An HBCU football star is coming back after a stint in the NFL as K.J. Black joins South Carolina State.
South Carolina State has named Black as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach as it reloads for another run.
It is the kind of move that should get attention across Black college football, especially for a SCSU program that expects to contend again in 2026.
Black returns to the HBCU ranks after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons on the Atlanta Falcons staff under head coach Raheem Morris. With Morris dismissed after the 2025 season, Black now heads back to the HBCU level with fresh experience from the pro game and a background that already includes success as both a player and assistant coach. He’s joining the staff of Chennis Berry, who is an offensive-minded head coach.
A return to HBCU football
This is a return to Black’s roots in HBCU football.
Before making his way to the NFL, Black had already earned respect in HBCU football circles as both a quarterback and a young offensive coach. His latest move puts him in a strong position at South Carolina State. The two-time defending MEAC champions aren’t bringing in an unproven name. They are adding someone who understands the HBCU game. He also knows quarterback play, and now has recent experience inside an NFL building.
Programs at this level are always looking for ways to sharpen their edge. South Carolina State already knows how to win. Bringing in Black suggests it is also serious about evolving and staying ahead.
From Prairie View star to coach
Black first made his mark as a player at Prairie View A&M. After beginning his college career at Western Kentucky, he transferred to PVAMU and became one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the SWAC.
He led Prairie View A&M to the 2009 SWAC Championship and was named MVP of that title game. In two seasons with the Panthers, he threw for 4,187 yards and 35 touchdowns. That production, along with his leadership, helped make him one of the memorable HBCU signal-callers of his era.
After his playing days, Black started his coaching career at Prairie View A&M. He later continued that climb at Florida A&M under Willie Simmons, where he helped elevate the Rattlers’ passing game.
In his first season at FAMU in 2019, the program’s passing production took a noticeable jump. The Rattlers improved from 232.9 passing yards per game in 2018 to 291.1 in 2019. Their passing efficiency improved as well, and passing touchdowns rose from 17 to 30 in just one season.
NFL experience meets championship expectations
Now Black brings that experience to Orangeburg.
South Carolina State is getting a coach who has developed at multiple levels of the game. Black has HBCU credibility. He has worked with quarterbacks and has coached in championship environments. And now he adds NFL experience to the mix.
That combination could be especially important for a South Carolina State offense looking to remain dangerous while defending its place among the elite in HBCU football.
Black’s path has not been accidental. He has worked his way from HBCU star quarterback to college assistant to NFL staff member. Now he returns to HBCU football with even more knowledge and a larger platform.
South Carolina State did not just fill a coordinator opening. It added a coach whose journey reflects both where HBCU football has been and where it is going.