DOUG WILLIAMS IS NAMED PERSONNEL EXECUTIVE WITH THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
February 13, 2004
GRAMBLING, La. – Grambling State head coach Doug Williams has been officially named the Personnel Executive with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This former Buccaneer quarterback returns to the organization where was introduced into the National Football League in 1978 after spending the previous six years at Grambling State. This transition was announced at a press conference which was held at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Complex in Tampa, Florida on Thursday afternoon.
Williams was very happy about returning to where he has started his professional career. “This is a great day for me to be able to come back to where I started. I started my professional career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a place that I have never forgotten. I want to thank the Glazer family, Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen for having the insight to give me an opportunity be a part of something that I think is great, and that is the Buccaneer family.”
Grambling State athletics director Albert Dennis was happy for Coach Williams although it was a sad day for the university. “I am happy for Doug, but it is unfortunate for the university although he has done a great job in helping to revive the program to the level of prominence it currently stands.”
“He means a lot to Grambling State football and to the university,” Dennis said. “I am certain that he is going to do well in Tampa.”
Senior quarterback Bruce Eugene was happy for Coach Williams although he was looking to finish out his college career under him. “It is a great move for Coach, I am happy for him. It is kinda sad for me because I was looking forward to being coached by him during my senior year.”
Williams, a first round draft pick by Tampa Bay in the 1978 National Football League Draft (17th overall) spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Grambling State. This Zachary, Louisiana native brought one of the most storied programs in college football history back to prominence by compiling a 52-18 record as the head coach after succeeding the legendary Eddie Robinson who was at the helm for 57 years from 1941 to 1997 and rewrote the record books as the winningest coach in the history of college football with 408 career wins.
The Tigers were named the National Black College Champions for three straight years from 2000 to 2002 which included three straight Southwestern Athletic Conference titles during this span. Williams was named the SWAC Coach-of-the-Year in each of those seasons along with being honored as Street and Smith’s Magazine Black College Coach-of-the-Year in 2000. He was a two-time finalist for The Sports Network’s Eddie Robinson (Division I-AA) National Coach-of-the-Year.
During his time as a starter at Tampa Bay from 1978 to 1982, Williams led the Buccaneers to their first three playoff appearances in team history (1979, 1981, 1982), including an appearance in the 1979 NFC Championship Game in just the fourth year of existence. He helped to guide the team to three winning seasons (10-6 in 1979), 9-7 in 1981 and 5-4 in 1982) the only campaigns in franchise history with a winning record until the 1997 season. Williams also guided Tampa Bay to hist first NFC Central title in 1981.
Williams still ranks among the leaders in Tampa Bay history in several major passing categories: second in touchdown passes (73), third in passing yards (12,648), third in pass attempts (1,890) and fourth in completions (895). He started in 67 career games for the Buccaneers while being a two time team Most Valuable Player in 1980 and 19811. He ended his career in 1982 as the franchise leader touchdown passes, passing yards, attempts and completions.
In 1986, Tampa Bay traded the NFL rights to Williams to the Washington Redskins for a 1987 fifth-round pick. The trade followed two seasons for him with the Oklahoma Outlaws of the United States Football League (USFL). Williams led the Redskins to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII following the 1987 season and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after he set or tied several Super Bowl passing records. The records are as follows: most touchdown passes (four), most passing yards (340), longest pass completion (80 yards) and longest touchdown pass (80 yards). He was the first black quarterback to ever start in a Super Bowl. Williams ended his professional career following the 1989 season with the Redskins.
Williams has gained a tremendous amount of experience at many levels, while starting his college head coaching career at Morehouse College in 1997. He also has previous NFL experience as a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and as an offensive coordinator for the Scottish Claymores of the World League in 1995 and tutored running backs for Navy in 1994. Williams also stood out on the high school level as both the head football coach at Point Coupee High School in New Roads, Louisiana in 1991 and in 1993, he was the head coach at Northeast High School in Zachary, Louisiana where he guided the team to a 13-1 record and the state semifinals.
While at Grambling State, Williams had a stellar career with the Tigers from 1974 to 1978 to say the least. After spending time as a backup early on during his freshman year at Grambling, he finally got his chance to start in which he wasted no time in leading the team to victory in the fifth game of the season with a 21-7 victory over Tennessee State. In his first year as a starter, he would help to lead the team to a 10-2 record en route to the both the 1974 SWAC Co-Championship and the National Black College Championship. The Tigers were Williams’ team from that point on as he would go on to start every game that he played at Grambling State. In his sophomore season as a full-time starter, he helped to lead the team to a 10-2 season en route to another National Black College Championship in 1975.
In his senior season of 1977, Williams’ passing statistics were staggering in which he would lead the Tigers to a 10-1 record en route to both the SWAC and National Black College Championships while earning SWAC Player of the Year and All-America honors. As a direct result of his efforts, this vaulted him to a fourth place finish in the Heisman Trophy race behind the University of Texas running back Earl Campbell. He was the first player from a Historically Black College to have been named to the Associated Press’ All-America team as a first team selection.
Williams has four children: Ashley, Adrian, Doug Jr. and Jasmine.
