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Joe Gilliam Sr. Passes...

tshadow

By tshadow
in Class 3A & Class 4A

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tshadow Trainer

tshadow

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This will date some... Very many of the people on this board may not even know who he is or his son. My brother (a qb) went to tsu and tried to walk on. He told me he saw joe gilliam jr. in practice, throwing passes and he slanked away and never went back. Don't get the wrong idea. My brother is not a quitter, but... Before air mc nair there was 747 joe. It takes a lot to humble my brother. Joe jr. went on to back up for Terry bradshaw. He'd be a household name if he hadn't had drug problems.

 

As for his father the head coach... it has been a while since I have researched him... He was an assistant for meritt. He was a head coach for tsu later but his best work was done as an assistant.

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WiseOldManGiles Champion

WiseOldManGiles

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"Jefferson Street Joe" was way ahead of his time for sure. If I remember correctly he played for Pearl back in the day. Lots of great talent came through TSU. Ed "Too Tall" Jones for example playing with Randy White and the Cowboys. Many young men were fortunate to have played for Coach Mettitt. What a icon in Tennessee sports.

 

RIP Joe Sr. A lot of football history has left with him. :ph34r:

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LEON Competitor

LEON

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RIP Joe Gilliam Sr. a coach way before his time. The TSU teams of the 60's and 70's were stellar. Coach "Big John" Merritt and Coach Gilliam led many to the NFL. On Saturday when you tune in to watch the mighty SEC play football the teams you see today were the TSU's , Fla. A&M, Grambling's ,Jackson States in the 60's and 70"s before intergration. In the 70's I was the white kid who loved to watch the John Merritt Show on TV , if I could scheme out of going to church (before VCR or Tivo) to watch some outstanding football. Todays football with the spread and throwing all around and speed to kill on defense was happening then , right before my very eyes. RIP Joe Gilliam Sr. and the many lives you touched.

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WiseOldManGiles Champion

WiseOldManGiles

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RIP Joe Gilliam Sr. a coach way before his time. The TSU teams of the 60's and 70's were stellar. Coach "Big John" Merritt and Coach Gilliam led many to the NFL. On Saturday when you tune in to watch the mighty SEC play football the teams you see today were the TSU's , Fla. A&M, Grambling's ,Jackson States in the 60's and 70"s before intergration. In the 70's I was the white kid who loved to watch the John Merritt Show on TV , if I could scheme out of going to church (before VCR or Tivo) to watch some outstanding football. Todays football with the spread and throwing all around and speed to kill on defense was happening then , right before my very eyes. RIP Joe Gilliam Sr. and the many lives you touched.

 

Great Post! :thumb:

 

I can remember adjusting those rabbit ears to watch those games. They were all ahead of their time.... :ph34r:

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