Livingstone Blue Bears football

The Livingstone Blue Bears football program is an intercollegiate American football team for Livingstone College located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The team competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). The school's first team was fielded in 1892 as the first historically black college to play football.^[2] The team plays its home games at Alumni Memorial Stadium.^[3]

Livingstone Blue Bears football
2024 Livingstone Blue Bears football team
First season	1892; 133 years ago
Athletic director	Clifton Huff
Head coach	Sean Gilbert 4th season, 15–24 (.385)
Stadium	Alumni Memorial Stadium (capacity: 6,000)
Year built	2022
Field surface	Artificial Turf
Location	Salisbury, North Carolina
NCAA division	Division II
Conference	CIAA
Past conferences	Independent (1892–1931)
Conference titles	2 (1997, 1998)
Colors	Columbia blue and black[1]
Mascot	Blue Bear
Marching band	Marching Blue Bear Band
Outfitter	Under Armour
Website	bluebearathletics.com

History

1892: Founding

The Livingstone Blue Bears football team was founded in the fall of 1892. The members of the team all chipped in and purchased the first uniforms. They played their first game against Biddle on their front lawn, marking the first time two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) faced off for a football game.^[4] They played two 45-minute halves with Biddle winning 5–0.^[5] They have since made a rivalry named the "Commemorative Classic" which is played every year.^[6]

1883–1930: Early years

In 1903, the Blue Bears were featured in The Charlotte Observer, which stated: "Livingstone has defeated all comers this year, and claims the championship of the colored colleges of the state".^[7] They finished that season with a known record of 3–0, defeating Bennett College twice and Y.M.I. once.^[8][9]

In 1906, the Livingstone self-proclaimed themselves "The Colored College Champions" under head coach Benjamin Butler Church.^[10]

In 1913, Livingstone finished the season with a 5–0 record, their second and final undefeated season in school history.^{[citation needed]}

In 1926, the Blue Bears finished the season with a 2–5 record. This would be their last season under Church before James Meeks took over in 1927. Church finished with a 42–20–9 during his 16 seasons with Livingstone.^{[citation needed]}

1931–1973: Reclassification

The Blue Bears were Southern Independents from 1892 to 1930, joining the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) in 1931, finishing that season 0–5–3 (0–3–2).^{[citation needed]}

In 1973, Livingstone College reclassified from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II along with the CIAA. They would finish the season 7–2–1.^{[citation needed]}

1974–present: Rise to fame

In 1992, the 1892 football team was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.^[11]

In 1994, the Blue Bears hired Rudy Abrams, a Livingstone alumni, as their head coach. In 1997, he led them to an 8–2 (6–2) regular season record and a CIAA co-championship before losing in the inaugural Pioneer Bowl to Kentucky State, 30–26. In 1998, he led them to another CIAA co-championship with a 7–3 (6–2) regular season record before again losing in the Pioneer Bowl, this time to Tuckegee, 23–9. After the 1998 season, Abrams was hired to be the head football coach of the North Carolina Central Eagles, where he coached for four seasons before retiring in 2002. He finished his tenure at Livingstone with a 33–18–1 record. In 2005, Abrams was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.^[12]

In 2006, Tony Veal was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.^[13]

In 2019, both Charles Cooley and Michael Posey were inducted into the Livingstone College Athletics Hall of Fame.^[14][15]

In 2020, Livingstone hired 1992 third overall pick, Sean Gilbert, as their new head football coach.^[16] His first season would be cancelled after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. In his second season (first full) as head coach, Gilbert finished with a 1–8 (1–5) record.

Affiliations

Classifications

• 1892–1962: NCAA College Division – Small College
• 1963–1972: NAIA Division I
• 1973–present: NCAA Division II

Conference memberships

• 1892–1930: Southern College Football Independents
• 1931–present: Colored / Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Championships

Conference

Season	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
1997†	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association	Rudy Abrams	8–3	5–2
1998†			7–4	5–2

† Co-champion

Playoff appearances

Bowl games

Season-by-season records

  = National champions
  = Conference champions
  = Conference co-champions
  = Conference division champions and championship game berth
  = Undefeated season

