Lawrence "L. C." Cole (born January 3, 1956) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the defensive coordinator for Clark Atlanta University, a position he has held since 2024.[1] He was the 18th head football coach at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee and he held that position for four seasons, from 1996 until 1999. His career coaching record at Tennessee State was 28–18.[2]
After a successful, but controversial, stint as head coach at Alabama State University, Cole revived the storied football program at Montgomery, Alabama's Sidney Lanier High School; during Cole's two years at Lanier, the Poets won the City Championship each year, and they never lost to a city opponent. Lanier reached the state playoffs each year, making it to the quarterfinals in 2006. On December 3, 2008, Cole was announced as Stillman College's third head coach since the reinstatement of the program in 1999 in replacing Greg Thompson.[3] Following the 2010 season, Cole was fired as head coach, and replaced with Stillman alumnus Teddy Keaton.[4]
Lawrence Cole has a wife, Mitzi Ann Parker Cole, and a son, Clay Cole. His wife was born in Madison, Wisconsin. His son is from Nashville, Tennessee. His parents are Ruby Cole and Timothy Cole. He was the fourth of nine brothers.[citation needed]
Cole went to the University of Nebraska 1975-1979 and coached there through 1982 under Tom Osborne.