Willie Slater, who built the Tuskegee football team into a black college national power over the past two decades, was hired as the new coach at Clark Atlanta.
Slater replaces Tim Bowens, who was relieved of his duties by athletic director Lin Dawson in November. Bowens coached the Panthers for two seasons, compiling a 2-18 record. The team was 2-8 in 2021 and 0-10 in Bowens’ debut season of 2019. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Clark Atlanta did not play in the 2020 season.
“We are excited to have Willie Slater as part of the Clark Atlanta University football family,” athletic director J. Lin Dawson said in a statement. “In 42 years of coaching, coach Slater has been the standard for excellence and winning football.
In Slater, the Panthers have a coach who 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. “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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