July 19th 2023.
Aaron James is a true legend at Tuskegee University. During his four-year tenure as the Golden Tigers quarterback, he compiled an astonishing 42-5 record - the most wins in the school's history. Now, the university is honoring him by making him their new head coach.
James's close relationship with Reginald Ruffin, the school's athletic director, is what landed him the job. Ruffin spent eleven years as the head coach of Miles College, where James was his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for nine of those years. When Ruffin was leading the Golden Tigers to an 8-3 record and the SIAC championship last season, he named James the head coach in waiting.
At Wednesday's SIAC Media Day, Ruffin expressed how proud he was to have James as the leader of the football program. He said, "It's been tough, but any time you get an opportunity [to have] Aaron James becoming the leader of the head of the football program — Tuskegee alum, Tuskegee grad. All-world quarterback, won a lot of accolades as a quarterback. Was a winner. Been with me so long as at Miles College as my offensive coordinator/position coach — then elevate him up into a position of being a head coach, man, that means the world to me.”
At his introduction as the head coach, James admitted that the reality of it hadn't quite sunk in yet. He said, "Everything hasn’t soaked in yet. I guess when game day — opening game day… I guess the jitters and all of that will come into play." Nevertheless, he is not shying away from the expectations. As the winningest football program in HBCU history with 707 wins, James is determined to add to that total.
The Red Tails Classic against Fort Valley State on September 3rd is the first game James will have the chance to do so. Other notable games this season include the Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic on October 7th, and the Homecoming game against Edward Waters University on October 14th.
Tuskegee has been making facility upgrades to the Golden Tigers' home field, Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium. The team will now be playing on turf instead of grass, and the university is currently working on getting stadium lights so they can play night games. These additions will only serve to help the team on their journey to victory under James's leadership.
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