East Tennessee State Buccaneers football

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East Tennessee State Buccaneers football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2023 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team
East Tennessee State Buccaneers logo.svg
First season1920;104 years ago (1920)
Athletic directorRichard Sander
Head coach Tre Lamb
1st season, 0–0 (–)
Stadium William B. Greene Jr. Stadium
(capacity: 7,694)
Field surfaceArtificial
Location Johnson City, Tennessee
NCAA division Division I FCS
Conference Southern Conference
All-time record382–445–27 (.463)
Bowl record4–2 (.667)
Conference titles5 (1 SMAC, 2 OVC, 2 SoCon)
Rivalries Chattanooga Mocs, Western Carolina Catamounts
ColorsNavy blue and gold [1]
   
MascotBucky
Website etsubucs.com

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for East Tennessee State University (ETSU) located in Johnson City, Tennessee. The team was dormant from the end of the 2003 season until being reinstated for the 2015 season. They played all of their 2015 home games and all but one of their 2016 home games at Kermit Tipton Stadium before the opening of the new William B. Greene Jr. Stadium for the 2017 season. [2] The remaining 2016 home game, against Western Carolina on September 17, was played at nearby Bristol Motor Speedway, which was already set up for football due to a game the prior week between the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech . [3] Before ETSU dropped football, it competed in NCAA Division I as a Southern Conference (SoCon) football program. The revived program played as an independent in 2015 before returning to the SoCon in 2016. [4]

Contents

History

East Tennessee State Normal School fielded its first football team in 1920. Navy blue and old gold, chosen in 1911, were the school colors. The team only played five games that year including two against local high school teams. W.R. Windes was the head coach for the first two seasons. In 1925, the school's name was changed to East Tennessee State Teachers College. The athletic teams were named "The Teachers". John Robinson was the head coach for the next 5 years.

In 1930, the school's name changed again to State Teachers College, Johnson City. In 1932, Gene McMurray was named the head coach. He coached for 10 straight seasons until the school stopped playing due to World War II. He came back to coach the team in 1946. His winning percentage during his 11 seasons was the highest in the history of Buc football. During his tenure, the team won the Smoky Mountain Conference championship in 1938 [5] and the team's name changed to the "Buccaneers" (1935).

In 1943, the school's name changed to East Tennessee State College. In 1952, Star Wood became head coach. He led the team for 13 seasons; 1952 to 1953 and then 1955 to 1965. Coach Wood tops the list of total wins with 64. From 1952 to 1956, the team made five consecutive appearances in the Burley Bowl, compiling a 3–2 record. East Tennessee State College joined the Ohio Valley Conference in 1957.

In 1963, the college gained university status to become East Tennessee State University. Coach John Robert Bell led the team to a 10–0–1 record in 1969. They won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship and defeated Louisiana Tech, led by quarterback Terry Bradshaw, in the Grantland Rice Bowl. The Memorial Center opened in 1977 and was nicknamed the "Mini-Dome". The football team played their homes games indoors until the program was discontinued. In 1978, ETSU joined the Southern Conference.

The 1996 ETSU football team led by Coach Mike Cavan had a record of 10–3 and participated for the first time in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, defeating Villanova in a first-round game.

In 2003, ETSU decided to discontinue the football team due to financial reasons. The last game was played at home on November 22, 2003, against The Citadel. ETSU won the game 16–13 with a last second field goal. The school further left the Southern Conference. [6]

On January 29, 2013, the Student Government Association voted 22–5 to a $125 per semester fee increase that would fund the re-instatement of the football program. University President Dr. Brian Noland, who was in attendance for the vote, said that fee would be sufficient to support football and Title IX requirements that support additional women's athletics. Noland crafted a football proposal to submit to the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR). The Regents passed it in March 2013. [7]

On March 29, 2013, the TBR approved a $125 fee increase to reinstate football at ETSU. It had also become widely known across the campus that the Mini-Dome would not host home games. ETSU is building a brand new football stadium to play host to all of its home games. On May 30, 2013, ETSU accepted an invitation to rejoin the Southern Conference in 2014 and reinstated football, with operations beginning shortly thereafter and the first class signed in 2014 in preparation for the first game in the 2015 season. [8]

