University and college football coaches have long maintained unique relationships with their football players; coaches are mentors, leaders, counselors, and even father figures. For some black men, the decision to play college football rests in the girding and guidance of coaches who not only extend experience and knowledge of the game of football, but also extend knowledge in survival and life lessons. Within the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the black football player is a highly sought-after talent who subscribes to the philosophy of the coaches' vision and leadership style, influence and discipline. Through the illustration of the critical race theory (CRT), which is defined as the study of the relationship among race, racism, and power including economics, history, and group self-interest, and the new instrumentation of the Black Lives Matter Movement, the purpose of this phenomenological study highlights the influences of coaches as mentors in the lives of Black college football players and the extent to which football players utilize these influences in both their academic and athletic development and in the context of their overall psychosocial development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]