DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Football third year head coach Terry Sims announced changes to the B-CU Football staff on Monday, Jan. 30. The changes include the addition of two coaches, as well as three coaches changing positions/titles. Greg Ruffin will join the Wildcats as the new tight ends coach, while former Bethune-Cookman standout Allen Suber returns to the coaching staff as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and associate head coach.
“We made some necessary changes on our staff recently, and they were needed in order for us to continuing moving forward,” said Sims, the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. “It was necessary to continue to mold and build these young men in this program. And needed in order to continue playing at the pace that we need in order to win a conference championship.”
A 1995 graduate of Lane College (Tenn.), Greg Ruffin is no stranger to the collegiate coaching ranks. He has been a head coach at three institutions on the Division II level of athletics, and been a consistent and aggressive recruiter that has brought positive results everywhere in which he has served.[lasso align=”right” cart=”y” identifier=”B00BI3MRNG” locale=”US” nw=”y” tag=”hbcusports-20″ ref=”amzn-college-flags-and-banners-co-bethune-cookman-bcu-wildcats-flag” type=”single” id=”71856″ link_id=”5297″]
Most recently, he served as head coach at Texas College before his arrival to Daytona Beach. However, prior to his stint at Texas College, Ruffin was head coach for Paine College in the school’s resurgence of football in 2013, after the program was dormant for more than 50 years. He served in that capacity for one season before the program was eventually suspended due to financial troubles at the college.
Ruffin also spent time in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) at a pair of schools, most recently Texas Southern. With the TSU program, he served as the recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach during the 2012 campaign. Prior to TSU, he served six seasons at Jackson State, helping the Tigers win the 2007 SWAC title and collect a runner-up finish in 2009. In his duties at JSU, Ruffin served as the recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. Ruffin came to JSU from Tuskegee where he served as running backs coach under Rick Comegy, who ultimately accepted the head coaching position at JSU and brought Ruffin along with him.
“Greg Ruffin brings a great wealth of knowledge of the game, of offense and just of running quality programs,” commented Sims. “I think he will certainly help us out in those areas, and I think he will definitely add some fire to us in the area of recruiting as well.”
For the first time since 2012, Bethune-Cookman has a new offensive coordinator. Following the 2016 season, veteran coach and offensive coordinator Jim Pry announced his plans for retirement. After spending two years as receivers coach at Alabama State, Allen Suber – second all-time in Bethune-Cookman history for career rushing yards (2,897) and fifth in passing yards (4,917), returns to his alma mater as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Suber, an All-MEAC performer under center for the Wildcats from 2000-03, was the 2002 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, while helping the Wildcats to the 2002 MEAC title – the first of its kind for the Maroon and Gold since 1988.
While at Alabama State, Suber helped the Hornets receivers in a variety of areas. In 2016, the receiving core amassed 1,824 yards through the air, while the duo of Willis White (36 rec., 337 yds.) and Nygel Lee (26 rec., 357 yds.) finished in the top 15 of the SWAC in receptions per game. White would go on to finish 10th in the league in that category. The Tampa native and former professional footballer is no stranger to life as an offensive coordinator, having served in that area at Treasure Coast High School from 2008-09.
He also served as an offensive coordinator for the HBCU All-Star Game (HBCU Spirit of America Bowl) in January 2017.
“Allen Suber possesses a great offensive mind; is very energetic; and a very detail-oriented football coach,” expressed Sims. “He is a guy that I think is ready to take the reins of an offense and go. I am excited to have him here, and excited to have an opportunity to work with him.”
Other changes for the Wildcats include assistant coach Aashon Larkins being named recruiting coordinator, in addition to his duties as special teams coordinator. Assistant coach Lawal McCray will oversee the offensive line after serving as tight ends coach the previous two seasons under Sims, and additionally serve as run game coordinator for the Wildcats. Lastly, Charles “Yogi” Jones moves to Assistant Head Coach, while continuing to serve as the program’s defensive coordinator.
“It is a great feeling to finally have everyone in and for the staff to be complete,” ended Sims. “They are meeting. They are putting plans together for spring practice. And they are continuing to get us ready for the 2017 football season here at Bethune-Cookman University.”
Courtesy: B-CU Athletics
