Former Tuskegee University Quarterback Aaron James Gets ‘Head Coach Status’

Aaron James is nothing short of a legend at Tuskegee University. James, who spent four years as a Golden Tigers quarterback, compiled a 42-5 record of the most wins in the school’s history.

Now, James, who led Tuskegee to an undefeated 12-0 season in 2000, will lead the university from the sidelines as its new head coach. He is taking over for Reginald Ruffin, who is now the university’s athletic director.

The two men have a close relationship. Ruffin named James the Golden Tigers’ head coach in waiting last season when Ruffin led the team to an 8-3 record and the SIAC championship game. Before that, Ruffin spent 11 years at fellow HBCU Miles College as the head coach; James served as Ruffin’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Miles for nine years. That relationship is one of the biggest reasons why Ruffin knows James will continue the Golden Tigers’ tradition of winning on the gridiron.

“It’s been tough, but any time you get an opportunity [to have] Aaron James becoming the leader of the head of the football program — Tuskegee alum, Tuskegee grad. All-world quarterback,” Ruffin said at Wednesday’s SIAC Media Day, according to HBCU Gameday. “Won a lot of accolades as a quarterback. Was a winner. Been with me so long as at Miles College as my offensive coordinator/position coach — then elevate him up into a position of being a head coach, man, that means the world to me.”

James, who was just introduced as Tuskegee’s head coach, admitted leading his alma mater hadn’t quite sunk in.

“Everything hasn’t soaked in yet,” he said. “I guess when game day — opening game day… I guess the jitters and all of that will come into play.”

James hasn’t shied away from the expectations. Tuskegee is the winningest football program in HBCU history with 707 wins, by his estimation, and he knows his job is to add to that total. He’ll get his first chance on Sept. 3, 2023, against Fort Valley State at the Red Tails Classic. Other notable games this season include the Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic on Oct. 7, and the Homecoming game against Edward Waters University on Oct. 14.

Thanks to several facility upgrades to the Golden Tigers’ home field, Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium, the team will now play on turf instead of grass. James says the university is currently working on getting stadium lights so the team can play night games.