Year	Coach	Overall	Conference	Standing
1892	Unknown	0–1	N/A	N/A
1893	No team
1894	No team
1895	No team
1896	No team
1897	No team
1898	No team
1899	No team
1900	No team
1901	Unknown	3–0	N/A	N/A
1902	No team
1903	Unknown	3–0	N/A	N/A
1904	No team
1905	Unknown	1–0	N/A	N/A
1906	Benjamin Butler Church	4–0–1	N/A	N/A
1907	Benjamin Butler Church	0–1	N/A	N/A
1908	Benjamin Butler Church	1–0	N/A	N/A
1909	Benjamin Butler Church	0–1	N/A	N/A
1910	No team
1911	No team
1912	Benjamin Butler Church	3–1–1	N/A	N/A
1913	Benjamin Butler Church	5–0	N/A	N/A
1914	Benjamin Butler Church	5–1	N/A	N/A
1915	Benjamin Butler Church	3–0–2	N/A	N/A
1916	Benjamin Butler Church	2–2	N/A	N/A
1917	No team
1918	No team
1919	No team
1920	Benjamin Butler Church	1–0	N/A	N/A
1921	Benjamin Butler Church	1–0–1	N/A	N/A
1922	Benjamin Butler Church	5–1–1	N/A	N/A
1923	Benjamin Butler Church	3–2–2	N/A	N/A
1924	Benjamin Butler Church	3–3–1	N/A	N/A
1925	Benjamin Butler Church	4–3–1	N/A	N/A
1926	Benjamin Butler Church	2–5	N/A	N/A
1927	James Meeks	3–3–1	N/A	N/A
1928	James Meeks	3–3–1	N/A	N/A
1929	James Meeks	3–3–3	N/A	N/A
1930	James Meeks	0–7–2	N/A	N/A
Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1931–1949)
1931	Bertrand C. Jacobs	0–5–3	0–3–2	11th
1932	William Reid	0–4	---	---
1933	Unknown	0–1	---	---
1934	Harry Parker	1–5	---	---
1935	Robert Gill	0–4	---	---
1936	S.E. Barnes	2–6–1	---	---
1937	S.E. Barnes	2–5	---	---
1938	S.E. Barnes	3–4–1	---	---
1939	S.E. Barnes	3–5–1	---	---
1940	S.E. Barnes	4–2–2	---	---
1941	Benjamin Hargroves	2–6	---	---
1942	No team
1943	Unknown	0–3	---	---
1944	Unknown	0–2	---	---
1945	No team
1946	William Goodrum	0–5	---	---
1947	William Goodrum	2–5	---	---
1948	Maurice Sneed	2–6	---	---
1949	Edward L. Mitchell	2–4	---	---
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1950–present)
1950	Edward L. Mitchell	0–6–1	---	---
1951	Luther Green	0–4–2	---	---
1952	Edward L. Mitchell	3–4	---	---
1953	Edward L. Mitchell	3–4	---	---
1954	Edward L. Mitchell	5–2	---	---
1955	Edward L. Mitchell	2–6	---	---
1956	David Shinholster	4–4	---	---
1957	Edward L. Mitchell	6–2–1	---	---
1958	Edward L. Mitchell	6–2	---	---
1959	Arthur W. Browne	5–3–1	---	---
1960	Charles R. Cox	7–2–2	---	---
1961	Charles R. Cox	5–4	---	---
1962	Charles R. Cox	2–8	---	---
1963	Charles R. Cox	0–8–1	---	---
1964	Elijah Johnson	2–8	---	---
1965	John D. Marshall	3–5	3–5	13th
1966	John D. Marshall	6–3–1	5–1–1	3rd
1967	John D. Marshall	3–6	2–4	13th
1968	John D. Marshall	4–4	4–3	8th
1969	John D. Marshall	5–3	4–3	8th
1970	John D. Marshall	2–7	1–4	6th (Southern)
1971	John D. Marshall	4–6	3–3	T–3rd (Southern)
1972	John D. Marshall	2–8	0–4	5th (Southern)
1973	Baxter Holman	7–2–1	---	---
1974	Baxter Holman	9–2	---	---
1975	Baxter Holman	7–3–1	---	---
1976	Baxter Holman	6–5	---	---
1977	Baxter Holman	4–7	---	---
1978	Andrew Littlejohn	5–4–1	---	---
1979	Andrew Littlejohn	3–8	---	---
1980	Andrew Littlejohn	0–10	---	---
1981	Mel Rose	3–7	---	---
1982	Mel Rose	5–5	---	---
1983	Mel Rose	5–4	---	---
1984	Mel Rose	3–7	2–5	5th (Southern)
1985	David Corley	7–3	5–2	2nd (Southern)
1986	David Corley	3–5–2	2–4–1	4th (Southern)
1987	William M. Spencer	2–8	2–5	6th (Southern)
1988	William M. Spencer	3–6	1–5	5th (Southern)
1989	Fletcher Jones	1–8	1–5	4th (Southern)
1990	Delano Tucker	3–6	2–4	3rd (Southern)
1991	Delano Tucker	5–5	3–3	5th
1992	Delano Tucker	3–7	2–4	8th
1993	Delano Tucker	1–10	1–7	11th
1994	Rudy Abrams	5–5	5–3	T–3rd
1995	Rudy Abrams	5–4–1	4–3–1	4th
1996	Rudy Abrams	8–2	7–1	2nd
1997	Rudy Abrams	8–3	5–2	T–1st
1998	Rudy Abrams	7–4	5–2	T–1st
1999	Gregory Richardson	4–7	2–5	6th
2000	Gregory Richardson	2–8	1–5	5th (Western)
2001	Gregory Richardson	1–8	0–6	5th (Western)
2002	George Johnson	3–7	2–5	4th (Western)
2003	George Johnson	3–7	3–4	3rd (Western)
2004	George Johnson	2–8	2–5	4th (Western)
2005	Lamonte J. Massie	1–9	1–6	4th (Western)
2006	Lamonte J. Massie	1–9	1–6	5th (Western)
2007	Lamonte J. Massie	0–10	0–7	5th (Western)
2008	Lamonte J. Massie	2–8	2–5	5th (Western)
2009	Lamonte J. Massie Eric Brown (Interim)	0–10	0–7	6th (Western)
2010	Elvin James	0–11	0–7	6th (Southern)
2011	Elvin James	1–9	0–7	6th (Southern)
2012	Elvin James	2–8	2–5	5th (Southern)
2013	Daryl Williams	3–7	1–6	6th (Southern)
2014	Daryl Williams	5–5	2–5	4th (Southern)
2015	Daryl Williams	5–3	4–3	2nd (Southern)
2016	Daryl Williams	2–8	1–6	6th (Southern)
2017	Daryl Williams	0–10	0–7	6th (Southern)
2018	Daryl Williams	3–6	1–5	6th (Southern)
2019	Daryl Williams	4–6	1–6	6th (Southern)
2020	No team
2021	Sean Gilbert	1–8	1–5	5th (Southern)
2022	Sean Gilbert	4–6	3–5	4th (Southern)
2023	Sean Gilbert	4–6	4–4	3rd (Southern)
2024	Sean Gilbert	6–4	4–3	5th