The Carl Torbush era

Veteran coach Carl Torbush was chosen to helm the rebuilding of the program, and signed the first class in 2014 in preparation for the 2015 season debut. [9] For the first two years, they played home games at Kermit Tipton Stadium/Steve Spurrier Field located on the campus of Science Hill High School in Johnson City. [2] It was announced on February 6, 2015, that ETSU would play Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018, the first meeting between the two schools. ETSU will receive a $500,000 payment for the game. [10] The Carl Torbush era began on September 3, 2015, as the Bucs took on the Kennesaw State Owls. On July 15, 2015, it was announced that the first game against Kennesaw State and the homecoming game against Emory & Henry had sold out, and that standing-only tickets were then available. [11] Torbush and the fledgling Bucs finished the 2015 season with a 2–9 record, with the wins over Warner and Kentucky Wesleyan. Torbush then lead a much improved Bucs team to a 5–6 (2–6 SoCon) in 2016 including a revenge win against Kennesaw State, a win over Western Carolina at Bristol Motor Speedway (the most attended game in the program's history), and an upset against then 18th-ranked Samford. In 2017, the Bucs returned on campus to William B. Greene Jr. Stadium, where they were mostly successful. However, the Bucs finished with a disappointing 4–7 record. After the season, Torbush decided to retire on December 8, 2017, citing his age as key factor in not signing a contract [12] In three years as the Buccaneers head coach, Torbush finished with an 11–22 (4–12 SoCon) record.

The Randy Sanders era

On December 17, 2017, following the retirement of Carl Torbush earlier in the month, the East Tennessee State Buccaneers named, former Florida State Seminoles football offensive coordinator, Randy Sanders as their eighteenth head coach. [13] On September 1, 2018, Sanders won his first game as a head coach defeating Mars Hill 28–7. On September 4, 2021, Sanders led the Buccaneers to their first FBS win since 1987, defeating Vanderbilt 23–3.

Conference history

Classifications

Conference memberships

Note: ETSU was a full member of the Southern Conference in the 2015–16 school year, but played the 2015 football season as an FCS independent.

Conference championships

The Buccaneers have won five conference championships, with one coming in the Smoky Mountain Conference, two in the Ohio Valley Conference and two in the Southern Conference.

SeasonConferenceCoachOverall recordConference record
1938 Smoky Mountain Conference Gene McMurray 6–25–1
1962† Ohio Valley Conference Star Wood 8–24–2
1969 John Robert Bell 10–0–16–0–1
2018† Southern Conference Randy Sanders 8–46–2
2021 11–17–1

† Co-champions

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Buccaneers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs three times with an overall record of 2–3.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1996 First Round
Quarterfinals		Villanova
Montana		W 35–29
L 14–44
2018 First RoundJacksonville StateL 27–34
2021 Second Round
Quarterfinals		Kennesaw State
North Dakota State		W 32–31
L 3–27

Notable former players

Notable alumni include:

Yearly results

YearCoachWinLossTiePct.PFPADelta
1920 William R. Windes320.6001885-67
1921 William R. Windes430.57195137-42
1922 James Karl Luck 630.667142152-10
1923 James Karl Luck360.333105343-238
1924 James Karl Luck341.43779158-79
1925 John Robinson340.42857109-52
1926 John Robinson341.43765163-98
1927 John Robinson170.12526162-136
1928 John Robinson430.57165113-48
1929 John Robinson251.31231116-85
1930 Jack S. Batey 070.00013161-148
1931 Jack S. Batey142.28542106-64
1932 Gene McMurray 331.500745618
1933 Gene McMurray612.7781314586
1934 Gene McMurray431.56256479
1935 Gene McMurray530.625806812
1936 Gene McMurray530.625823250
1937 Gene McMurray550.50077107-30
1938 Gene McMurray620.7501127537
1939 Gene McMurray530.6256183-22
1940 Gene McMurray440.50065614
1941 Gene McMurray250.2852185-64
1946 Gene McMurray710.8751255669
1947 Loyd Roberts 540.55514813018
1948 Loyd Roberts621.722987325
1949 Loyd Roberts540.555125135-10
1950 Loyd Roberts351.3891261251
1951 Loyd Roberts450.444115148-33
1952 Star Wood 522.66718812563
1953Star Wood540.55522016456
1954 Hal Littleford 541.5501651605
1955Star Wood631.65014511134
1956Star Wood450.444108133-25
1957Star Wood560.4541601519
1958Star Wood540.55513312013
1959Star Wood630.66713511916
1960Star Wood342.4441261206
1961Star Wood370.300136214-78
1962Star Wood730.70018210280
1963Star Wood720.77716712146
1964Star Wood550.500135139-4
1965Star Wood261.277129208-79
1966 John Robert Bell 360.333112119-7
1967John Robert Bell361.350133145-12
1968John Robert Bell550.500151170-19
1969 John Robert Bell1001.954219114105
1970John Robert Bell712.8001618180
1971John Robert Bell091.050108242-134
1972John Robert Bell370.300203221-18
1973 Roy Frazier 470.363244263-19
1974Roy Frazier461.409125152-27
1975Roy Frazier281.227157239-82
1976Roy Frazier370.300112204-92
1977Roy Frazier380.272233356-123
1978 Jack Carlisle 470.363230272-42
1979Jack Carlisle740.636278150128
1980Jack Carlisle290.181144250-106
1981Jack Carlisle650.545191242-51
1982Jack Carlisle290.181123217-94
1983 Buddy Sasser 380.272173178-5
1984 Buddy Sasser 650.545144167-23
1985 Mike Ayers 0101.045150271-121
1986 Mike Ayers 650.545264266-2
1987 Mike Ayers 560.454232244-12
1988Don Riley380.272180363-183
1989Don Riley470.363218325-107
1990Don Riley290.181240330-90
1991Don Riley1100.090183396-213
1992 Mike Cavan 560.454219313-94
1993 Mike Cavan 560.454213222-9
1994 Mike Cavan 650.54530626640
1995 Mike Cavan 470.363224305-81
1996 Mike Cavan 1030.76937828692
1997 Paul Hamilton 740.63634024298
1998 Paul Hamilton 470.363269340-71
1999 Paul Hamilton 650.54527225121
2000 Paul Hamilton 650.54528226715
2001 Paul Hamilton 650.545193226-33
2002 Paul Hamilton 480.333167286-119
2003 Paul Hamilton 570.41627023337
2015 Carl Torbush 290.182180416-236
2016 Carl Torbush 560.454174308-134
2017 Carl Torbush 470.363211313-102
2018 Randy Sanders 840.6673123048
2019 Randy Sanders 390.250---
2020 Randy Sanders 420.66612611313
2021 Randy Sanders 1120.846425295130
2022 George Quarles 380.272323336-13
2023 George Quarles 380.272200350-150
Total37144627.4541398116459-2478

