Herman Boone, 'Remember The Titans' Coach, Dies

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Herman Boone, coach of the 1971 state championship T.C. Williams football team portrayed in Disney's "Remember the Titans," has died at age 84. He was the fourth person connected to the "Remember the Titans" team who died in 2019.

Alexandria City Public Schools confirmed Boone's death. "We are truly saddened to hear of the death of Coach Herman Boone today," the school district tweeted. "ACPS & the @TCWTitans community will never forget his contribution to bringing our city together post-segregation. We encourage you to share your stories and memories of him with us."

Boone became the first African American head coach at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria. Alongside defensive coach Bill Yoast, he helped lead the team to the state title in 1971, a win that also bolstered race relations. That championship came after the integration of the upper grades of two previously all-white Alexandria high schools with T.C. Williams. Boone was portrayed by Denzel Washington in the 2000 film "Remember the Titans."

Wayne Sanders, a running back who played for Boone in 1971, said the coach had a commanding presence. "He didn’t need to say anything. He just looked at you, and that look said it all," Sanders said. "There was no denial in what he was saying. He meant what he said, and he said what he meant."

Boone, an ACPS Athletic Hall of Fame honoree, attended the 2019 ceremony in October.

The T.C. Williams community mourned the loss of several coaches and players on the 1971 team. Julius Campbell, one of the key leaders of the T.C. Williams football team, died early in 2019. Petey Jones, a fullback on the football team and longtime ACPS employee, died July 1. Yoast died May 23. In a statement released through ACPS from his hospital bed, Boone said of Yoast, "He and I found a way to talk to each other and trust each other. In the end, he was the best friend I ever had."

A family-only viewing will be held Saturday, Dec. 28 from 10 a.m. to noon at Oakland Baptist Church, 3408 King Street, Alexandria. A memorial service for Boone is scheduled for Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. at T.C. Williams High Schoool-King Street Campus, 3330 King Street, Alexandria.