Tuskegee Director of Athletics and head football coach Reginald Ruffin has announced Thursday that the 2022 season will be his final year coaching the Golden Tigers.
Ruffin returned to Tuskegee in December of 2021 after completing one of the most successful decades in the history of Miles College and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Over the past nine seasons, Ruffin won more than 60 percent of his games, going 59-39 overall, and was named SIAC Coach of the Year three times, along with making two NCAA postseason appearances.
Prior to his time at Miles, Ruffin spent five seasons at Tuskegee as the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach from 2006-2010. As defensive coordinator, Ruffin's unit had the SIAC's top scoring, pass, and rushing defense in 2007. His team's defense finished second in scoring and among the leaders in most defensive categories in 2008 and posted the league's top defense in 2009.
Aaron James, who played at Tuskegee under former coach Rick Comegy from 1998 to 2001 and came back to the Golden Tiger program after spending the 2021 as the offensive coordinator at Bethune-Cookman.
Prior to his stop in the SWAC, James spent nine years at SIAC conference member Miles where he serve as the quarterback coach, a role he was in for three years with the Golden Bears before serving as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator previously.
James has been a part of four SIAC championship squads as a coach, in 2011, 2015 and 2018, while also coaching on the 2012 team that made Miles' first-ever Division II playoff appearance.
James brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the coaching staff, after serving as former quarterbacks coach at Lane College. His career also includes a stay at Clark Atlanta as their quarterback coach, and an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Bullock County High School.
A star quarterback for Tuskegee from 1998-2001, he compiled an impressive record of 42-5 as a starter. He has the most wins of any signal-caller in Golden Tigers history. He won three SIAC championships during his career, led the Golden Tigers to a 12-0 season and HBCU National Championship in 2000, was an All-Conference selection after the 2001 season and played professionally for the Alabama Lighting of the NAFL in 2004, where he led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. His 91-yard touchdown run record from scrimmage is atop the Golden Tigers list.
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