Fire TSU Head Coach James Reese

November 2, 2004

Dr. James Hefner, President &
Ms. Teresa Lawrence-Phillips, Director of Athletics
Tennessee State University
3500 John A. Merritt Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37209


Dear Dr. Hefner and Ms. Lawrence-Phillips:

We the fans of Tennessee State University football understand that its difficult making the tough decision to terminate a head coach. Such a decision can be more difficult when a coach is a graduate andformerathlete of the school where they are coaching. However, it is clear to us that coach James Reese is not effective as the head football coach at TSU. As a fifth year head coach, James Reese has shown very little if any growth in his ability to lead and motivate our Big Blue Tiger Football team. We strongly believe that coach Reese is lacking the skills to build a winning football program. We also believe that he lacks the capacity to recruit skilled players consistently. This is evident in his inability to sustain a genuinely skilled starting quarterback during his tenure as head coach. Since Reese was appointed head coach weve seen a program that was growing and becoming a dominate football team, fall back to its losing ways. Weve seen a program that was once again garnishing national attention fall back to being a program that receives no national attention and little regional/local attention. Neither scenario is acceptable in an era in which maintaining a strong consistent level of competitiveness makes a difference in recruiting, building and promoting a team.

As difficult as the decision may be to terminate James Reese as head coach of TSU football, we the fans believe its a decision that must be made. We know that you must make decisions based on what is best for the university. We strongly believe its in the best interest of TSU and its football program to terminate coach Reese and immediately begin the search for a new head coach with more experience and qualifications.

Dr. Hefner and Ms. Lawrence-Phillips, TSUs glorious history as a football power is rapidly vanishing. If TSU is serious about restoring its football program to greatness, it must begin with the termination of Coach Reese and the hiring of the best coach it can find. We believe that TSUs football program is still the type of program that experienced and qualified coaches are drawn too. If TSU would make the head coaching job competitive with other D1-AA and even some D1-A programs, we believe that more coaches from both the collegiate and professional rankings will want to apply for the head coach position.

We urge you to immediately take the necessary steps to restore TSU football to greatness.