Wally Bullington
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 17, 1931 Athens, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | July 20, 2018 (aged 87) Abilene, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Abilene Christian University |
| Playing career | |
| 1949–1952 | Abilene Christian |
| Position(s) | Offensive lineman |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1960–1965 | Abilene HS (TX) |
| 1968–1976 | Abilene Christian |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1969–1988 | Abilene Christian |
| 2002 | Abilene Christian (interim AD) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 62–32–2 (college) |
| Bowls | 1–0 |
| Tournaments | 2–0 (NAIA D-I playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 NAIA Division I (1973) 1 LSC (1973) | |
| Awards | |
| LSC Coach of the Year (1973) | |
Wallace Bullington (May 17, 1931 – July 20, 2018), known as Coach Bully, was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator.[1] He served Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas[2] for 39 years as football player, assistant football coach, head football coach and athletic director before he retired from the university's athletic staff in 1988, but not before leading the school to its first national championship in 1973.[3]
Playing career
[edit]As a player on the offensive line at Abilene Christian, Bullington was a four-year letterman and helped lead the Wildcats to the only perfect season in school history for the 1950 season with a record of 11–0. Bullington was named to the All-Texas Conference football team in 1950, 1951 and 1952 and was selected an All-American in 1952.[4] He was selected to the ACU "team of the century" as both a player and coach.[5]
Coaching career
[edit]Bullington got started in coaching at Abilene High School[6] from 1960[7] to 1965.[8] While an assistant coach at Abilene High School, the Dallas Morning News named the squad the "Team of the Century" due to their 49-game winning streak.[9]
Bullington was the tenth head football coach at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and he held that position for nine seasons, from 1968 until 1976.[10] His coaching record at Abilene Christian was 62–32–2.[11]
The 1973 season saw his team finish with 11 wins and one loss[12] while winning the NAIA Division I National Championship[13] by defeating Elon College by a score of 42–14.[14] In 1976, his team won the San Juncito Shrine Bowl[15] with a victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State by a score of 24–7.[16]
While coaching at ACU, Bullington coached Ove Johansson who kicked a world-record 69 yard field goal on October 16, 1976 at the homecoming game against East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce).[17]
The Lone Star Conference inducted Bullington into its "Wall of Honor" in 1999 for his accomplishments as a player, coach, and administrator.[18]
Return to athletics
[edit]In 2002, Bullington came out of retirement to serve as the interim athletic director at Abilene Christian, a position he had previously held.[19]
Death
[edit]Bullington died in Abilene, Texas on July 20, 2018, at the age of 87.[20][21]
Head coaching record
[edit]College
[edit]| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian Wildcats (Southland Conference) (1968–1972) | |||||||||
| 1968 | Abilene Christian | 4–5–1 | 1–2–1 | 4th | |||||
| 1969 | Abilene Christian | 8–2 | 2–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1970 | Abilene Christian | 9–2 | 3–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1971 | Abilene Christian | 5–5 | 1–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 1972 | Abilene Christian | 3–8 | 1–4 | T–5th | |||||
| Abilene Christian Wildcats (Lone Star Conference) (1973–1976) | |||||||||
| 1973 | Abilene Christian | 11–1 | 9–0 | 1st | W NAIA Division I Championship | ||||
| 1974 | Abilene Christian | 7–4 | 6–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1975 | Abilene Christian | 6–3–1 | 5–3–1 | 5th | |||||
| 1976 | Abilene Christian | 9–2 | 5–2 | 2nd | W NAIA Shrine Bowl | ||||
| Abilene Christian: | 62–32–2 | 33–21–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 62–32–2 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ Heartlight Magazine "Staying on Track" Lou Seckler
- ^ Abilene Reporter News "Sports Closer to Home" September 7, 2006
- ^ ACU Optimist "1973 Wildcats look back at football team's first national championship" November 7, 2003
- ^ Athens News Courier "Limestone County Sports HOF inducts its class of 2006 Saturday" May 29, 2006
- ^ WWE News "From Wrestling God to Football God" Evan Denbaum, September 13, 2005
- ^ Abilene Reporter News "Five decades later, the Eagles are again flying high" By Marc David, December 9, 2007
- ^ Boston Globe "Deep in the Heart of Texas"
- ^ ACU.edu Profiles: Wally Bullington
- ^ WFAA Channel 8 Dallas/Fort Worth "Getting the old gang back together at Abilene High" Kevin Sherrington June 10, 2007
- ^ 2008 Wildcat Football (media guide) Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine ACU Record Book
- ^ "Abilene Christian University coaching records". Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse Archived 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine Abilene Christian University 1973 football results
- ^ NAIA National Football Championships Archived 2008-06-25 at the Wayback Machine history
- ^ Victory Sports Network "NAIA Football-National Championships Year by Year"
- ^ Lone Star Conference LSC Football standouts honored as part of 75th anniversary celebration
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine Abilene Christian University bowl games history
- ^ Abilene Reporter-News "Amazing Feat" by Patrick Gonzales
- ^ Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor
- ^ NCAA News "DIRECTORS OF ATHLETICS" April 1, 2002
- ^ ACU Sports "Legendary coach and A.D., Wally Bullington, dies at 87" July 20, 2018
- ^ "Wally Bullington". Legacy. Retrieved December 8, 2023.