inducted into his alma mater's Hall of Fame.
excerpt:
...Bunio arrived at Austin Peay after spending his freshman year (1961)
at Arizona. An offensive and defensive lineman, he would start the next
three seasons for APSU, suffering through 0-10 and 1-9 campaigns - the
1963 season was APSU's first in the OVC. The Carnegie, Pa., native was
elected one of three co-captains for that first OVC season.
Then
in 1964, under first-year coach Bill Dupes, Bunio was part of a complete
turnaround. After a 0-7 first season and last-place finish in the OVC,
the Govs reversed their fortunes finishing second in the OVC at 5-1-1
and going 8-1-1 overall.
Considered the team's heart and soul because of
his toughness, Bunio was credited with 39 tackles on the defensive side
while earning All-OVC as an offensive line.
Bunio next turned to
coaching, serving as an APSU graduate assistant, before staying in
Clarksville and serving seven seasons as an assistant coach at
Clarksville High School.
Then in 1973, Jack Bushofsky brought
Bunio back to his alma mater as a defensive assistant and coordinator
and stayed in that position for four seasons. When Bushofsky was not
rehired for the 1977 season, new head coach Boots Donnelly knew defense
was not the Govs problem and retained him as coordinator. As a result
that group grew to be the OVC's best in 1977, allowing only 12 points
per outing and only 10 per contest in league play. That defensive group
led APSU to its first and only OVC championship. Four of Bunio's players
earned first-team All-OVC honors, with linebacker Bob Bible becoming
the first Governor to OVC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Bible
also became Bunio's first All-American.
The next year, another one
of his charges, defensive back Mike Betts, duplicated both feats-OVC
Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-America-as four more
defensive Govs earned All-OVC.
In 1979, Bunio left his alma mater
and followed Boots Donnelly from the Austin Peay staff to MTSU to revive
the Blue Raider football program, starting a 16-year run as MTSU
defensive coordinator and linebacker coach until he retired after the
1994 season.
He was a driving force in the rebuilding of the Blue
Raiders' football fortunes with his great defenses in the 1980s. Among
the players he sent to the pros were Don Griffin, Marty Carter and Mike
Caldwell. He also coached the OVC's Defensive Player of the Year in 1982
(Dennis Mix), 1985 (Griffin), 1988 (Don Thomas), 1989 (Anthony Coleman)
and 1990 (Carter). He also had five players who earned All-America honors.....
Austin Peay selects 2014 Athletic Hall of Fame cla
excerpt:
...Bunio arrived at Austin Peay after spending his freshman year (1961)
at Arizona. An offensive and defensive lineman, he would start the next
three seasons for APSU, suffering through 0-10 and 1-9 campaigns - the
1963 season was APSU's first in the OVC. The Carnegie, Pa., native was
elected one of three co-captains for that first OVC season.
Then
in 1964, under first-year coach Bill Dupes, Bunio was part of a complete
turnaround. After a 0-7 first season and last-place finish in the OVC,
the Govs reversed their fortunes finishing second in the OVC at 5-1-1
and going 8-1-1 overall.
Considered the team's heart and soul because of
his toughness, Bunio was credited with 39 tackles on the defensive side
while earning All-OVC as an offensive line.
Bunio next turned to
coaching, serving as an APSU graduate assistant, before staying in
Clarksville and serving seven seasons as an assistant coach at
Clarksville High School.
Then in 1973, Jack Bushofsky brought
Bunio back to his alma mater as a defensive assistant and coordinator
and stayed in that position for four seasons. When Bushofsky was not
rehired for the 1977 season, new head coach Boots Donnelly knew defense
was not the Govs problem and retained him as coordinator. As a result
that group grew to be the OVC's best in 1977, allowing only 12 points
per outing and only 10 per contest in league play. That defensive group
led APSU to its first and only OVC championship. Four of Bunio's players
earned first-team All-OVC honors, with linebacker Bob Bible becoming
the first Governor to OVC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Bible
also became Bunio's first All-American.
The next year, another one
of his charges, defensive back Mike Betts, duplicated both feats-OVC
Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-America-as four more
defensive Govs earned All-OVC.
In 1979, Bunio left his alma mater
and followed Boots Donnelly from the Austin Peay staff to MTSU to revive
the Blue Raider football program, starting a 16-year run as MTSU
defensive coordinator and linebacker coach until he retired after the
1994 season.
He was a driving force in the rebuilding of the Blue
Raiders' football fortunes with his great defenses in the 1980s. Among
the players he sent to the pros were Don Griffin, Marty Carter and Mike
Caldwell. He also coached the OVC's Defensive Player of the Year in 1982
(Dennis Mix), 1985 (Griffin), 1988 (Don Thomas), 1989 (Anthony Coleman)
and 1990 (Carter). He also had five players who earned All-America honors.....
Austin Peay selects 2014 Athletic Hall of Fame cla
