Carter Co. Sports Hall of Fame hosts Carl Torbush as guest speaker
Published 10:39 pm Thursday, February 27, 2020
- Photo Contributed Carl Torbush will be the guest speaker at the 2020 Carter County Sports Hall of Fame induction.
BY CY PETERS
STAR CORRESPONDENT
Carl Torbush 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.
Carl Torbush 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.
Torbush was also the head baseball coach at Southeastern Louisiana University from
1977 to 1979.
He attended Austin-East High School in Knoxville where he played
in multiple sports.
1977 to 1979.
He attended Austin-East High School in Knoxville where he played
in multiple sports.
He received athletic scholarship offers from various Division I schools
but decided to walk-on at the University of Tennessee.
After having no playing time as a freshman, he transferred to
Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.
Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.
As a senior at Carson-Newman, he received first-team NAIA All-American honors in
both baseball and football. Torbush graduated from Carson-Newman in 1974.
Torbush coached briefly at Carter High School in Knoxville. In February 1975, he
Torbush coached briefly at Carter High School in Knoxville. In February 1975, he
signed with the Kansas City Royals.
Following his one-season pro baseball career, he went to Baylor University to begin
his collegiate coaching career.
his collegiate coaching career.
He received his master’s degree in physical education and health from Baylor in 1976.
He began his career as an assistant coach for the Baylor Bears and
later coached for the Southeastern Louisiana Lions, the Ole Miss Rebels,
the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies,
and the Carson-Newman Eagles.
He began his career as an assistant coach for the Baylor Bears and
later coached for the Southeastern Louisiana Lions, the Ole Miss Rebels,
the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies,
and the Carson-Newman Eagles.
Torbush was part of some mild success at Ole Miss, where he was the defensive
coordinator from 1983 to 1986.
The 1986 season saw Ole Miss compile an 8–3–1 record including a season-ending
20–17 win at the Independence Bowl over Texas Tech.
Torbush led the Tar Heels in the 1998 Gator Bowl, the final game of the 1998 season,
20–17 win at the Independence Bowl over Texas Tech.
Torbush led the Tar Heels in the 1998 Gator Bowl, the final game of the 1998 season,
as a result of Mack Brown leaving UNC for Texas the week prior to the Gator Bowl.
Torbush established the newly restarted program at East Tennessee
State, signed their first class in 2014, redshirting all players, and
began a year of practice in preparation for the 2015 season, when the
team competed as an NCAA Division I FCS independent.
Torbush established the newly restarted program at East Tennessee
State, signed their first class in 2014, redshirting all players, and
began a year of practice in preparation for the 2015 season, when the
team competed as an NCAA Division I FCS independent.
In the 2016 season, they joined the Southern Conference.
Torbush will be the guest speaker at this year’s Carter County
Sports Hall of Fame Induction on June 20th at the Tennessee Technology
School.
Torbush will be the guest speaker at this year’s Carter County
Sports Hall of Fame Induction on June 20th at the Tennessee Technology
School.
Dinner starts at 5 pm, Tickets go on sale on March 1st.
Representing all five high schools within the county plus Milligan
College, T.A. Dugger Jr. High and Elizabethton Twins baseball, 19
individuals will be inducted at this year’s Hall banquet.
Representing all five high schools within the county plus Milligan
College, T.A. Dugger Jr. High and Elizabethton Twins baseball, 19
individuals will be inducted at this year’s Hall banquet.
A date for the event will be announced in the coming weeks.
Those making the 2020 induction list are:
Those making the 2020 induction list are:
Dick Ryan – Elizabethton/Milligan baseball
Spencer “Bo” Campbell – Elizabethton football
Sonny Hale – Elizabethton/Milligan football
Willie Church – Elizabethton baseball
Bill Tetrick – Elizabethton basketball
Randy Little – Elizabethton wrestling
Monna Carter – T.A. Dugger track & field
Dennis Greenwell – Cloudland/Milligan basketball
Robert Heaton – Cloudland football/basketball
Malcolm Kress – Unaka baseball
Wayne Pierce – Unaka football
Herbie Arnett – Happy Valley basketball
Sharon Hubbard – Happy Valley basketball
Ross Garland – Happy Valley athlete
Missy Smith Williams – Hampton basketball
Larry Shoun – Hampton football
Ken Long – Hampton basketball
Harold Mains – Elizabethton Twins
Also being enshrined is Eddie Pless (Elizabethton athlete/coach),
who was selected in 2019.
Also being enshrined is Eddie Pless (Elizabethton athlete/coach),
who was selected in 2019.
Due to a scheduling conflict, his induction was rescheduled for this year.
Selected to receive an honorary induction is Laura Parkey, the daughter
of late Unaka girls basketball coach and Carter Hall of Famer Don Parkey.
Selected to receive an honorary induction is Laura Parkey, the daughter
of late Unaka girls basketball coach and Carter Hall of Famer Don Parkey.