All-time record vs. current CIAA teams

Rivalries

Johnson C. Smith

Main article: Commemorative Classic

Elizabeth City State

Head coaches

No.	Years	Name
1	1892	William J. Trent[17]
2	1901	Unknown
3	1903	Unknown
4	1906–1909 1912–1916 1920–1926	Benjamin Butler Church[10]
5	1927–1930	James Meeks[18]
6	1931	Bertrand C. Jacobs[19]
7	1932	William Reid[20]
8	1933	Unknown
9	1934	Harry Parker[21]
10	1935	Robert Gill[22]
11	1936–1940	Samuel E. Barnes[23]
12	1941	Benjamin Hargrave[24]
13	1943–1944	Unknown
	1946–1947	William Goodrum
	1948	Maurice Sneed
	1949	Unknown
	1950–1958	Edward L. Mitchell
	1959	Ted Browne
	1960–1962	Charles R. Cox
	1963–1964	Unknown
	1965–1972	John D. Marshall
	1973–1977	Baxter D. Holman Jr.
	1978–1980	Andrew Littlejohn
	1981–1984	Mel Rose
	1985–1986	David Corley
	1987–1989	Bill Spencer
	1990–1993	Delano Tucker[25]
	1994–1998	Rudy Abrams[26]
	1999–2001	Gregory Richardson
	2002–2004	George Johnson Jr.[27]
	2005	Ben Coates[27]
#	2005–2006	Robert Massey[28]
	2007–2009	Lamonte J. Massie[29]
#	2009	Eric Brown[30]
	2010–2012	Elvin J. James[31]
	2013–2019	Daryl Williams[32]
	2020–	Sean Gilbert

