Temple University Athletics
WILLIE SLATER NAMED TEMPLE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
3.4.05 | Football
PHILADELPHIA - Willie Slater, the Owls' wide receivers coach in 2004, has been elevated to offensive coordinator it was announced today by Temple University head football coach Bobby Wallace. Slater has 27 seasons of coaching experience, including 24 years at the collegiate level. Fifteen were as an offensive coordinator.
"Willie has knowledge of our current system and possesses many years of experience and perspective as an offensive coordinator," said Wallace. "He directed our offense when we won three national championships at North Alabama and I trust his ability to engineer a successful offense with the elements we have in place here at Temple."
Last season, Temple passed for 2,428 yards, the fourth most in program history, largely due to the production of Slater's receiving corps.
Slater, who will also instruct quarterbacks, was named Temple's wide receivers coach on April 3, 2004. A five-time NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year, he has five Division II national championship rings.
Slater, 49, joined the Temple staff after having served as the offensive coordinator at Jacksonville State under Jack Crowe from 2000 to 2003. JSU won the Ohio Valley Conference title with a 7-1 (8-4 overall) record in 2003. Prior to his stay with the Gamecocks, he worked as offensive coordinator at North Alabama for eight years (1992-1999), including six seasons under Wallace (1992-1997). During his stay in Florence, Ala., the Lions qualified for the NCAA playoffs five times and won three consecutive national championships from 1993-95. Slater was named the Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year in each of UNA's title seasons. In 1993, North Alabama had the country's top rushing offense, gaining 317.5 yards per contest.
Slater's first full-time position at the collegiate level was at Troy State, where he served as running backs coach under Chan Gailey from 1983-84. In total, he spent eight seasons with Trojans, also working as quarterbacks and running backs coach under Rick Rhoades (1985-87) and offensive coordinator under Robert Maddox (1988-90). Troy State went to the playoffs three times during his tenure and won NCAA championships in 1984 and 1987. Slater was cited as the Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year in both of the team's title campaigns.
Slater began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, West Alabama, in 1978 and earned a bachelor of science degree in business education at the university in 1979. He also coached at the high school level, first at Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer, Ala. (1980) before moving to T.R. Miller High School in Brewton, Ala. (1981-82).
Slater was a four-year starter at quarterback for West Alabama, then called Livingston College, from 1974-77 and helped the Tigers to a third place finish in the 1975 NCAA Division II playoffs. He still ranks sixth in career rushing at the school with 1,582 yards and 20 touchdowns and is ninth in career total offense with 2,081 yards. His 90-yard run against Troy State in 1975 still stands as the longest run from scrimmage.
Slater is a 1974 graduate of Coffeeville (Ala.) High School, where he was a prep All-America quarterback and the Class IA State Most Valuable Player.
