[1] Ayers began his coaching career as a graduate assistant and defensive coordinator at Georgetown College in 1974 and 1975.
In 1980, Ayers arrived at Wofford as defensive coordinator for the Terriers under head coach Buddy Sasser.
Ayers followed Sasser to East Tennessee State University, where he resumed his role as defensive coordinator before taking over the head coaching position in 1985.
Ayers was hired as the head coach of the Terriers in 1988 by athletic director Danny Morrison over a milkshake at Asheville's Biltmore Dairy Bar.
[1] Ayers won the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the most outstanding FCS head coach, in 2003 after guiding the Terriers to a 12–2 record.