When Coach Slater took over the Clark Atlanta Panthers football program as the new Head Football Coach, expectations were high. The last time Clark Atlanta had a winning season was in 2008 with a record of 6-5. The best record Clark Atlanta University Football had was 9-1 in 1974 and the last time the panthers won a championship, was in 1991 when they won a share of the SIAC Championship with Alabama A&M, Tuskegee University, Fort Valley State and Morehouse College. The hiring of Coach Slater made since with him being ranked 2nd in all time in wins at Tuskegee University with a record of 120-39. Coach Slater took over Clark Atlanta Panthers football program on February 11th 2022, from the previous head coach Tim Bowens who had a 2-8 record his last season.
Coach Slaters first season as the panthers head football coach in 2022, his team went 3-7. Three out of the seven games the panthers lost last season, the margin they lost by an average of three points. Mental mistakes caused a few of those loses by the panthers during the season. Coming into the 2023 season and coaches being able to recruit talent out of the transfer portal to bolster up the roster on their team to compete and fill the voids on the team that may have needed some upgrades.
Clark Atlanta University Panthers played four out of their first five games that were shown on HBCU+, HBCUGo and ESPN+ as a program they want the masses to see the program has some good upside especially when a coach can use to the team is playing football games on their local television channels as a advantage when recruiting players to come play for the panthers football program. When your team is losing games by an average of 19 points per the first five games of the season imminent change is a necessary.