# Tommy Tate

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This article is about the football coach. For the singer, see [Tommy Tate (musician)](/source/Tommy_Tate_(musician)).

**Thomas Tate** (born February 26, 1956) is an American [football](/source/American_football) coach and athletics administrator. He is the [athletic director](/source/Athletic_director) and [defensive coordinator](/source/Defensive_coordinator) at [Opelousas Catholic School](/source/Opelousas_Catholic_School) in [Opelousas, Louisiana](/source/Opelousas,_Louisiana), positions he has held since 2013. Tate served as the head football coach at [McNeese State University](/source/McNeese_State_University) from 2000 to 2006. He compiled a record of 49–26 led the [McNeese State Cowboys](/source/McNeese_Cowboys_football) to three consecutive [Southland Conference](/source/Southland_Conference) titles, from 2001 to 2003. Tate was given the [Eddie Robinson Award](/source/Eddie_Robinson_Award) in 2002 as the coach of the year in [NCAA Division I-AA](/source/NCAA_Division_I), when he guided the Cowboys to a 13–2 record and an appearance in the [NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship](/source/NCAA_Division_I_Football_Championship), where his team finished as runners-up. Tate was fired in the middle of the 2006 season after the Cowboys started 1–3.[2] He was replaced by [Matt Viator](/source/Matt_Viator), who coached McNeese to a 6–2 record the rest of the way (finishing 7–5) and earned the school another Southland Conference title.[3]

## Early life

Tate hails from [Washington, Louisiana](/source/Washington,_Louisiana). He graduated from [Port Barre High School](/source/Port_Barre_High_School) in [Point Barre](/source/Port_Barre,_Louisiana) in 1974.

## Coaching career

Tate was an assistant coach at McNeese State for 21 seasons, from 1979 to 1999, serving under six head coaches: [Ernie Duplechin](/source/Ernie_Duplechin), [Hubert Boales](/source/Hubert_Boales), [John McCann](/source/John_McCann_(American_football)), [Sonny Jackson](/source/Sonny_Jackson_(American_football)), [Bobby Keasler](/source/Bobby_Keasler), and [Kirby Bruchhaus](/source/Kirby_Bruchhaus). Tate was appointed as head coach in June 2000 after Bruchhaus resigned amid allegations that he had bet on professional and college football games.[4]

## References

1. ["W. Ky. seeks revenge vs. McNeese"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59943079/w-ky-seeks-revenge-vs-mcneese/). *[The News-Star](/source/The_News-Star)*. December 20, 2002. p. 30. Retrieved September 25, 2020. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["McNeese replaces coach"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120536644/mcneese-replaces-coach/). *Omaha World-Herald*. October 4, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2023. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. ["MSU names Viator as head football coach"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120537132/msu-names-viator-as-head-football-coach/). *Daily World*. November 14, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2023. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. Dodge, Tom (June 29, 2000). ["Dedication pays off for McNeese's new coach"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59784603/daily-world/). *[Daily World](/source/Daily_World_(Opelousas))*. p. 11. Retrieved September 22, 2020. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tommy Tate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tate) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tate?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.