Stillman Tigers football

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.[2] 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.[3][4]

Stillman Tigers football
First season1999
Last season2015
StadiumStillman Stadium
(capacity: 9,000)
Field surfaceNatural Grass
LocationTuscaloosa, Alabama
ConferenceSIAC
All-time record90–84 (.517)
RivalriesMiles Golden Bears West Alabama
ColorsNavy blue and Vegas gold[1]
   
MascotTigers
Marching bandBlue Pride Marching Band

History

Stillman originally fielded a football squad for the 1922 season, and would compete on and off through its abandonment following the 1950 season.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] The program was discontinued after they completed their 2015 season.[3][4]

Seasons
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Stillman Tigers (Division III Independent) (1999–2002)
1999 Theophilus Danzy 3–6Independent
2000 Theophilus Danzy 6–3Independent
2001 Theophilus Danzy 6–3Independent
2002 Theophilus Danzy 8–2Independent
Stillman Tigers (Division II Independent) (2003–2004)
2003 Theophilus Danzy 5–5Independent
2004 Theophilus Danzy 5–5Independent
Stillman Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (2005–2015)
2005 Theophilus Danzy 6–4SIAC4th
2006 Greg Thompson 6–4SIACT–4th
2007 Greg Thompson 7–4SIACT–5th
2008 Greg Thompson 3–8SIAC8th
2009 L. C. Cole 4–7SIAC9th
2010 L. C. Cole 3–8SIAC9th
2011 Teddy Keaton 7–4SIACT–1st (West)
2012 Teddy Keaton 6–5SIAC3rd (West)
2013 Teddy Keaton 6–5SIACT–2nd (West)
2014 Teddy Keaton 6–5SIAC3rd (West)
2015 Teddy Keaton 3–6SIACT–4th (West)
Total:90–84
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Head coaches
Tenure Coach Years Record Pct.
1999–2005Theophilus Danzy739–28.582
2006–2008Greg Thompson316–16.500
2009–2010L. C. Cole27–15.318
2010–2015Teddy Keaton527–26.509
Totals 4 coaches 18 90–84 .517

References
  1. "About Stillman Athletics". Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  2. Crenshaw Jr., Solomon (August 19, 1999). "The new game in town: Football's back at Stillman after 50-year hiatus". The Birmingham News.
  3. Stephenson, Creg (December 3, 2015). "Stillman to drop football, all other sports except basketball". AL.com. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  4. Deas, Tommy (December 3, 2015). "Stillman College to eliminate football program". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  5. Stillman College Tigers 2006 Football Preseason Prospectus "Football History," Stillman College, 2006. p. 3. Accessed 2008-12-29
  6. Muro, Louis (September 5, 1999). "Stillman celebrates return despite loss". The Birmingham News.
  7. Muro, Louis (September 28, 2001). "Long time coming - After 51 years, Miles, Stillman meet again". The Birmingham News.
  8. "Stillman College dropping football, other sports". ABC 33/40. December 3, 2015.
  9. Carroll, Andrew (December 4, 2008). "L.C. Cole is Stillman Tigers' new head football coach". The Tuscaloosa News.
  10. Walsh, Christopher (April 27, 2009). "West Blocton's Hill taken in fourth round by Lions". The Tuscaloosa News.
  11. Carroll, Andrew (December 8, 2010). "Keaton enthusiastic about Stillman College job".
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