Before there was Deion Sanders, Charlie Ward, and other Florida State Seminoles greats to make FSU great, there was Ernest J. Cook. one of the most unknown Seminoles, but one who would help shape the program for decades to become one of the most dominant and well known college football teams.

Cook starred at Daytona Beach Father Lopez High School, where he played under legendary Volusia County coach Bud Asher. Father Lopez, then located on Madison Avenue, is a Catholic high school comprised primarily of

Cook, a highly coveted prospect, wanted to stay in the Sunshine State and signed his letter of intent with Florida State. It was a first... The FIRST black football player to sign with Florida State University. However, the annals of southern racism would rear it's ugly head and deter a young man's dream for gridiron stardom.


A TRYING TIME
The pressure of being a first in any thing can be challenging. Many times, those who battle for the change, don't reap the ultimate reward; they are often ostracized, misunderstood, denigrated, They battle, they pay the price, many times losing individually in the process; hopefully, in the end, others can benefit from their example and perseverance.

Florida State has benefitted from the proactive measures, and has made leaps and bounds from the time of when cook first signed a LOI to head to Tallahassee. The Seminoles have ushered in the programs first African-American head football coach, Palmetto native Willie Taggart. Taggart, who went into the record books and hall-of-fame as a player at Western Kentucky, has talked many times how he wanted to go to Florida State to play ball.