Legendary Bill Hayes, a former Wake Forest assistant and N.C. A&T head coach, will open the gate at Allegacy Stadium (2024)

Bill Hayes, a legendary football coach who built his hall of fame career in the Triad, will not be intimidated riding on the back of a motorcycle as he opens the gate for Wake Forest’s game on Aug. 29 against N.C. A&T.

Hayes, 81, got his start in college coaching as the first Black assistant for Wake Forest in the early 1970’s, then after a successful stint at Winston-Salem State as the head coach, he went on to become the all-time wins leader at N.C. A&T.

“I used to have a 1997 Harley Davidson Softail Springer that was given to me by one of my former players,” Hayes said about having the motorcycle in the late 1990s.

Hayes used to ride the bike back and forth between Winston-Salem and Greensboro for several years, and he also got real adventurous one time.

“I rode it down to Myrtle Beach for the big bike rally,” Hayes said with a laugh.

There’s a reason one of Hayes’ nicknames was ‘Wild Bill.’

Hayes won 195 games as a head coach at WSSU and A&T before becoming an athletics director at N.C. Central, Florida A&T and WSSU. He’s proud of his coaching record that included six combined conference championships in the CIAA and the MEAC, and he’s also honored to open the gate in a game where he coached at both schools.

“It’s just unbelievable that this is a full circle moment,” Hayes said. “Who would have thought something like this would happen? I’m just honored to be a part of the pre-game festivities.”

The Demon Deacons and the Aggies will open both of their seasons on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Plus.

Hayes said his wife, Carolyn, wasn’t a big fan of him driving around on a motorcycle as he commuted from their house in Winston-Salem to Greensboro when Hayes was coaching the Aggies. He kept the bike, however, for about seven years.

“No, she wasn’t very happy with it, but she was happy when I sold it,” Hayes said.

What also excites Hayes is the tailgate that’s planned with many of his former players he coached at Wake Forest and A&T who plan to be there for the game. Hayes said it’s likely a few former WSSU players he coached will also be at the tailgate.

“Some of those guys I haven’t seen in 50 years or so,” Hayes said. “It’s going to be a great night and I’m really appreciative of Wake Forest and (Athletics Director) John Currie for doing this.”

Hayes, who plays golf at least three times a week, is also busy with The Bill & Carolyn Hayes Foundation that raises money for HBCU’s. He has a golf tournament with an auction every year around his foundation.

Hayes also works closely with the Winston-Salem Sportsman Club that has a hall of fame and helps sponsor the Mary Garber Holiday Classic, a girls high-school basketball tournament.

Hayes was awarded the 2019 American Football Coaches Association Trailblazer Award, honoring his role as an early leader in the football coaching profession at HBCU's. Additionally, a statue in his honor is set to be unveiled in conjunction with WSSU and the City of Winston-Salem. The statue will be eventually placed at Bowman Gray Stadium, where the field is already named for him.

During the game on Aug. 29 Hayes said the video board at Wake Forest will show his foundation’s QR code.

“We’re hoping to maybe add a few dollars to our foundation,” Hayes said.

As for riding on the back of a motorcycle with the Demon Deacon mascot driving it for the gate opening, Hayes said he should be fine.

“I’ll be holding on tight to the mascot,” Hayes said. “It will help that I’ve been on a motorcycle before, but that was a long time ago.”