Furman Traditions

Coaching Ranks

Over 50 former Paladin football players are involved in coaching in some capacity - either as a head coach, assistant coach, graduate assistant, or athletics director at the high school, college, and professional levels. Click here for a complete list.

Colors

The origin of Furman's school colors can be traced to the early 1890s when, at an alumni meeting headed up by James Andrews Tate of York, S.C., it was officially decided that royal purple and white would serve as school colors.  Since then, Furman football teams have been known by nicknames Purple Fighters, Purple Hurricane and, most recently, Paladins -- all of which have proudly boasted the school's most recognizable color.

Logos

Furman's football team and athletics program are represented by  the diamond "F", which was first employed in 1973 and is still used on the school's football helmets.  The creation of former Furman head coach and athletics director Dick Sheridan, who at the time was a young assistant on head coach Art Baker's staff, the diamond has been copied (and letters changed) by numerous high school football teams in South Carolina and Georgia, often times by former Furman players now in the coaching ranks.

Paladin Plaza

Dedicated in 2003, Paladin Plaza is the welcome area at Paladin Stadium.  The centerpiece for Paladin Plaza is a 17-foot-high bronze patina statue of a horse-and-knight, which symbolizes the school's athletic mascot.  The lighted, 12,000-square-foot area also includes brick walkways with granite set edging, a replica of the Diamond "F" and custom landscaping. Sonny and Keeter Horton of Greenville and Melvin and Dollie Younts of Fountain Inn were the primary donors for Paladin Plaza.  The horse-and-knight statue was donated by Irwin Belk of Charlotte, N.C. The granite for the statue was donated by the family of L.D. Stewart in honor of Paladin football.  Chris Stewart and Marty Priore, 2002 Furman graduates and former Paladin All-American offensive linemen now in the granite business in Odessa, Fla., installed the material for the statue's pedestal.  The horse-and-knight was designed by artist John Hair of Cornelius, N.C.