The American Football Coaches Association announced late last week that Florida A&M University’s Hall of Fame coaching legend A.S. “Jake” Gaither had been named the recipient of the 2008 AFCA Trailblazer Award.

The Trailblazer Award was created as a way for the AFCA to honor a historically significant minority coach who had a profound impact on his institution, the coaching profession, student-athletes and the game of football.

Gaither, fashioned a scintillating 203-36-4 record in 25 seasons from 1945 to 1969, winning six Black College National titles, while producing 36 All-Americans.

In 1975, Gaither was enshrined in the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame, and was the recipient of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award and the Walter Camp Foundation Award.

The AFCA Trailblazer Award is given to an individual who coached in a certain decade. The inaugural winner coached in the decade from 1920 to 1929, with the five-year cycle ending in 2009 and a winner coming from the 1960-1969 decade.

In 2010, the cycle will start over with a winner coming from the decade between 1920 and 1929.

Former Hampton coach Charles Williams was named the award's inaugural winner in 2004.

Last year's winner, Billy Nicks of Prairie View A&M and Morris Brown, was honored at the 2008 AFCA Convention in Anaheim, California, in January 7 at the Kickoff Luncheon.

AFCA Trailblazer Honorees ? 2004-2008
?2008: Alonzo Smith “Jake” Gaither, Florida A&M University
?2007: Billy Nicks, Prairie View A&M/Morris Brown College
?2006: Arnett “Ace” Mumford, Southern University-Baton Rouge (La.)
?2005: Cleveland “Cleve” Abbott, Tuskegee (Ala.) University
?2004: Charles Williams, Hampton (Va.) University