[14]

Future non-conference opponents

Future non-conference opponents announced as of January 16, 2023. [15]

2024202520262027
at Appalachian State at Liberty at North Dakota State Virginia–Wise
North Dakota State at North Carolina
Virginia–Wise

Related Research Articles

Carl William Torbush Jr. was an American American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Louisiana Tech University in 1987, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1997 to 2000, and East Tennessee State University (ETSU) from 2013 to 2017, compiling a career college football record of 31–48. Outside of football, Torbush was the head baseball coach at Southeastern Louisiana University from 1977 to 1979, tallying a mark of 75–58. Torbush retired from coaching in December 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Sanders</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Randy Sanders is a former American football coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Tennessee State Buccaneers</span> Sports teams of a university

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers are the 16 intercollegiate athletics teams that represent East Tennessee State University (ETSU), located in Johnson City, Tennessee. ETSU's teams include men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field; women's-only softball and volleyball; and men's-only baseball and football. The Buccaneers compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Carolina Catamounts football</span> Football program representing Western Carolina University

The Western Carolina Catamounts football program represents Western Carolina University. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference. Since the school's first football team was fielded in 1931, the Catamounts have a record of 364–540–23, have made two postseason appearances, and have played in one national championship game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball</span> Mens college basketball team

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball team represents East Tennessee State University (ETSU), located in Johnson City, Tennessee, in men's college basketball. East Tennessee State is coached by Brooks Savage and currently competes in the Southern Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2017. In March 2020 the Buccaneers won the SoCon championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season</span> American college football season

The 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The season began on August 29, 2015, and concluded with the 2016 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game played on January 9, 2016, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State won its fifth consecutive title, defeating Jacksonville State, 37-10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team</span> American college football season

The 2015 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represented East Tennessee State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Carl Torbush. The 2015 season was their first season since 2003, when the program was discontinued. They played their home games at Kermit Tipton Stadium, located on the campus of Science Hill High School. For the 2015 season, the Buccaneers were classified as an FCS independent school, meaning they had no athletic conference affiliation in football for the season. However, they will become football members of the Southern Conference in 2016, a league that ETSU rejoined for non-football sports in 2014 after a nine-year absence. They finished the season 2–9 with wins over Warner and Kentucky Wesleyan.

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's soccer team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, United States. The team is a member of the Southern Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. ETSU's first men's soccer team was fielded in 2008. The team plays its home games at Summers-Taylor Stadium on the ETSU campus. The Buccaneers were coached by Bo Oshoniyi until he was hired away by Dartmouth College. In March 2018, ETSU announced the hiring of former University of Kentucky assistant coach David Casper. Following his dismissal in 2021, David Lilly assumed the post of head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William B. Greene Jr. Stadium</span> Football stadium at East Tennessee State University

William B. Greene Jr. Stadium is a football stadium on the campus of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City, Tennessee. The stadium is named after businessman and longtime ETSU supporter William B. Greene Jr. Located on the southwestern corner of campus at the foot of Buffalo Mountain, the new stadium is expected to have a seated capacity of over 7,000, plus standing room for an additional 3,000, and cost roughly $26.615 million. The stadium is home to the newly resumed East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team, which played their 2015 and 2016 seasons at Kermit Tipton Stadium on the campus of Science Hill High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team</span> American college football season

The 2016 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represented East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season and were in the first year of their second stint as football members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). ETSU had originally joined the SoCon in 1978, with football joining in 1979, but dropped the sport after the 2003 season and left the conference entirely in 2005. ETSU returned to the SoCon as a full but non-football member in 2014, at that time announcing that the school would reinstate football with play beginning in the 2015 season. The Buccaneers played that season as an FCS independent.

