Pat Sullivan fought it as long as he could. But in the end, the Samford University head football coach decided enough was enough.
Sullivan, a Birmingham native and Vestavia Hills resident, has battled health issues over the years — throat cancer, a neck injury that required multiple surgeries that forced him to coach, when he could coach, from the press box instead of on the field on game days.
Sullivan, the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner as an Auburn quarterback and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, will move into a role as Samford President Andrew Westmoreland’s special advisor for campus and community development.
Murray State head coach Chris Hatcher was named as his replacement.
“This is not a decision I’ve taken lightly,” Sullivan said in a release. “A head coach never likes to think about stepping down, particularly me. I’ve always been a competitor and that spirit never fades. I love my job and I love this university. I have loved working with Samford’s young men, helping them grow as football players, as student-athletes and spiritually. I am so thankful to each and every one of my players and their families for allowing me to be a part of their lives.
“The past couple of years have been difficult. I’ve been dealing with health issues more than I would have liked. Our young men have never blinked. This coaching staff never blinked. I am so proud of each and every member of the Samford football program.
“Coaching is a grind. Right now I need more balance in my life. I need to pay more attention to my health, and I want to spend more time with (wife) Jean, my children and grandchildren. I owe that to them. But I’m not done working, and I’m not leaving Samford.”
Sullivan recently completed his eighth season as coach. He is the program’s all-time leader in career wins. He has led the team to four straight winning seasons for the first time since 1999, and the Bulldogs have won at least seven games for three straight seasons for the first time since 1962.
In 2013, Sullivan led the Bulldogs to their first Southern Conference championship since joining the league in 2008. The team also earned the program’s first bid to the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs since 1992.
“In an age in which public figures so often disappoint us, it is refreshing and inspirational to reflect on the long and successful career of Pat Sullivan,” Westmoreland said. “As I have grown close to Pat in the years since he became Samford’s head football coach in 2006 and as I have seen him in some of the highest and lowest moments of life, proximity has only enhanced my profound respect for him.
“In every sense, he is exactly as he appears to be: a person of intelligence, persistence, wisdom, good humor, with an impenetrable core of ethics that is rooted in a vibrant faith. He cares deeply about his family and his student-athletes. He is respectful of every person he encounters. I am grateful beyond words for his service to Samford over the past eight years, and I look forward to continued association with him and with Jean as we seek to provide greater experiences for our students now and in the years ahead.”
Samford Athletics Director Martin Newton added, “Words cannot express the gratitude the Samford family has for Pat Sullivan. He is the epitome of character and integrity. He is a true teacher that leads by example and has taught us all to love God, our family and each other on a daily basis.
“I have yet to find anyone who has a negative word to say about Coach Sullivan. He transcends the football field and shows us that relationships really do matter.”
Sullivan led a search committee that took about a week before settling on Hatcher, who had been at the Ohio Valley Conference school for five seasons, posting a 3-9 record last season and a 27-30 record all told at Murray. Hatcher was a Harlon Hill Trophy winner as the top Division II player while playing quarterback at Valdosta State. He then head coached at his alma mater and Georgia Southern before moving to Murray. His career record is 121-57 in 15 seasons, and he is known for high-powered offenses.
“It is a true honor to follow Coach Sullivan and have the opportunity to lead the Samford football program into its next chapter,” Hatcher said. “Put simply, Coach Sullivan is a legend. They say you never want to be ‘the man that follows the man.’ Well, I do. With Dr. Westmoreland’s unwavering support, Pat has built an incredible program from top to bottom. A rising program based upon faith, honor, commitment, discipline and character. I will work every day to build upon that foundation and carry forward Coach Sullivan and Dr. Westmoreland’s vision. This state and this University have great passion for football; I promise you that I have it too and can’t wait to get started.”