Updating the news in the firing of Doug Williams as head football coach at Grambling; the university issued a press release announcing running backs coach George Ragsdale as interim head coach.
Ragsdale has coached in the SWAC and MEAC, including coaching at North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University, Morris Brown College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He was a four-year letterman at A&T, his alma mater, and he still holds the school’s all-time rushing record and he helped the school reach its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship in 1975. Ragsdale played with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Redskins. He also played in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Oklahoma Outlaws.
According to a report at TheNewsStar.com, Williams was called to the office of GSU President Frank Pogue Wednesday morning and informed at that time “the school was going in a different direction.”
Williams returned to Grambling for his second stint as head coach in February 2011. That year he led the Tigers to an 8-4 record and a SWAC championship title after beginning the season 1-4. The following year, Grambling ended the season with a disappointing 1-10 record which included going 0-9 in conference play. The Tigers are currently 0-2 with losses to Alabama A&M and FBS member Lousiana-Monroe.
The university’s release also announced that the school plans to buy out the remainder of William’s contract. Williams had agreed to a three-year contract in 2012 that would pay him a salary of $225,000 a year plus incentives.
Grambling needs to hire Eric J. Dooley as the New Head Coach for the new season of 2014. He can do the job and make Gram what it use to be.