In this week’s edition of Centennial Bites, JSUTIGERS.com highlights some of the unknown accomplishments of Jackson State University’s most winningest former football Head Coach W.C. Gorden.

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Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
College: Tennessee State University
Favorite Jazz Artist: Thelonious Monk
Coached: 1975-1991

As head coach of the Jackson State University football team, his team led the nation in attendance at football games in Division I-AA from 1983-1994, or 11 straight years. Moreover, JSU achieved the highest average for attendance in Division I-AA history when it averaged 38,873 fans a game in 1977.

In 1980-81, the NCAA issued its first comprehensive graduation rate scorecard and JSU led the state of Mississippi with a 61.9% graduation rate followed by the University of Mississippi with a 45% graduation rate among football players.

In the 1981-82 season, JSU had 21 former student-athletes playing in the NFL, which placed the school in the top five schools producing professional football players.

Over a period of four years (1985-1988) JSU won 28 straight Southwestern Athletic Conference football games, making them the only SWAC team to beat Grambling State four consecutive years.

From 1980-1990 JSU won eight SWAC Championships.

Jackson State University will celebrate its 100th year of Tiger football during the 2011 season. To help Tiger Fans gear up for this very exciting season, JSUTIGERS.com will feature a series of informative and educational snippets of JSU football history from over the last 100 years, with its Centennial Bites series.

By Jamea Adams-Ginyard, Jackson State University News
http://jacksonstate.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/jsu-centennial-bite-did-you-know-that-w-c-gorden/