12/18/2019 football Edit

Former T.C. Williams Coach Herman Boone Passes Away

Herman Boone led T.C. Williams to an undefeated season and state title in 1971

Matthew Hatfield • VirginiaPreps

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Matthew Hatfield has been with VirginiaPreps.com since 2004, officially taking over as Publisher in 2016. Hatfield hosts 757 Saturday Sports Talk every Saturday, 10 AM to Noon, on ESPN Radio 94.1.

One of the most acclaimed sports movies of all time is, "Remember the Titans," the 2000 Disney biographical film based on the true story of American-American Head Football Coach Herman Boone, portrayed by award-winning actor Denzel Washington.

The movie centered on the theme of the local school board integrating a group of players - an all-black and all-white group - from two area schools at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria.

Boone, who guided T.C. Williams High School to the State Championship in 1971, passed away on Wednesday, December 18, 2019. He was 84 years old.

His 1971 Titans went a perfect 13-0, pitching nine shutouts, including a 27-0 victory at Roanoke's Victory Stadium over Andrew for the title. Boone was a double-graduate of North Carolina Central University and NCCU Athletics Hall of Famer. The Rocky Mount, North Carolina native remained as Head Coach at T.C. Williams until 1979.

In December 1971, President Richard M. Nixon was quoted as saying, "the team saved the city of Alexandria."

Even after his days of coaching, Boone went on to spend many years doing public speaking and received the Living Legend of Alexandria award in 2016.

Oddly enough, many of the center characters from the T.C. Williams state title winning team of 48 years ago have passed during the same calendar year.

Earlier this year in May, Bill Yoast - the assistant coach portrayed by Will Patton in the Remember the Titans film - passed away at the age of 94. Petey Jones, the fullback on their title winning squad that was a longtime employee at Alexandria City Public Schools, died in July after a battle with prostate cancer. Actor Donald Faison played the role of Jones in the movie.

Also back in January, team captain Julius Campbell from the 1971 squad, passed away due to organ failure at the age of 65. Much of the movie focused on the friendship cultivated by Campbell, played by actor Wood Harris, and All-State linebacker Gerry Bertier, who was involved in an automobile accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Boone is survived by his wife, Carol, and three daughters; Donna, Monica and Sharron.