Wade Lang announced his retirement Tuesday after 33 years as a Wofford assistant and the past 31 as the Terriers' offensive coordinator.
A 1983 Wofford graduate and the team's leader in receiving yards as a junior and a senior out of his wingback position, Lang spent his first five years coaching as an assistant at East Tennessee State.
He returned to his alma mater in 1988 when Mike Ayers, an assistant during Lang's playing days, became the head coach and never left. Elevated to offensive coordinator two years later, Lang became a one-man institution as the keeper of Wofford's famed triple option offense.
"When I came to Wofford there was this branding about the 'quintessential' liberal arts education… well, is quintessential Wofford," said All-American fullback Eric Breitenstein. "He could tell you what play Wofford ran to go ahead of Montana in the 2007 playoffs, he could tell you the defense Samford played to hold us to 10 points in 2010 - in fact, I bet he could do this from any big moment over the course of his 35 + year career as a player and a coach. But he can also tell you how many steps it takes to get from his office to the faculty dining room. The man is an absolute genius, a fantastic man, a world class coach and has given his life to Wofford. I am proud to say I played for him, proud to have gotten to know him, and wish him best in whatever comes next."
The Terriers have led the Southern Conference in rushing 22 of the past 24 seasons and ranked among the top 10 in the FCS for 24 straight seasons, led by a high water mark campaign of 364.58 yards per game in 2011, the most in the nation in that season.
Lang helped Wofford reach the playoffs a dozen times, two in Division II and 10 in FCS, including the last four straight. The school of less than 2,000 students in Spartanburg, S.C., reached the FCS semifinals in 2003 and the quarterfinals in 2007, '10, '12, '16 and '17.
Along the way, Lang coached over 20 All-Americans, five Academic All-Americans, 150 All-SoCon players, two SoCon freshmen of the year and two SoCon players of the year.
"I have the greatest respect for Coach Lang as a man and as a coach," head coach Josh Conklin said. "Wade is a difference maker. He is the definition of a professional. When I was hired in 2018 I wanted Wade to be part of our transition. He did it with loyalty, respect, and the highest of character. Year in and year out his offenses demonstrated a level of excellence that most coordinators could only dream of accomplishing. Wofford College was blessed to have him for 33 years. As he transitions to retirement, we wish him and Cheryl nothing but the best."