In 1980, Delaware State University's football program had hit such a low, that they lost to Portland State 105-0 and became a national joke. A few months later, the athletic director of the predominantly black school, Nelson Townsend, hired a brash, young, white 33-year old, Joe Purzycki, to become the first white head coach of any black college football team in the country. Despite the opposition from the community--and death threats--Purzycki and the players (who didn't quit) formed a unique bond that led to the resurrection of the Delaware State program and a national ranking within three years. Sports Illustrated, The New York Times and many other publications wrote features on the historic hiring and turnaround. This is a remarkable story about courage, adversity, prejudice and football.
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