Last Year’s FCS Coach of the Year has Reputation for Rebuilding Football Programs

With 12 years of collegiate head coaching experience and a reputation for rebuilding football programs, Henry Frazier III was announced as North Carolina Central University’s 21st football head coach in school history on Thursday (Dec. 16, 2010) during a press conference in the William Jones Building on the campus of NCCU.

Frazier comes to NCCU after seven seasons as the head mentor at Prairie View A&M University. Prior to his arrival in Texas, the Panthers experienced the nation’s longest losing streak from 1989-98, dropping 80 contests in a row, and struggled through back-to-back 1-10 seasons in 2002 and 2003. Frazier closed his tenure with four straight winning seasons and delivered consecutive 9-1 records in 2008 and 2009, including a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) title in 2009, the program’s first conference championship since 1964.

In recognition of his accomplishments, Frazier was presented with a host of coaching honors in 2009, including SWAC Coach of the Year and a repeat selection as AFCA Region III FCS Coach of the Year. He also became the first coach from a historically black college or university to receive the Eddie Robinson Award, given annually by The Sports Network to the top coach in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Frazier enjoyed similar success as the head football coach at his alma mater, Bowie State University, from 1999-2003. In 2001, Frazier led Bowie State to its best season since 1989 with a 7-3 record. Frazier moved the BSU program to another level during the 2002 season with the Bulldogs first CIAA Eastern Division title and CIAA championship game appearance. Continuing the winning tradition in 2003, he guided the Bulldogs to their third consecutive winning season with a second place finish in the CIAA Eastern Division. Frazier’s 26-24 career record at Bowie State currently stands as the most victories by any football coach at BSU.

Frazier’s appointment is a five-year term beginning Jan. 1, with an annual salary of $225,000.

Frazier is married to the former LaNier Turner of Washington, D.C. They have three children, Brijan (20), Brinia (10) and Henry IV (9).