seeks revenge vs. McNeese". The News-Star . Monroe, Louisiana. December 20, 2002. p. 30. Retrieved September 25, 2020– via Newspapers.com .
2. "McNeese replaces coach". Omaha World-Herald. October 4, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
3. "MSU names Viator as head football coach". Daily World. November 14, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
4. Dodge, Tom (June 29, 2000). "Dedication pays off for McNeese's new coach". Daily World . Opelousas, Louisiana. p. 11. Retrieved September 22, 2020– via Newspapers.com .