Clark Atlanta has fired legendary coach Willie Slater, the university announced Monday.
The Panthers are off to an 0-5 start to this season following a 34-24 loss to Lane College on Saturday. The 0-5 start comes on the heels of a 3-7 finish in 2022.
Slater came to CAU in 2022 after compiling a 123-47 mark from 2006-21 at Tuskegee University. His teams claimed five black national titles during that span.
Clark Atlanta last posted a winning season in 2008, and last won a conference title via a 4-way tie in 1991. CAU competes in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of Division II.
CAU's announcement stated that the decision came after "evaluation of unresolved challenges" and that (m)any opportunities to make impactful changes were explored with minimal success." No interim head coach was named.
The full release:
The decision comes after an evaluation of unresolved challenges that the CAU football team has experienced during the 2023 season. Many opportunities to make impactful changes were explored with minimal success. This decision was not made lightly, a great deal of time was spent in thought and in discussions with people who love our university, students, faculty, alumni, leadership, and Coach Slater.
We appreciate Coach Slater for his dedication and contributions to CAU’s football program. 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.
In the days ahead, the CAU Administration under the guidance of CAU Athletics and the leadership of Dr. Jerel Drew, the University’s Athletic Director, will announce the strategy for the remainder of this football season. The university encourages the CAU family to rally around our scholar athletes in our football program as well as the leadership team as they strategically plan for the remainder of the season. As always, the welfare of our students is paramount, and we will move forward expeditiously to make the necessary reforms.
Clark Atlanta is the oldest HBCU in the Southern United States, founded in 1865.
The Panthers visit Allen University on Saturday.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.