Written by Jessica Boyd
The Texas Tech University Raiders’ head football coach spoke on Christian leadership Feb. 17 as a part of the American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series.Tommy Tuberville shared advice and life lessons he learned during his coaching career.Tuberville was born in Camden, Ark., in 1954 and graduated from Southern Arkansas University. He began playing football in the seventh grade and, from a young age, knew he wanted to coach college football, he said.”He is a local hero and has many friends at Harding,” said Bob Reely, associate executive director of the American Studies Institute. “We have been waiting to bring him here to speak on Christian leadership. I served in the Air Force and attended a state college, and I know how easy it can be not to stand up for your faith.”Tuberville’s first job as head coach was at University of Mississippi, or “Ole Miss, “where he said he learned the importance of prayer and faith in God.”Many people told me not to take the job because Ole Miss’ team was on proba- tion,” Tuberville said. “But I knew I had to take risks in life and persevere. As a head coach, I am the parent of about 120 18-year-olds, and I can’t pass that responsibility to anyone else.”In 1998, he became the head coach at Auburn University. While there, Tuberville stressed the importance of life off the field. His players served as mentors and read to students at local schools, visited the elderly and volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club. He also emphasized academic achievement.Tuberville went on to the head coach position at Texas Tech, where he became the first coach in the school’s history to win a bowl game in his first season.Tuberville discussed his career as a mentor and as a coach. While at Ole Miss, he hired Wes Yeary as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes campus director and team chaplain so they could relate better to the players, Tuberville said.After the success of FCA at Ole Miss, Tuberville hired Chet Williams to start a team chaplain program at Auburn. The program trains people to mentor and bring Christian principles to college athletics. The team chaplains led prayers and offered advice to the players. In 15 years, the program trained 60 team chaplains.”They baptized 19 players his first year at Auburn,”freshman and attendee Zach Bowman said. “It is really amazing to see how God can work through an SEC football coach like that.”Tuberville stressed the importance of responsibility on and off the field. He taught his players honesty, work ethic and teamwork. He said he wanted to improve their lives even after they stopped playing football.”I thoroughly enjoyed Tuberville’s lecture and greatly appreciated his wisdom on how God can be present and active in every aspect of your life,” freshman Hannah Robison said.
