A familiar name to Bethune-Cookman football fans is stepping into one of college football’s most prominent positions.
When Florida State made the decision to part ways with Mike Norvell on Sunday and turn the program over to interim head coach Rick Stockstill, the announcement naturally drew attention across the nation.
But for those who follow Bethune-Cookman football, this story perked our ears for another reason.
Long before the 18 year head coaching tenure at Middle Tennessee State, the 10 bowl appearances, the conference championships and the stops at Clemson, East Carolina and South Carolina, Rick Stockstill’s coaching journey began in Daytona Beach at BCU.
In 1983, Stockstill landed his first collegiate coaching position as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was just beginning what would become a four-decade career in college football.
And he landed in a pretty good place to learn the profession.
Learning From a Legend
Stockstill’s first coaching opportunity came under the direction of legendary BCU head coach Larry Little.
Little, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who made his name as one of the premier offensive linemen with the Miami Dolphins before returning to his alma mater in 1983 to lead the BCU program.
Stockstill spent the 1983 and 1984 seasons working alongside Little, helping develop an offense led by one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the history of the program, Bernard Hawk.
The 1984 Wildcats captured their first MEAC championship.
But Stockstill’s connection to Little represents something bigger than a MEAC crown. It places him within one of the most impressive coaching trees in HBCU football.
Larry Little’s Legendary Coaching Tree:
In HBCU football, there are coaching trees, and then there is the Larry Little coaching tree.
Little’s fingerprints can be found throughout the coaching landscape, particularly among a generation of coaches who went on to lead programs and shape the next generation of players.
The list includes some familiar names.
Alvin “Shine” Wyatt, Sam Washington, Trei Oliver, Dawson Odums, Shawn Gibbs and Adrian “AJ” Jones are all offshoots of the Little tree.
Stockstill belongs to that family too.
That is quite a coaching tree if you ask me.
The Game Stockstill Has Never Forgotten
If there is one game from his Bethune experience that has followed Stockstill throughout his coaching career, it is the October 6, 1984, matchup against Georgia Southern at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville.
Over the years, Stockstill has frequently referenced the contest as one of the most memorable games he has ever been a part of.
It is easy to understand why.
On one sideline was Cookman’s Bernard Hawk. On the other was Georgia Southern quarterback Tracey Ham, who would eventually be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
What followed was an offensive showcase that remains part of the historical conversation surrounding both programs.
Hawk accounted for over 500 yards of offense, Ham over 300.
Quarterback Comparisons:
Team Stats:
Bernard Hawk’s 527 passing yards and 40 completions remain among the most extraordinary single-game performances in Wildcat football history. Leon “Speedy” Gonzalez added 15 receptions for 222 yards, another remarkable performance.
GSU went on to win that contest 43-33.
For Stockstill, it was the kind of football experience that stays with a coach long after the final whistle.
The Journey Comes Back to Florida
After leaving Bethune, Stockstill moved to UCF, where he served as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach. He subsequently spent 14 seasons at Clemson, followed by stops at East Carolina and South Carolina.
In December 2005, he received his first opportunity to lead a program when Middle Tennessee State hired him as its head coach.
What followed was an 18-year tenure that produced 113 victories, 10 bowl appearances and three conference Coach of the Year honors.
His team defeated No. 25 Miami 45-31 in 2022, giving Middle Tennessee its first victory over a nationally ranked opponent in program history.
After departing Middle Tennessee following the 2023 season, Stockstill returned to his alma mater, Florida State, in January 2024 as director of scouting for offense.
Now, nearly 43 years after beginning his coaching career at Bethune-Cookman, he finds himself leading the Seminoles through one of the most challenging transitions in the program’s recent history.
Stockstill brings considerable experience to the position; and he understands Florida State. He played quarterback for the Seminoles from 1977-81 under Bobby Bowden, captained the 1981 team, and was inducted into the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
It is extremely satisfying to know Stockstill’s coaching journey began at BCU. His first opportunity came under Larry Little. He worked with legends like Bernard Hawk and he became part of a coaching lineage that continues to influence the HBCU game.
Congratulations to Coach Rick Stockstill on his appointment as Florida State’s interim head coach.
Your Wildcat family will certainly be watching.
Hail Wildcats!
