2009 Fall Cornerstone Proof -- Sports Cloyd Lacy & Football

B L U E R A I D E R L E AT H E R H E A D Cloyd Lacy Recalls Playing on LWC’s Last Football Team Lindsey Wilson College football Coach Chris Oliver hasn’t signed a recruit yet from Russell County, but he paid a visit in March to someone who still has two years of eligibility left. The only drawback is that the prospect hasn’t played a college football game in almost 74 years. Cloyd Lacy of Russell Springs, Ky., is the only known remaining player from the last Lindsey Wilson football team. Lindsey Wilson folded its football program after the 1935 season in order to focus on a men’s basketball program, which became a charter member of the Kentucky Junior College Athletic Conference. A Columbia resident, Lacy commuted to his classes and football practices at Lindsey Wilson. Lacy told Oliver that the Lindsey Wilson football team practiced “about three times a week” before playing an area team on a weekday afternoon. Lindsey Wilson’s home football games were played on an open field behind Phillips Hall, an area that is now part of the Campus Quadrangle and Holloway Building. The games – which usually pitted Lindsey Wilson against a high school team from Bowling Green, Columbia, Glasgow or Lebanon – attracted “about 50 people or so,” Lacy said. The players wore leather helmets and little equipment; and the crowd was usually composed of Lindsey Wilson students and faculty, “along with a few people from town,” Lacy said. Lacy couldn’t recall the name of his coach, but he told Oliver that football

Lindsey Wilson College football coach Chris Oliver (left) presents former LWC football player Cloyd Lacy of Russell Springs, Ky., an LWC football shirt. Lacy is the only known remaining player from the last Lindsey Wilson football team.

was “coached by two or three from the faculty.” And he said that a faculty member who was a regular at home football games was A.P. White, who taught history and also served as the second president of Lindsey Wilson. When the LWC football team traveled, no team bus or vans were available. So players piled into four or five cars and traveled over mostly dirt roads to meet their opponents. Lacy grew up in Columbia and graduated from the former Columbia High School in 1933. He played “town ball” – a form of baseball – during his formative years, but Lacy didn’t play football until after he enrolled at Lindsey Wilson. When asked what position he played at LWC, Lacy replied: “In the middle of the field.” And because Lindsey Wilson had fewer than two dozen players, he often played as a reserve on defense and Watch a Threeoffense. The college’s overall Minute Thursday segenrollment was about 80 during ment with Cloyd Lacy those years. on the Lindsey Wilson Lacy was one of five memYouTube Channel: bers of his family who attended www.youtube.com/lwcpublicrelations. Lindsey Wilson. His older Search “Cloyd Lacy.” Continued on Next Page

Lacy on YouTube

Blue Raiders Open Sept. 4 against Notre Dame College Notre Dame College will be the first opponent of the resurrected Lindsey Wilson College football program. The Falcons of South Euclid, Ohio, will face the Blue Raiders at 1:30 p.m. CT on Sept. 4, 2010 in Columbia. The game will be of significance to both schools. LWC is returning to the gridiron after a 75-year absence; the Falcons will play for the first time in varsity competition. Notre Dame was an all-women’s college until 2001. “Notre Dame College is also going through the process of starting a football program, so this seems to be a good fit for both schools,” said LWC coach Chris Oliver. “I am familiar with their coaching staff, and I know that they will be a well-coached football team.” The Blue Raiders to make a return trip to Notre Dame College on Sept. 3, 2011.

Gutelius, Foos Anchor Oliver’s Staff After signing 58 players in his first recruiting class last spring, Lindsey Wilson College football coach Chris Oliver then turned in May to building his coach staff. He named Brian Foos offensive coordinator and Mike Gutelius defensive coordinator. “Not only are both of them great football coaches, but they truly care about the academic and personal success of their players,” Oliver said. “Those traits fall right in line with the goals and mission of Blue Raider football.” For the last five seasons, Foos and Oliver worked together at Ohio Dominican University. Foos coached tight ends and quarterbacks; was the team’s academic coordinator in 2008; and was named offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator when Oliver left for LWC in January. “He’s an effective coach who pushes his players to succeed on the field and in the classroom,” Oliver said. Foos was defensive line coach at Ohio Wesleyan University in 2003 and assistant offensive line coach at Otterbein (Ohio) College in 2002. “I fully appreciate the Lindsey Wilson College mission, and I’m eager to work with Coach Oliver and this staff to produce quality student-athletes that live up to that mission,” Foos said.

Football coach Chris Oliver (center) is flanked by defensive coordinator Mike Gutelius (left) and offensive coordinator Brian Foos.

Gutelius comes to LWC after spending six seasons as Concord (W.Va.) University’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He also developed, organized and managed the team’s academic success program. “After getting to know Coach Gutelius throughout this process, he quickly separated himself from a very large pool of candidates,” Oliver said. Prior to Concord, Gutelius spent two seasons as defensive ends coach at

Wingate (N.C.) University. He has also coached at University of La Verne (Calif.), St. Norbert (Wis.) College and Catholic University of America. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to assist Coach Oliver and help build a championship football program while working closely with the faculty and administration to help develop our student-athletes into quality young men,” Gutelius said.

Cloyd Lacy Played Football ‘In the Middle of the Field’ Continued from Previous Page

brothers, Edgar and Alton, and sisters, Bettie and Victoria, also attended the college. Following graduation from Lindsey Wilson, Lacy taught school in the area. After subsisting on a $60-a-month teacher’s salary for four years (which he only received during the seven-month school year), Lacy operated a Western Auto store for more than 50 years in Russell Springs. Lacy gave up football when he left Lindsey Wilson, but he stayed connected to the college. He and his wife, Ina, sent three of their daughters to Lindsey Wilson: Marilyn, Sherry and Meda. Lacy told Oliver that he hopes the

Blue Raiders have a better record when football resumes on Sept. 4, 2010, than they did during his years at the college. While Lacy was on the team, Lindsey Wilson won only a couple games. Oliver told Lacy that the Blue Raiders “probably will throw the football a little more than they did back then.” When Lacy played at Lindsey Wilson, the forward pass as a legal play in college football was less than 30 years old; and even by the 1930s, the pass was often used as a play of last resort. Because of NAIA rules, Oliver reckoned that Lacy would still be eligible to play football at his alma mater. NAIA rules allow a student-athlete 10 semes-

ters to play four seasons of intercollegiate competition. And because Lacy only attended Lindsey Wilson for four semesters, he would have two years of eligibility remaining. But rather than suiting up for the return of football at his alma mater, Lacy agreed to serve as honorary team captain of LWC’s first home game in 75 years. Oliver also invited Lacy to the team’s pre-game breakfast on Sept. 4, 2010, and also to offer a few words of encouragement before the game. “It would be an honor for our team to hear from a person who played on our college’s last football team,” Oliver told Lacy.