Hundreds of mourners gathered at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta on Saturday to celebrate the life of William “Buck” Godfrey, the legendary Southwest DeKalb High School coach who died last month aged 83.
Friends, relatives, former players and alumni filled the venue, where an artificial football field was transformed into a memorial setting for the man who shaped generations of young athletes in DeKalb County.
Godfrey coached Southwest DeKalb for 30 seasons, from 1983 to 2012, recording 273 victories and leading the school to the 1995 Class 4A state championship. His teams made 27 play-off appearances and won multiple region titles.
His contribution extended well beyond the touchline. Godfrey also taught English, first at Towers High School before joining Southwest DeKalb, and was remembered by former pupils for demanding excellence in both the classroom and on the field.
Tony Owens, one of his former students, said Godfrey’s influence helped inspire him to enlist in the US Army.
“He always wanted to make sure that we were doing the very best that we could do,” Owens said. “Anytime we were not performing up to par, he would call you out.”
Buck Godfrey remembered for his impact beyond football
Godfrey’s daughter, television presenter Rashan Ali, had urged guests to wear vibrant colours as a reflection of her father’s character and the celebratory tone of the service.
“We lost a giant and a legend, but we have to celebrate him in the right way,” Ali said. “And I think wearing vibrant colours was the way to do that.”
Former Southwest DeKalb quarterback Quincy Carter, who went on to play in the NFL, also attended the memorial and spoke about the lasting effect of Godfrey’s guidance.
“I’m just so blessed because every step of the way, I can look back on my life, and Coach Godfrey shows up in it,” Carter said.
Ali said her father was proud not only of his win record but of the opportunities he helped create for his players, many of whom went on to higher education.
“Of course people are going to look at that and say, ‘Oh my God, look at this incredible record,’” she said. “But what about the records you placed in people’s lives? He was very happy that he had more scholarships than wins. That was big for him.”
Godfrey’s achievements earned him recognition from several sporting halls of fame. In 2015, a DeKalb County stadium was also renamed in his honour.
The family has now established the William Buck Godfrey Legacy Scholarship in an effort to continue his commitment to education. The fund will support students planning to attend historically Black colleges and universities, with applications expected to open in March 2027.
Ali said her father, a graduate of Delaware State University, had long championed HBCUs and believed education could change the course of a young person’s life.
For those gathered in Atlanta, the memorial was an opportunity to remember a coach whose influence was measured not only in victories and championships, but in the lives of the students he taught and encouraged.
