Wally Bullington

Wallace "Coach Bully" Bullington[1] is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator.[2] He served Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas[3] 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.[4]

Wally Bullington
Biographical details
BornAthens, Alabama
Playing career
1949–1952Abilene Christian
Position(s)Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1960–1965Abilene HS (TX)
1968–1976Abilene Christian
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1969–1988Abilene Christian
2002Abilene Christian (interim AD)
Head coaching record
Overall62–32–2 (college)
Bowls1–0
Tournaments2–0 (NAIA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 NAIA Division I (1973)
1 LSC (1973)
Awards
LSC Coach of the Year (1973)

Playing career

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.[5] He was selected to the ACU "team of the century" as both a player and coach.[6]

Coaching career

Bullington got started in coaching at Abilene High School[7] from 1960[8] to 1965.[9] 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.[10]

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.[11] His coaching record at Abilene Christian was 62–32–2.[12]

The 1973 season saw his team finish with 11 wins and one loss[13] while winning the NAIA Division I National Championship[14] by defeating Elon College by a score of 42–14.[15] In 1976, his team won the San Juncito Shrine Bowl[16] with a victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State by a score of 24–7.[17]

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).[18]

The Lone Star Conference inducted Bullington into its "Wall of Honor" in 1999 for his accomplishments as a player, coach, and administrator.[19]

Return to athletics

In 2002, Bullington came out of retirement to serve as the interim athletic director at Abilene Christian, a position he had previously held.[20]

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Abilene Christian Wildcats (Southland Conference) (1968–1972)
1968 Abilene Christian 4–5–11–2–14th
1969 Abilene Christian 8–22–2T–2nd
1970 Abilene Christian 9–23–12nd
1971 Abilene Christian 5–51–4T–6th
1972 Abilene Christian 3–81–4T–5th
Abilene Christian Wildcats (Lone Star Conference) (1973–1976)
1973 Abilene Christian 11–19–01stW NAIA Division I Championship
1974 Abilene Christian 7–46–3T–3rd
1975 Abilene Christian 6–3–15–3–15th
1976 Abilene Christian 9–25–22ndW NAIA Shrine Bowl
Abilene Christian: 62–32–233–21–2
Total:62–32–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
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References
  2. Heartlight Magazine "Staying on Track" Lou Seckler
  3. Abilene Reporter News "Sports Closer to Home" September 7, 2006
  4. ACU Optimist "1973 Wildcats look back at football team's first national championship" November 7, 2003
  5. Athens News Courier "Limestone County Sports HOF inducts its class of 2006 Saturday" May 29, 2006
  6. WWE News "From Wrestling God to Football God" Evan Denbaum, September 13, 2005
  7. Abilene Reporter News "Five decades later, the Eagles are again flying high" By Marc David, December 9, 2007
  8. Boston Globe "Deep in the Heart of Texas"
  9. ACU.edu Profiles: Wally Bullington
  10. WFAA Channel 8 Dallas/Fort Worth "Getting the old gang back together at Abilene High" Kevin Sherrington June 10, 2007
  11. 2008 Wildcat Football (media guide) ACU Record Book
  12. Abilene Christian University coaching records
  13. College Football Data Warehouse Abilene Christian University 1973 football results
  14. NAIA National Football Championships history
  15. Victory Sports Network "NAIA Football-National Championships Year by Year"
  16. Lone Star Conference LSC Football standouts honored as part of 75th anniversary celebration
  17. College Football Data Warehouse Abilene Christian University bowl games history
  18. Abilene Reporter-News "Amazing Feat" by Patrick Gonzales
  19. Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor
  20. NCAA News "DIRECTORS OF ATHLETICS" April 1, 2002
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