College football Hall of Famer Doug Porter dies at 94, exploring legendary HBCU coach's career achievements

Legendary college football coach Doug Porter died at the age of 94 on Sunday. Porter was a longtime coach of Historically Black Universities and was the oldest living member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Porter was the coach of Mississippi Valley State and Howard before coaching Fort Valley State for nearly 20 seasons.

At Fort Valley, he led the program to four Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships – 1982, 1983, 1991, and 1992.

During the 1982 season, he coached Fort Valley in the Division II postseason tournament, losing in the first round. This was his only postseason appearance.

His time with Fort Valley ended with a record of 104-70-3, and his legacy in the program will be felt forever.

Former Fort Valley player Jeffery Palmer paid tributes to his coach:

"He left a lasting impact on not only his players, but all students, faculty, staff, and alumni.”

Archie Manning, a star quarterback at Ole Miss from 1968-70, said:

"Doug Porter was a remarkable person, crafting an impressive career in coaching and athletics administration among the HBCU ranks. A great football mind, he was a top-flight recruiter who cared deeply about his players and put them in a position to succeed.”

Doug Porter's career highlights

Doug Porter played college football for Xavier University in Louisiana, an HBCU, during the 1950s. He served in the US Army between 1951-1954.

Porter entered coaching after leaving the military, being an assistant coach for his alma mater before departing for Mississippi Valley State in 1960.

While there, Porter served as both the head coach of the football program and the school's athletic director. He repeated these dual roles at Fort Valley.

His record at Mississippi Valley State (1961-65) was 21-19, but he had the honor of coaching Deacon Jones, one of the most successful defensive ends in NFL history.

After leaving Mississippi Valley, Porter coached the Howard Bisons (1974-78) and led the team to the Orange Blossom Classic in his first season. However, after going 8-2-1 and 8-3 in his first two seasons, Howard didn't have another winning season in the next three under Porter and he left with a 30-21-2 record.

Porter then joined Fort Valley, the program that he would be associated with for the next 20 years. His first spell with Fort Valley lasted from 1979 to 1985. He returned for his second stint with the program, from 1987 to 1996.

He was also an assistant coach under the iconic Eddie Robinson at Grambling from 1966 to 1973.

Doug Porter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008. His contribution to the advancement of athletics at HBCUs will be fondly remembered.