Season of the Tiger
Season of the Tiger is a six-part docudrama that follows members of the Grambling State University marching band and football team during the 2005 football season.
Produced by Daftfilms and Black Entertainment Television, the series premiered on April 27, 2006, at 9:30 p.m., with subsequent episodes airing in the same Thursday time slot over the following five weeks.
Filmed in a documentary style, Season of the Tiger focuses on the lives of three marching band members and two football players as they pursue their goals while navigating the challenges of college life. The series is the second BET reality show to spotlight life at a historically black college or university (HBCU)—following College Hill—and the first to highlight the competitive environment of marching bands at HBCUs.
Among those featured in the docudrama is Grambling State standout quarterback and NFL prospect Bruce Eugene.
Cast
- Landry "Blu" Carter — Wide receiver
- Bruce Eugene — Quarterback
- Eva Grooms — snare drummer/marching band member
- LaShonda Harris — band member/Master drill
- Mancel Perrill — former marching band member
Cameo appearances
- Melvin Spears — Head coach of the Grambling State Tigers football team
- Dr. Larry J. Pannell — Director of Bands and Head of the Music Department at Grambling State University, known for leading the World Famed Tiger Marching Band during that era
Post‑season developments
The televised portion of Season of the Tiger concludes following Grambling State’s victory over Southern in the Bayou Classic. During the 2005 season, the Grambling State Tigers finished with an 11–1 record and captured the Southwestern Athletic Conference title with a 45–6 win over Alabama A&M in the championship game. Quarterback Bruce Eugene was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after completing 30 of 47 passes for 473 yards and six touchdowns.Eugene also set the FCS career record for touchdown passes with 140, surpassing the mark previously held by Willie Totten.
Following his college career, Eugene entered the 2006 NFL draft but went undrafted. He signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints shortly after the draft and was released on June 15, 2006, without appearing in an NFL regular-season game.