Stillman Tigers football explained

Teamname:Stillman Tigers football
Stadium:Stillman Stadium
Location:Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Stadcapacity:9,000
Stadsurface:Natural Grass
Conference:SIAC
Firstyear:1999
Lastyear:2015
Atwins:90
Atlosses:84
Mascotdisplay:Tigers
Marchingband:Blue Pride Marching Band
Rivalries:Miles Golden Bears West Alabama

The Stillman Tigers football team represented Stillman College in the NCAA Division II, competing as part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference until 2015. Stillman played its home games at the 9,000 seat Stillman Stadium, which is located on-campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Although only fielding a team since the 1999 season, Stillman previously fielded a team that was disbanded following the 1950 season.[1] The program was discontinued after their 2015 season when the school eliminated all athletic teams, except for men's and women's basketball, due to increased costs associated with the athletic program.[2] [3]

History

Stillman originally fielded a football squad for the 1922 season, and would compete on and off through its abandonment following the 1950 season.[4] By 1999, the football program was revived and on September 4, 1999, the Tigers were defeated by Arkansas-Monticello 30–7 in the first Stillman game since 1950.[5] Competing as a Division III Independent though the 2003 season, Stillman would revive its rivalry game with Miles College in 2001 as the Steel City Classic.[6] The Tigers would enter the 2003 season as a Division II Independent, and compete as an Independent through the 2005 season when Stillman was admitted to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in football. Stillman College football discontinued after the fall season of 2015.[7]

Following the 2008 season, Greg Thompson was fired as head coach, and on December 3, 2008, L. C. Cole was announced as the program's third head coach since the reinstatement of the program in 1999.[8] In the 2009 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions drafted defensive tackle Sammie Hill, the first player from Stillman to be drafted. He is also the second to play in the NFL from Stillman after Brian Witherspoon was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2008.[9] Following the 2010 season, Cole was fired as head coach, and on December 3, 2010, Stillman alumnus Teddy Keaton was announced as the program's fourth and last head coach since the reinstatement of the program in 1999.[10] The program was discontinued after they completed their 2015 season.[2] [3]

Head coaches

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
1999–2005 7 39–28
2006–2008 3 16–16
2009–2010 2 7–15
2010–2015 5 27–26
Totals4 coaches1890–84

Notes and References

  1. News: Crenshaw Jr.. Solomon. The new game in town: Football's back at Stillman after 50-year hiatus. The Birmingham News. August 19, 1999.
  2. News: Stephenson. Creg. Stillman to drop football, all other sports except basketball. AL.com. December 3, 2015. April 4, 2017.
  3. News: Deas. Tommy. Stillman College to eliminate football program. The Tuscaloosa News. December 3, 2015. April 4, 2017.
  4. http://www.stillman.edu/stillman/sports/pdfdocs/FBpros.pdf Stillman College Tigers 2006 Football Preseason Prospectus
  5. News: Muro. Louis. Stillman celebrates return despite loss. The Birmingham News. September 5, 1999.
  6. News: Muro. Louis. Long time coming - After 51 years, Miles, Stillman meet again . The Birmingham News. September 28, 2001.
  7. News: Stillman College dropping football, other sports. ABC 33/40. December 3, 2015.
  8. News: Carroll. Andrew. L.C. Cole is Stillman Tigers’ new head football coach. The Tuscaloosa News. December 4, 2008.
  9. News: Walsh. Christopher. West Blocton’s Hill taken in fourth round by Lions. The Tuscaloosa News. April 27, 2009.
  10. News: Carroll. Andrew. Keaton enthusiastic about Stillman College job. December 8, 2010.