James Williams (American football coach)
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Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 6, 1923 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | August 8, 1999 (aged 76) Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1942 | Florida A&M |
| 1946–1948 | Florida A&M |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1949–1965 | Don Thompson Vocational / Blake HS (FL) |
| 1966 | Southern (assistant) |
| 1969 | Blake HS (FL) (assistant) |
| 1970–1971 | Tampa (assistant) |
| 1972–1973 | Florida A&M |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 10–12 (college) 88–11–3 (high school) |
| Bowls | 2–0 |
James "Big Jim" Williams (January 6, 1923 – August 8, 1999) was an American high school and college football coach. He served as the head football coach at Don Thompson Vocational/Blake High School in Tampa, Florida from 1949 to 1965 and for Florida A&M University (FAMU) from 1972 to 1973.
A native of Tampa, Florida, Williams attended George S. Middleton High School where he was a part of two state football championships.[1] After he graduated, Williams attened Florida A&M and was the only freshman to start on their 1942 team.[2] He subsequently left A&M and served in the Army, predominantly in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, before he returned to A&M in 1946.[1] From 1946 to 1948, Williams started at quarterback for the Rattlers and led them to an overall record of 23–7–1 and three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships.[2]
After he graduated from A&M, Williams was hired as head coach at Don Thompson Vocational High School (which subsequently became Howard W. Blake High School).[1] As head coach, he led the school to an overall record of 88–11–3 and Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association championships in 1962 and 1964.[3] He resigned from Blake in May 1966 and took a job as an assistant coach at Southern for their 1966 team.[4]
Williams returned to Tampa during the 1967 Tampa riots to help ease tensions and remained out of coaching for the subsequent two years.[3] He returned to coaching as an assistant coach back at Blake for their 1969 season and help lead them to a state championship.[5] After he served as an assistant at Tampa in 1970 and 1971, Williams was hired as head coach at Florida A&M.[2][3] After a pair of losing seasons with the Rattlers, Williams was fired in April 1974 after he did not resign at the request of the University preseident in the previous March.[6]
After he left A&M, Williams returned to Tampa and worked for Hillsborough County Public Schools. He died on August 8, 1999.[7]