Austin Peay State University - Yearbook (Clarksville, TN)

Page 134 text:

SUCCESS NEVER FQLILQWED BUSH The effort was there but the record wasn't During four consecutive football seasons Jack Bushofsky entered fall full of hope and found catastrophe. A dedicated and knowledgeable football coach, Bushofsky was simp- ly unfortunate. He worked hard at his profession and endured agony and misery with each loss. In 1976 Bushofsky and his staff assembled a promising team. And it produced moments of glory as Aus- tin Peay won five of its 11 games and tied for fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 3-4 record. The record is the best since a 5-5 season in 1968 and the conference finish ranks as the highest since 1966 when the Governors placed third. The initial two games on the sche- dule proved predictable but offered few clues as to the Governors' Governor following was anxious to see the real Austin Peay football strength. UT Martin demonstrated its superiority with a 24-0 shutout of Austin Peay in the season opener. One week later Austin Peay rolled team come forward. Perhaps that step forward came the following Saturday. It occurred on enemy turf on a warm and humid over an outmanned representative from Mars Hills 22-0 and a confused September afternoon in Bowling Green, Ky. WORK! a Austin Peay football coach Jack Bushofsky Ulbovet worked hard at producing a winner. His efforts reflected success to a certain degree in 1976 as the Governors won five of 11 contests. A great competitor, Bushofsky demanded perfection from his squad and had little patience with those who failed to provide the maximum effort. Austin Peay's talented defense stung Mars Hill aem several times and helped propell the team to an impressive 22-0 victory.

Page 133 text:

Donnelly spent most of his college career at defensive corner back. HI was a plugger, Boots says. Indeed he was. He didn't let a few injuries keep him out of the lineup. At times, he played with a broken hand, once with a cracked neck and he has started with broken ribs and a broken nose. Donnelly received his MS. degree in 1965 and his M.Ed. degree in 1966 from Middle Tennessee State. Donnelly returned to Father Ryan and spent six years as assistant coach under Catignani, working with the de- fensive secondary, offensive line and backfield. As secondary coach, Donnelly's backs averaged 22 in- terceptions a year. Boots took over the Father Ryan program in 1974 and his accomplishments in his two years as head coach boggle the mind. He led Father Ryan to a 21-2 record and two NIL cham- pionships. His 1974 squad finished with an impressive 13-0 record and captured the Tennessee Class AAA title. After eight years in high school coaching, Donnelly was persuaded by coach Fred Pancoast to join the Vanderbilt staff where he served as offensive backfield coach during the '76 season. Among his proudest accomplishments is his success in Donnelly talks serious football strategy with his players and expects a good return on his investment of time. However, even though most of his efforts are serious, he interjects humor at the proper points. helping coordinate some of the finest coaching clinics in Tennessee while at Father Ryan. His clinics included some of the top high school and college coaches in the area. Boots has a fetish for golf, and his free time is devoted to his wife, the former Carole Holzapfel of Nashville, and their three girls; Bunny, Helen and Lauren. 121

Page 135 text:

Few football teams have an oppor- tunity to assault the tradition of Western Kentucky football. 80 when Austin Peay jogged on the field that afternoon, ignored by the uncon- cerned thousands of WKU sup- porters ready to witness another Hilltopper thrashing, it was obvious that little opposition was expected from the Governors. From the opening kickoff Austin Peay served notice that it would not oblige its host and roll over and play dead. With an unyielding defense and determined offense performing to perfection the Governors gained a 7-3 advantage eWKU's only score came on a 48-yard field goaD and ALMOST AN UPSET a Austin Peay played one of its finest football games in many years but fell short against Western Kentucky in Bowling Green as the Hilltoppers prevailed thanks to a 92-yard bomb in the final two minutes. Helping the Governor cause was talented receiver Ron Bailey Com shown straining for extra yardage. Head coach Jack Bushofsky tinsett offers instructions to the offensive unit during the contest. Bushofsky tRighQ walks off the field following the defeat with athletic director George Fisher offering a proud handshake.