‘Above and beyond’: Annual meal celebrates Miami football
Rodney Coates teaches student-athletes as part of Summer Bridge Program
•
Published
Rodney Coates, professor of Global and Intercultural Studies, talks with the Miami University football team prior to a lunch celebrating the RedHawks' upcoming appearance in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl. (Scott Kissell photo)
‘Above and beyond’: Annual meal celebrates Miami football
•
Published
Lynel Billup-Williams’ first class at Miami University was with Rodney Coates.
Eli Blakey, too, had a first-year course with Coates, and he credits both teacher and class for helping prepare him for life in college.
Those stories are plentiful when it comes to Coates, professor of Global and Intercultural Studies, whose work with the Summer Bridge Program readies many student-athletes for their upcoming academic experience.
“He definitely has a special relationship with the student-athletes, especially with the summer classes and teaching us the ropes of what college is going to be like,” said Billup-Williams, a wide receiver on Miami’s football team.
On Wednesday, Coates and members of Miami’s administration were helping the RedHawk football team prepare in a different way – by providing a meal in honor of the program’s entry in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl on Dec. 27.
Held in the Gross Student-Athlete Development Center, the December lunch has become a tradition. This was the sixth time Coates has organized the event for an appreciative football team.
“These are one of those moments when we get to come together as a team,” Blakey said. “Moments like this are huge for team chemistry.”
A defensive back, Blakey and the RedHawks will face Fresno State University in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop. It’s the second straight year Miami will travel to Tucson, Arizona, for the game.
The RedHawks defeated Colorado State 43-17 in the 2024 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.
Kickoff for this year’s edition is 4:30 p.m. eastern time at Arizona Stadium. The game will be broadcast on The CW Network.
“To see how invested he (Snoop Dogg) was into his bowl game was very exciting,” Blakey said. “He was in our locker room, on our sidelines. It’s like a normal day.”
Miami coach Chuck Martin had hopes the RedHawks would return to Tucson. “We loved it last year,” he said. “We were very, very excited that we got to go again.”
Martin’s players look forward to their annual lunch at the Gross Center. He praised the effort Coates puts into providing the food – as well the time he gives to student-athletes.
“Above and beyond, like everything he does as a teacher,” Martin said of Coates. “The kids really appreciate it.
“He’s just a good guy, trying to help kids be successful in life.”
David Sayler, Miami’s director of athletics, called the lunch a “labor of love” for Coates.
“I look forward to it every year, as soon as the football team gets bowl eligible,” Sayler said. “I know he’s going to get the troops rallied and ready. To have everybody kick in and support the student-athletes is really awesome. Having deans here and faculty members and president cabinet members makes it that much more special.”
Coates said he started the pre-bowl meals as a way to celebrate the continuous high performance of the team. He also presented Martin and members of the coaching staff with a framed photo prior to the lunch.
This is the 17th all-time bowl appearance for the program, and the RedHawks’ sixth in a row. They have been bowl-eligible in nine of the past 10 seasons.
“You kind of rally around the team,” Coates said. “We appreciate the time, the effort, and the sacrifices. For me, this is what Love and Honor is all about.”
Eli Blakey, too, had a first-year course with Coates, and he credits both teacher and class for helping prepare him for life in college.
Those stories are plentiful when it comes to Coates, professor of Global and Intercultural Studies, whose work with the Summer Bridge Program readies many student-athletes for their upcoming academic experience.
“He definitely has a special relationship with the student-athletes, especially with the summer classes and teaching us the ropes of what college is going to be like,” said Billup-Williams, a wide receiver on Miami’s football team.
On Wednesday, Coates and members of Miami’s administration were helping the RedHawk football team prepare in a different way – by providing a meal in honor of the program’s entry in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl on Dec. 27.
Held in the Gross Student-Athlete Development Center, the December lunch has become a tradition. This was the sixth time Coates has organized the event for an appreciative football team.
“These are one of those moments when we get to come together as a team,” Blakey said. “Moments like this are huge for team chemistry.”
A defensive back, Blakey and the RedHawks will face Fresno State University in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop. It’s the second straight year Miami will travel to Tucson, Arizona, for the game.
The RedHawks defeated Colorado State 43-17 in the 2024 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.
Kickoff for this year’s edition is 4:30 p.m. eastern time at Arizona Stadium. The game will be broadcast on The CW Network.
“To see how invested he (Snoop Dogg) was into his bowl game was very exciting,” Blakey said. “He was in our locker room, on our sidelines. It’s like a normal day.”
Miami coach Chuck Martin had hopes the RedHawks would return to Tucson. “We loved it last year,” he said. “We were very, very excited that we got to go again.”
Martin’s players look forward to their annual lunch at the Gross Center. He praised the effort Coates puts into providing the food – as well the time he gives to student-athletes.
“Above and beyond, like everything he does as a teacher,” Martin said of Coates. “The kids really appreciate it.
“He’s just a good guy, trying to help kids be successful in life.”
David Sayler, Miami’s director of athletics, called the lunch a “labor of love” for Coates.
“I look forward to it every year, as soon as the football team gets bowl eligible,” Sayler said. “I know he’s going to get the troops rallied and ready. To have everybody kick in and support the student-athletes is really awesome. Having deans here and faculty members and president cabinet members makes it that much more special.”
Coates said he started the pre-bowl meals as a way to celebrate the continuous high performance of the team. He also presented Martin and members of the coaching staff with a framed photo prior to the lunch.
This is the 17th all-time bowl appearance for the program, and the RedHawks’ sixth in a row. They have been bowl-eligible in nine of the past 10 seasons.
“You kind of rally around the team,” Coates said. “We appreciate the time, the effort, and the sacrifices. For me, this is what Love and Honor is all about.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.