# Interim head coach

Individual accomplishments

All-Americans

Year	Player	Organization
2022	Kevin Larkins Jr.	BTR

BTR = BOXTOROW

Award winners

• CIAA Offensive Player of the Year

  Joseph White – 1982

  Joseph White – 1983

  Joseph White – 1984

  Rob Clodfelter – 1992

  Wilmont Perry – 1996

  Wilmont Perry – 1997

  Jalen Hendricks – 2014

  Drew Powell – 2015

• CIAA Rookie of the Year

  Chris Williams – 1997

  Jason Ocean – 2000

• CIAA Defensive Player of the Year

  Ronnie Washburn – 1998

  Jason Ocean – 2003

• CIAA Defensive Rookie of the Year

  Robert Massey-Brice – 2008

  Kevin Larkins Jr. – 2022

• CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year

  Drew Powell – 2012

Black College Football Hall of Fame members

Name	Position	Years	Inducted	Ref.
Ben Coates	TE	1987–1990	2022	[33]

CIAA Hall of Fame members

Name	Position	Years	Inducted	Ref.
George Johnson	HC	-	1985	[34]
Alfred Tyler	QB	-	1989	[35]
Ben Coates	TE	1987–1990	2018	[36]
Johnny Stoutamire Jr.	DB	1974–1978	2021	[37]

Livingstone Athletics Hall of Fame members

Name	Position	Years	Inducted	Ref.
1892 Livingstone football team			1992	[11]
Rudy Abrams	HC	1960–1963, 1994–1998	2005	[12]
Tony Veal	-	-	2006	[13]
Charles Cooley	G, C, K	1995–1998	2019	[14]
Michael Posey	DB	1997–2001	2019	[15]

Notable former players

Player	Pos.	Years
Rudy Abrams		1960–1963
Sherman Simmons	LB	1972–1973
Ben Coates	TE	1987–1990
John Terry	OL	1990–1991
Wilmont Perry	RB	1994–1998
Drew Powell	QB	2012–2015

• Rudy Abrams, head coach, 1960–1963, 1994–1998
  • Abrams was a four-year letterman for Livingstone before becoming the assistant coach at York Road Junior High School in 1964.^[38] He didn't coach again until 1969, where he became the running backs and wide receivers coach at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1972, he was named the head coach of West Charlotte High School and held that position for eight seasons, compiling a record of 49–33–1 with two Southwestern 4-A Conference titles in 1976 and 1978 and a state runner-up finish in the latter year.^[39] In 1980, he led Garinger High School to a 2–8 record before resigning.^[40] He held the position assistant at Johnson C. Smith from 1981 to 1982 before returning to the high school ranks in 1983 as the head coach of East Mecklenburg High School.^[41] In 1994, after ten seasons with East Mecklenburg, Abrams joined his alma mater as their head football coach. In 1997, he led Livingstone to their first CIAA championship in program history with an 8–3 (5–2) record. In 1998, he again led the Bears to a CIAA championship, this time being co-champions, with a 7–4 (5–2) record. Both seasons would be capped off with a loss in the Pioneer Bowl. He was named CIAA Coach of the Year from 1996 to 1998. Abrams would finish his coaching career with the North Carolina Central Eagles from 1999 to 2002. He compiled a 51–39–1 record in the college ranks and a 124–81–1 record in the high school ranks.^{[citation needed]}
• Ben Coates, tight end, 1987–1990
  • Coates finished his four-year college career with 103 receptions for 1,268 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. He won Livingstone's MVP award from 1988 to 1990 while earning a first-team All-CIAA nod in his final college season. He also earned a Black College Sports All-American nod in that season. Coates was drafted in the fifth round (124th overall) of the 1991 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. Coates would play for the Patriots from 1991 to 1999 before signing with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 and winning Super Bowl XXXV in the process before retiring following the season. Coates was a five-time Pro Bowler (1994–1998), three-time All-Pro (1994, 1995, 1998), and a Super Bowl champion. He was subsequently selected to the CIAA Hall of Fame, National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team, New England Patriots All-1990s Team, New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team, and the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.^{[citation needed]}