Joseph Wiley Gilliam Sr. (March 27, 1923[1] – November 14, 2012) was an American football coach.
After one semester at Indiana University, he joined the United States Army.
[2] In the fall of 1947, he enrolled at West Virginia State College (class of 1952), where he was an All-American at quarterback.
He followed Merritt to Tennessee State University,[3] where, as defensive coordinator, he helped the Tigers to four undefeated seasons and seven black college football national championships in a 20-year span.
Gilliam was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall Of Fame in 2007.