Photo credit: Raymond Woodie, Jr., LinkedIn Page (Florida State University)
After promising to hire a new head coach before the end of the week, Bethune-Cookman University delivered on its promise and hired alum Raymond Woodie, Jr., as its next head coach.
According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Wildcats agreed to hire the veteran assistant and B-CU alum who formerly starred for the Wildcats from 1992 to 1995. Since 2020, Woodie has worked with Florida Atlantic as an associate head coach, outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator under coach Willie Taggart, who was fired on November 26.
“Grateful, thankful and blessed to announce that I will be returning to my alma mater to serve as the next head football coach at Bethune-Cookman University,” said Woodie via Facebook before he deleted it.
“I look forward to bringing a winning culture back to the city. Winning on and off the field are my top priorities for our team. I know we have work to do, and I hope that Wildcat Nation will be behind us!”
Prior to the hiring of Woodie, Dr. Lawrence Drake, interim president of Bethune-Cookman University, said he was days away from naming a new head football coach and had plans to address student concerns.
“Several adjustments were made to ensure our next coach is the best fit for our university. I recently met with student leaders to ensure that we addressed their concerns and answered each question as honestly as possible,” Drake said via a press release. “We’ve also added a football player representative to our search committee to give the team an active voice in choosing our next head football coach.”
According to Bethune-Cookman, the university previously had a preliminary agreement with a well-known retired NFL player, but both sides were unable to come to terms.
Drake said university leaders are committed to revitalizing the athletics program, along with facilities at the historic campus in the coastal city.
“The last several days have delivered major challenges to our university, our athletes and all who love Bethune-Cookman University,” he said. “These moments have also presented us with significant opportunities to address long-standing campus needs and revamp our prized athletic program.”
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
