Nearly 50 years after starting his legendary career as a head football coach at Winston-Salem State University, Bill Hayes has received the highest academic honor from the HBCU.
Hayes was honored with an honorary doctorate from WSSU on Friday during its spring commencement ceremony on Friday morning.
Serving as head coach from 1976 to 1987, Hayes compiled an impressive 89–40–2 record, making him the winningest coach in WSSU history until his record was broken by his former quarterback Kermit Blount. Under his leadership, the Rams secured three Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships (1977, 1978, 1987) and five CIAA Southern Division titles. Notably, his 1977 and 1978 teams achieved back-to-back 11–1 seasons, with the 1978 squad advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Hayes’s coaching philosophy emphasized discipline, innovation, and a relentless work ethic. He introduced the split-back veer offense and the wide tackle 6 defense to WSSU, strategies uncommon among HBCUs at the time. Despite limited resources and staffing—initially having only one assistant coach—Hayes built a formidable program through sheer determination and strategic acumen.
He eventually left WSSU for rival North Carolina A&T in 1988 and led it to three MEAC titles before his retirement in 2003.
Beyond his coaching achievements, Hayes made significant contributions as an athletic administrator. After his coaching stint, he served as athletic director at North Carolina Central University, Florida A&M University, and returned to WSSU in 2010, where he oversaw the athletic department until his retirement in 2014. His administrative leadership further solidified his legacy in collegiate athletics.
Hayes’s impact on college football has been recognized through numerous honors, including induction into multiple halls of fame and the naming of the football field at WSSU’s Bowman Gray Stadium in his honor. His career stands as a testament to his dedication to excellence and his profound influence on student-athletes and the broader HBCU sports community.
