Bill Yoast, ‘Remember The Titans' Football Coach, Dies

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Bill Yoast, the assistant T.C. Williams football coach portrayed in Disney's "Remember the Titans," died at Aarondale Retirement and Assisted Living in Springfield Thursday, May 23, Alexandria City Public Schools said. He was 94.

Yoast helped lead the T.C. Williams football team to the state title in 1971 and bolstered race relations after the upper grades of two previously all-white Alexandria high schools were integrated with T.C. Williams. He coached the football team at the previously all-white Francis C. Hammond High School before becoming defensive coach at T.C. Williams. When T.C. Williams appointed its first African-American coach Herman Boone instead of Yoast, the latter took a job as assistant coach.

The team overcame racial tensions through Yoast's decision, as well as the interracial friendship between team leaders Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier. Campbell died earlier this year.

"Bill was not going to allow racial differences to exist in this city," said Boone, who released a statement through ACPS from his hospital bed.

Born in Florence, Alabama in 1924, Yoast graduated from Coffee High School and served in the U.S. Air Force for three years. He received a bachelor's degree from Mercer University and a master's from Peabody College.

Yoast started his career working in Sparta, Georgia, as a football, basketball, baseball and track coach, then teaching track and football in Roswell, Georgia. He moved to Alexandria and coached then-Francis C. Hammond High school, helping them become regional champions in 1969. He coached in Alexandria for three decades.

Yoast was portrayed by William Patton in "Remember the Titans."

Demaine Funeral Home has not announced funeral services at this time.