Lawrence "L. C." Cole (born January 3, 1956) is an American

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

coach and former player. He is the

defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football (American football) team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's c ...

for

Clark Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Found ...

, 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.Tennessee State University coaching records
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 Gregory Francis Thompson, (March 28, 1947 – September 10, 2019) was a Canadian politician who served six terms as a Member of Parliament (MP), and for one term he represented the district of Saint Croix in the New Brunswick Legislative Assemb ...

. Following the 2010 season, Cole was fired as head coach, and replaced with Stillman alumnus

Teddy Keaton Teddy Keaton (born December 14, 1976) is an American football coach. Keaton currently serves as the head football coach of Allen University. Keaton was born in Brewton, Alabama. Keaton previously served as the running backs coach of the Miles C ...

Personal

Lawrence Cole has a wife, Mitzi Ann Parker Cole, and a son, Clay Cole. His wife was born in Madison, Wisconsin. His son is from Nashville, Tennessee. His parents are Ruby Cole and Timothy Cole. He was the fourth of nine brothers. Cole went to the University of Nebraska 1975-1979 and coached there through 1982 under Tom Osborne.

Head coaching record

College

High school

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, L. C. 1956 births Living people American football defensive ends Alabama State Hornets football coaches Allen Yellow Jackets football coaches Ball State Cardinals football coaches Cincinnati Bearcats football coaches Concordia College (Alabama) Hornets football coaches Clark Atlanta Panthers football coaches Eastern Michigan Eagles football coaches Kansas State Wildcats football coaches Morgan State Bears football coaches Nebraska Cornhuskers football coaches Nebraska Cornhuskers football players Stillman Tigers football coaches Tennessee State Tigers football coaches Texas Southern Tigers football coaches Toledo Rockets football coaches Wisconsin Badgers football coaches High school football coaches in Alabama Sportspeople from Springfield, Ohio African-American coaches of American football 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American sportspeople Players of American football from Ohio Coaches of American football from Ohio