The 1996 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represented East Tennessee State University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Mike Cavan in his fifth and final season as head coach, the Buccaneers compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the SoCon behind Marshall. East Tennessee State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they beat Villanova in the first round before falling to Montana in the quarterfinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season</span> American college football season

The 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The FCS Championship Game was played on January 6, 2018, in Frisco, Texas. The North Dakota State Bison beat the James Madison Dukes, 17–13, to capture their sixth title in seven years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team</span> American college football season

The 2017 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represented East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season and are in the second year of their second stint as football members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). They are led by third-year head coach Carl Torbush and, for the first time, play all their home games at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium. They finished the season 4–7, 2–6 in SoCon play to finish in eighth place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team</span> American college football season

The 2018 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represented East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season and were in the third year of their second stint as football members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). They were led by first-year head coach Randy Sanders and played their home games at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium. They finished the season 8–4, 6–2 in SoCon play to win a share of the SoCon championship. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs, where they lost to Jacksonville State in the first round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team</span> American college football season

The 2019 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represents East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season and are in the fourth year of their second stint as football members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). They are led by second-year head coach Randy Sanders and play their home games at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team</span> American college football season

The 2020 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team represented East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season and were in the fifth year of their second stint as football members of the Southern Conference (SoCon). They were led by third-year head coach Randy Sanders and played their home games at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium.

The 2021–22 East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball team represented East Tennessee State University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Buccaneers, led by first-year head coach Desmond Oliver, played their home games at the Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee, as members of the Southern Conference. They finished the season 15–17, 7–11 in SoCon play to finish in eighth place. They lost to The Citadel in the first round of the SoCon tournament.

The 2022–23 East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball team represented East Tennessee State University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Buccaneers, led by second-year head coach Desmond Oliver, played their home games at the Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee, as members of the Southern Conference. They finished the season 12–20, 8–10 in SoCon play to finish in a tie for fifth place. As the No. 5 seed in the SoCon Tournament, they lost to Western Carolina in the quarterfinals

The 1938 East Tennessee State Teachers Buccaneers football team was an American football team that represented State Teachers College, Johnson City—now known as East Tennessee State University (ETSU)—as a member of the Smoky Mountain Conference in the 1938 college football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Gene McMurray, the Buccaneers compiled an overall record of 6–2 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, winning the Smoky Mountain Conference title for the first time since joining the conference in 1929. McMurray was assisted by former team captain, Walter Clark.

The 1941 East Tennessee State Teachers Buccaneers football team was an American football team that represented State Teachers College, Johnson City—now known as East Tennessee State University (ETSU)—as a member of the Smoky Mountain Conference during the 1941 college football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Gene McMurray, the Buccaneers compiled an overall record of 2–5 with a mark of 0–3 in conference play, placing last out of four teams in the Smoky Mountain Conference. Jim Mooney, the head baseball coach, stepped in to assist with the football team. Buck Hunt and Bill Mitchell served as team co-captains. East Tennessee State did not field another football team until 1946, after the end of World War II.

References

  1. ↑ East Tennessee State University Brand Guidelines . Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "ETSU looks to Science Hill for home field advantage over next 2 seasons".
  3. ↑ "ETSU, WCU to Play at Bristol Motor Speedway" (Press release). Southern Conference. January 29, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ "College Football Data Warehouse". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  5. ↑ "ETST TAKE FIRST SMOKY MOUNTAIN TITLE" . Kingsport Times . Kingsport, Tennessee. AP. November 20, 1938. Retrieved March 26, 2017– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ http://www.bucfootball.com/history.html [ bare URL ]
  7. ↑ "Johnson City Press: News".
  8. ↑ "ETSU among three invited to join Southern Conference in 2014". Hilton Head, SC. June 1, 2013.
  9. ↑ http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jun/19/report-carl-torbush-coach-east-tennessee-states-re/ [ bare URL ]
  10. ↑ "ETSU football to face Tennessee during 2018 season". Johnson City, TN. February 6, 2015.
  11. ↑ "ETSU football opener, Homecoming sellout in minutes". Johnson City, TN. July 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Torbush announces retirement as ETSU football coach". Johnson City, TN. December 8, 2017.
  13. ↑ https://www.wjhl.com/news/randy-sanders-named-etsus-18th-head-football-coach_201801230928114/934027910 [ bare URL ]
  14. ↑ "East Tennessee State Yearly Totals". Archived from the original on December 19, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  15. ↑ "East Tennessee State Buccaneers Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
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