Peter G. Forest, Director
Athletic Media Relations
Grambling State University
phone: 318-274-6562
fax: 318-274-2761
GRAMBLING, La. – Grambling State head coach Doug Williams has been officially named the Personnel Executive with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This former Buccaneer quarterback returns to the organization where was introduced into the National Football League in 1978 after spending the previous six years at Grambling State. This transition was announced at a press conference which was held at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Complex in Tampa, Florida on Thursday afternoon.
Williams was very happy about returning to where he has started his professional career. “This is a great day for me to be able to come back to where I started. I started my professional career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a place that I have never forgotten. I want to thank the Glazer family, Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen for having the insight to give me an opportunity be a part of something that I think is great, and that is the Buccaneer family.”
Grambling State athletics director Albert Dennis was happy for Coach Williams although it was a sad day for the university. “I am happy for Doug, but it is unfortunate for the university although he has done a great job in helping to revive the program to the level of prominence it currently stands.”
“He means a lot to Grambling State football and to the university,” Dennis said. “I am certain that he is going to do well in Tampa.”
Senior quarterback Bruce Eugene was happy for Coach Williams although he was looking to finish out his college career under him. “It is a great move for Coach, I am happy for him. It is kinda sad for me because I was looking forward to being coached by him during my senior year.”
Williams, a first round draft pick by Tampa Bay in the 1978 National Football League Draft (17th overall) spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Grambling State. This Zachary, Louisiana native brought one of the most storied programs in college football history back to prominence by compiling a 52-18 record as the head coach after succeeding the legendary Eddie Robinson who was at the helm for 57 years from 1941 to 1997 and rewrote the record books as the winningest coach in the history of college football with 408 career wins.
The Tigers were named the National Black College Champions for three straight years from 2000 to 2002 which included three straight Southwestern Athletic Conference titles during this span. Williams was named the SWAC Coach-of-the-Year in each of those seasons along with being honored as Street and Smith’s Magazine Black College Coach-of-the-Year in 2000. He was a two-time finalist for The Sports Network’s Eddie Robinson (Division I-AA) National Coach-of-the-Year.
During his time as a starter at Tampa Bay from 1978 to 1982, Williams led the Buccaneers to their first three playoff appearances in team history (1979, 1981, 1982), including an appearance in the 1979 NFC Championship Game in just the fourth year of existence. He helped to guide the team to three winning seasons (10-6 in 1979), 9-7 in 1981 and 5-4 in 1982) the only campaigns in franchise history with a winning record until the 1997 season. Williams also guided Tampa Bay to hist first NFC Central title in 1981.
Williams still ranks among the leaders in Tampa Bay history in several major passing categories: second in touchdown passes (73), third in passing yards (12,648), third in pass attempts (1,890) and fourth in completions (895). He started in 67 career games for the Buccaneers while being a two time team Most Valuable Player in 1980 and 19811. He ended his career in 1982 as the franchise leader touchdown passes, passing yards, attempts and completions.
In 1986, Tampa Bay traded the NFL rights to Williams to the Washington Redskins for a 1987 fifth-round pick. The trade followed two seasons for him with the Oklahoma Outlaws of the United States Football League (USFL). Williams led the Redskins to a 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII following the 1987 season and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after he set or tied several Super Bowl passing records. The records are as follows: most touchdown passes (four), most passing yards (340), longest pass completion (80 yards) and longest touchdown pass (80 yards). He was the first black quarterback to ever start in a Super Bowl. Williams ended his professional career following the 1989 season with the Redskins.
Williams has gained a tremendous amount of experience at many levels, while starting his college head coaching career at Morehouse College in 1997. He also has previous NFL experience as a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and as an offensive coordinator for the Scottish Claymores of the World League in 1995 and tutored running backs for Navy in 1994. Williams also stood out on the high school level as both the head football coach at Point Coupee High School in New Roads, Louisiana in 1991 and in 1993, he was the head coach at Northeast High School in Zachary, Louisiana where he guided the team to a 13-1 record and the state semifinals.
While at Grambling State, Williams had a stellar career with the Tigers from 1974 to 1978 to say the least. After spending time as a backup early on during his freshman year at Grambling, he finally got his chance to start in which he wasted no time in leading the team to victory in the fifth game of the season with a 21-7 victory over Tennessee State. In his first year as a starter, he would help to lead the team to a 10-2 record en route to the both the 1974 SWAC Co-Championship and the National Black College Championship. The Tigers were Williams’ team from that point on as he would go on to start every game that he played at Grambling State. In his sophomore season as a full-time starter, he helped to lead the team to a 10-2 season en route to another National Black College Championship in 1975.
In his senior season of 1977, Williams’ passing statistics were staggering in which he would lead the Tigers to a 10-1 record en route to both the SWAC and National Black College Championships while earning SWAC Player of the Year and All-America honors. As a direct result of his efforts, this vaulted him to a fourth place finish in the Heisman Trophy race behind the University of Texas running back Earl Campbell. He was the first player from a Historically Black College to have been named to the Associated Press’ All-America team as a first team selection.
Williams has four children: Ashley, Adrian, Doug Jr. and Jasmine.
Peter G. Forest, Director
Athletic Media Relations
Grambling State University
phone: 318-274-6562
fax: 318-274-2761
posted by Don @ 2/13/2004 05:13:00 PM
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