BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Born in New Orleans, La., Bruce Eugene would go on to become one of the top National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-AA quarterbacks during his time in college. Eugene grew up primarily in a single parent household with his mother and younger siblings. He was determined to make a better life for himself along with his family which led him to focusing much of his attention on sports.
 
“My mom taught me how to play football,” said Eugene. “She is a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan, so she knew her football. My mom worked tirelessly to make sure that my sister, brother and I were taken care of.”
 
Growing up Eugene played football, basketball, baseball, and attempted his skill set in track & field while attending McDonogh 35 College Preparatory High School. Always wanting more for himself, Eugene asked his aunt to enroll him into Cohen College Prep High School where he made the basketball team and played football.
 
“My mom was so upset at me and surprised that I had asked my aunt to enroll me into that school,” said Eugene. “But she told me that if I kept my grades up above a 3.5, and made sure that my education was a priority, then she was ok with it.”
 
Once he arrived at Cohen Prep, Eugene excelled and eventually became a two-year starter on the basketball team at point guard and a three-year starter at quarterback on the football team.
 
During his senior season, he fractured his ankle during a routine screen play in the second quarter of a game. Before having to leave that game, he had passed for over 275 yards. After that contest, several notable college football programs (LSU, Arkansas, and Tulane) shifted attention away from recruiting him.
 
Devasted by the injury but not discouraged, Eugene would turn down a scholarship offer from Texas Southern before he chose to pursue Grambling State as a preferred walk-on to the Tigers program. With a Grambling State legend at the helm in Doug Williams, and five potential starting quarterbacks in front of him, Eugene went into camp that summer with a lot to prove and undoubtedly a big chip on his shoulder.
 
During his freshman season, Eugene redshirted behind the likes of Randy Hines, who was the starter, Michael Mays, J.J. Brown, and Aaron Thomas. With a unique drive and motivation, he spent countless hours watching old game film of former GSU quarterback Lynell Hayes.
 
“Whether it was learning from his mistakes, the good or bad decisions he made during plays, or how he used he feet in and out of the pocket, I wanted to know how to be a great quarterback for my team,” said Eugene.
 
Grambling State would win Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships in back-to-back seasons with Hines at quarterback. Going into his sophomore season, Eugene would get the nod to become the starting quarterback. After the first game of the season against McNeese State, he was subsequently benched and this became the turning point of his career.
 
“I called home to my mom and expressed to her that I was done at Grambling,” said Eugene. “My mom told me that I could become the biggest cheerleader ever, but I would stay at Grambling and finish school!”
 
Eugene would once again humble himself and eventually found his way back on the field after starting quarterback Gary Cooper went out in the fourth quarter against Alcorn State. Eugene came into the contest and completed the game-winning touchdown pass and a chance to compete for a third consecutive SWAC title.  
 
As a revived starter, he led the Tigers to a championship game victory over Alabama A&M to close out the season. Eugene was selected as a Walter Payton Award Finalist twice and was also named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year two times during his career.
 
In 2005, he led Grambling State (team averaged nearly 50-points per game) under the direction of head coach Melvin Spears, to its fourth SWAC title during a six-year time span.
 
Eugene capped his senior season accounting for 56 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He finished at Grambling State as the all-time passing career leader and the second all-time passing career leader in the SWAC with 13,530 total passing yards, 140 total touchdowns, and 38 interceptions in 1,657 pass attempts highlighted by 874 total completions.
 
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he entered the NFL after signing a free agent contract with his home team, the New Orleans Saints. The next season he went to Canada to play professionally. After a short stint overseas he came back home to sign a free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before deciding to hang up his pads and began his quest coaching.
 
As coach, Eugene coached collegiate football for a year at Alcorn State before becoming a head coach in the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) in New York City. As head coach at Grand Street HS, Eugene became the first African American coach to win a PSAL Championship.
 
“Our team was dominate on all levels of the game,” said Eugene. “Being that this school wasn’t known for having a great football program, I was tasked to build that program from ground up, and that’s what we did.”
 
Eugene is now in his third season serving as offensive coordinator at Christ the King Regional High School in Queens, N.Y. Despite multiple obstacles along the way, Eugene is a living testament that determination and hard work will always pay off in the end.
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
 
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.