L. C. Cole
Lawrence "L. C." Cole (born January 3, 1956) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the defensive coordinator for Clark Atlanta University, a position he has held since 2024. He was the 18th head football coach at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee and he held that position for four seasons, from 1996 until 1999. His career coaching record at Tennessee State was 28–18.
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Defensive coordinator |
| Team | Clark Atlanta |
| Conference | SIAC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | January 3, 1956 Springfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1978–1979 | Nebraska |
| Position(s) | Defensive end |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1984–1985 | Ball State (assistant) |
| 1986–1987 | Kansas State (assistant) |
| 1988–1989 | Wisconsin (OLB) |
| 1990 | Toledo (RB) |
| 1991–1992 | Morgan State (DC) |
| 1993 | Eastern Michigan (assistant) |
| 1994–1995 | Cincinnati (RB) |
| 1996–1999 | Tennessee State |
| 2000–2002 | Alabama State |
| 2006–2007 | Sidney Lanier HS (AL) |
| 2008 | Texas Southern (DC) |
| 2009–2010 | Stillman |
| 2011 | Concordia (DC) |
| 2012–2013 | Wilcox Central HS (AL) |
| 2014 | Central High School (AL) (DC) |
| 2015–2016 | Fairfield HS (AL) |
| 2018–2019 | Loachapoka HS (AL) |
| 2020–2021 | Park Crossing HS (AL) |
| 2022–2023 | Allen (DC) |
| 2024–present | Clark Atlanta (DC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 41–48 (college; 14 wins vacated) |
| Tournaments | 0–2 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 OVC (1998–1999) | |
| Awards | |
| 2× OVC Coach of the Year (1998–1999) | |
After a successful, but controversial, stint as head coach at Alabama State University, Cole revived the storied football program at Montgomery, Alabama's Sidney Lanier High School; during Cole's two years at Lanier, the Poets won the City Championship each year, and they never lost to a city opponent. Lanier reached the state playoffs each year, making it to the quarterfinals in 2006. On December 3, 2008, Cole was announced as Stillman College's third head coach since the reinstatement of the program in 1999 in replacing Greg Thompson. Following the 2010 season, Cole was fired as head coach, and replaced with Stillman alumnus Teddy Keaton.