Clark Atlanta announced a change in the leadership of its football program.
Coach Willie Slater was relieved of his duties by the university Monday. In a statement released by the school, the decision to move on from Slater ‘comes after an evaluation of unresolved challenges that the CAU football team has experienced during the 2023 season.’
A replacement has not been named for Slater, the former Tuskegee coach whose hiring at Clark Atlanta was made with much fanfare in February of 2022.
“We appreciate Coach Slater for his dedication and contributions to CAU’s football program,” the statement continued. “There is no doubt that Coach Slater has had a tremendous impact on our institution, and we are grateful to him for his support and hard work during his tenure. However, as a university, we have an obligation to provide the best opportunities possible for our students which is the basis of the decision.
Slater was 3-12 in a season and a half at Clark Atlanta. Previously, he won 123 games from 2006-21 at Tuskegee and guided the most dominant program in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The Golden Tigers were 86-19 in conference play under Slater and won seven SIAC championships.
The 2007 squad was named HBCU national champions with a 12-0 record.
“I’m excited about being at Clark Atlanta University,” Slater said in a statement from his 2022 hiring announcement. “It’s exciting coming to a program where I think we can and will be a very good team inside and outside of our conference.”
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