Joseph W. Gilliam Sr. (c. 1923 – November 14, 2012) was an American football player and coach. Gilliam was born in Steubenville, Ohio, and began his collegiate playing career at Indiana University before transferring to West Virginia State University, where he was an All-American at quarterback. Gilliam was head football and basketball coach at Oliver High School in Winchester, Kentucky from 1952 to 1954, winning a state championship in football in 1954. Gilliam served as head coach at Tennessee State from 1989 to 1992, earning Ohio Valley Conference Coach Of The Year honors in 1990.