Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | October 15, 1942
Playing career | |
1962–1964 | Middle Tennessee |
Position(s) | Defensive back |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1967–1973 | Father Ryan HS (TN) (assistant) |
1974–1975 | Father Ryan HS (TN) |
1976 | Vanderbilt (offensive backfield) |
1977–1978 | Austin Peay |
1979–1998 | Middle Tennessee |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
2000–2005 | Middle Tennessee |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 154–94–1 (college) 21–2 (high school) |
Tournaments | 7–7 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs) |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
5 OVC (1977, 1985, 1989–1990, 1992) | |
Awards | |
4× OVC Coach of the Year (1977, 1983, 1985, 1989) | |
College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 2013 (profile) |
James F. "Boots" Donnelly (born October 15, 1942) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Austin Peay State University from 1977 to 1978 and at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) from 1979 to 1998, compiling a career college football coaching record of 154–94–1. Donnelly was inducted into the Blue Raider Hall of Fame in 1993! [1] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2013. [2]
Donnelly was a defensive back at MTSU; his playing career culminated with an MTSU victory in the 1964 Grantland Rice Bowl.
Donnelly began his coaching career at his alma mater, Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee. He served as the head football coach there from 1974 to 1975, tallying a mark of 21–2. His 1974 team went 13–0 and won the Tennessee Class AAA title. In 1976 Donnelly joined the football staff at Vanderbilt University, coaching the offensive backfield under head coach, Fred Pancoast. [3] Donnelly went on to be the head coach at Austin Peay for two seasons, and at MTSU for twenty seasons.
After the conclusion of his coaching career, Donnelly served as athletic director at MTSU for several years. In 2006, he became CEO of Backfield in Motion, an organization dedicated to fostering academic and athletic abilities among inner city youth. [2] In October 2015, a statue of Donnelly was unveiled on the MTSU campus. [4]
John Franklin Broyles was an American college football player and coach, college athletics administrator, and broadcaster. He served as the head football coach for one season at the University of Missouri in 1957 and at the University of Arkansas from 1958 to 1976, compiling a career coaching record of 149–62–6. Broyles was also the athletic director at Arkansas from 1974 to 2007. His mark of 144–58–5 in 19 seasons at the helm of the Arkansas Razorbacks football gives him the most wins and the most coached games of any head coach in program history. With Arkansas, Broyles won seven Southwest Conference titles and his 1964 team was named a national champion by a number of selectors including the Football Writers Association of America.
Thomas Raymond Flores is an American former professional football player in the American Football League (AFL) and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a quarterback for nine seasons in the AFL, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. After his retirement as a coach, he was a radio announcer for more than twenty years.
Henry Grantland Rice was an American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.
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William Ferdie Brown was an American professional football player, coach and administrator. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, Brown remained with the Raiders as an assistant coach. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Long Beach in 1991, the final season before the school's football program was terminated. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. At the time of his death he was on the Raiders' administrative staff.
The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame comprised a group of American football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne. They were the backfield of Notre Dame's 1924 football team. The players that made up this group were Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden.
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Richard Wilson Stockstill is an American college football coach who is an analyst at Florida State, his alma mater. He was the head coach at Middle Tennessee from 2006 to 2023. Stockstill was a Florida State quarterback under coach Bobby Bowden from 1977 to 1981. On December 12, 2005, Stockstill was hired as the 14th head coach of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football is the intercollegiate football program representing Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Blue Raiders compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and are a member of Conference USA. They are coached by Derek Mason, who was hired as the 15th head coach in program history on December 6, 2023.
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The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represents Louisiana Tech University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. After 12 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, Louisiana Tech began competing as a member of Conference USA in 2013.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are the men's and women's athletic teams at Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. MT athletic teams participate in NCAA Division I in Conference USA. MT competed in the Ohio Valley Conference until 2000, and the Sun Belt Conference until 2013.
The 1969 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1969 season, between the East Tennessee State Buccaneers and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. This was the first time that the Grantland Rice Bowl was played in Baton Rouge, Louisiana – prior games had been played in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1968 season, between the Akron Zips and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. This was the last time that the Grantland Rice Bowl was played in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The 1966 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1966 season, between the Tennessee State Tigers and the Muskingum Fighting Muskies. Tennessee State quarterback Eldridge Dickey was named the game's most valuable player.
The 1965 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1965 season, between the Ball State Cardinals and the Tennessee A&I Tigers. Ball State quarterback Frank Houk was named the game's most outstanding player.
The 1964 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1964 season, between the Muskingum Fighting Muskies and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. This was the inaugural playing of the bowl.
The 1972 Grantland Rice Bowl was an NCAA College Division game following the 1972 season, between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. Louisiana Tech quarterback Denny Duron was named outstanding offensive player, while his teammate linebacker Joe McNeely was named outstanding defensive player.