New Gig For Former Unt Coach

Baby Arm! · July 21, 2008

Bobcats hire new assistant

From staff reports

Texas State University head football coach Brad Wright has named Mike Bugar as the new defensive line coach for the Bobcats. Bugar comes to Texas State after serving seven seasons as the interior defensive line coach at North Texas from 2000-07.

“We are very excited to have Mike Bugar as our defensive line coach,” Wright said. “He brings an unbelievable wealth of knowledge and experience to our staff. He also will help enhance the same “mentality” that we began to implement in our program this past January.”

During his last six years at North Texas, Bugar produced seven All-Sun Belt Conference selections, including two-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Brandon Kennedy. The Mean Green also led the Sun Belt in every major defensive statistical category three times during that span. In 2002, the defense ranked No. 3 nationally in scoring defense and No. 9 in total defense. From 2001-2003, only five opposing players rushed for over 100 yards in a game against Bugar’s front line. His defensive front also helped hold opponents to just 104.7 yards per game rushing in 2003, which is the school’s best average since 1967.

Bugar joined North Texas in 2000 as the program’s strength and conditioning coordinator and became the team’s interior defensive line coach in 2001. He has over 31 years of experience in coaching the defensive line and strength and conditioning.

A three-year letter winner and 1969 graduate of Florida State University, Bugar began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1970. He also has served on the staffs at Wofford College (1971-76); Gardner Webb College (1977); Clemson University (1977-79); University of Florida (1980-82); West Georgia College (1985-87); Southern Miss (1988-89); LSU (1990-93); Baylor (1994-96); Mary Hardin-Baylor (1998); and Jacksonville State (1999).

In addition, he spent one year in the professional coaching ranks as defensive line coach for the Arizona Wranglers of the USFL in 1983. He has coached under Curley Hallman at LSU, Danny Ford at Clemson and Charley Pell at Florida during his career.

He has coached for schools that appeared in 13 bowl games, including the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 New Orleans Bowls (North Texas), 1994 Alamo (Baylor); 1990 All-American (Southern Mississippi); 1988 Independence (Southern Mississippi); 1982 Astro Bluebonnet (Florida); 1981 Peach (Florida); 1980 Tangerine (Florida); 1979 Peach (Clemson); 1978 Gator (Clemson); and 1977 Gator (Clemson). During Bugar’s playing days at Florida State, the Seminoles participated in four bowl games - 1964 Gator; 1966 Sun; 1967 Gator, and 1968 Peach.