Carl Torbush
Encyclopedia
Carl William Torbush Jr. (born October 11, 1951 in East Spencer, North Carolina
) was the college football
Defensive Coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks
in Lawrence, KS. He is also a former college football head coach
for Louisiana Tech University
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
, Torbush relocated with his family to Knoxville, Tennessee
at age 11. 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
. 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.
After college, 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
to begin his collegiate coaching career. He received his master's degree in physical education and health from Baylor in 1976.
, 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 defensive coordinator from 1983-86. 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. The 1986 Rebel defense allowed opponents an average of less than 13 points per game and statistically ranked as the best defense in the Southeastern Conference. It was after that 1986 season that Torbush was hired away to become head coach at Louisiana Tech.
Torbush stepped down as Defensive Coordinator at the University of Kansas
on May 31, 2011 due to low grade prostate cancer. He was set to begin his 2nd Season in this role.
's original coaching staff to stay throughout Brown's 10-year tenure. He recruited and coached many defensive standouts; his 1995, 1996 and 1997 units led the nation in total defense three years in a row and were often regarded as the best in the country. During his time at UNC, at least one of his linebackers went pro every year. Among his more notable players were Julius Peppers
, Brian Simmons
, Greg Ellis
, and Dré Bly
.
After the 1997 season, Brown announced he was moving to the University of Texas. He left the team immediately, and Torbush was named to replace him. He coached the team in the 1998 Gator Bowl
, capping off one of the Tar Heels' best seasons ever. The Tar Heels finished with an 11-1 record, only the second 11-win season in school history. They also finished sixth in the AP Poll and fourth in the coaches' poll—their highest ranking in the major media polls in half a century.
Despite the loss of most of the team's defensive stars of the last three years, the Tar Heels were expected to pick up right where they left off in 1998. However, they never really recovered from an unexpected loss to Miami (Ohio)
to open the 1998 season, in which they barely managed to qualify for the Las Vegas Bowl
. The next year was an unmitigated disaster. The team was riddled with injuries, the most devastating one occurring when quarterback Ronald Curry
tore his Achilles tendon
. The Tar Heels were so thin at quarterback that they were forced to convert safety Antwon Black to quarterback, but he was lost after two games to mononucleosis
. After starting the season 1-1, the Tar Heels didn't win another game until beating North Carolina State in November. They finished 3-8—UNC's first losing season since Brown's two consecutive 1-10 seasons in 1988 and 1989. School officials actually planned to fire him after the season, but an outpouring of support from players and fans led to a change of heart. He was, however, forced to fire several members of his staff, including offensive coordinator Steve Marshall, who had been criticized for being too conservative in his play calling.
The Tar Heels rebounded to finish 6-5 in 2000, but it wasn't enough to save his job; he was fired at the end of the season.
* Torbush was the head coach for the final game of the 1997 season as a result of Mack Brown leaving UNC for Texas the week prior to the Gator Bowl. North Carolina credits the 1997 regular season to Brown and the Gator Bowl to Torbush.
East Spencer, North Carolina
East Spencer is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,755 at the 2000 census. This is the hometown of NBA guard Bobby Jackson.-Geography:East Spencer is located at ....
) was the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
Defensive Coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
in Lawrence, KS. He is also a former college football head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
for Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
Early life
Born in East Spencer, North CarolinaEast Spencer, North Carolina
East Spencer is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,755 at the 2000 census. This is the hometown of NBA guard Bobby Jackson.-Geography:East Spencer is located at ....
, Torbush relocated with his family to Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
at age 11. He attended Austin-East High School
Austin-East High School
Austin-East High School, also known as Austin-East Performing Arts and Sciences Magnet High School, is a public high school in Knoxville, Tennessee, operated by Knox County Schools.The school includes a magnet school program in performing arts...
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
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. After having no playing time as a freshman, he transferred to Carson-Newman College
Carson-Newman College
Carson–Newman College is a historically Baptist liberal arts college located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, United States. Enrollment as of 2006-2007 was about 2,050. The college's students come from 44 U.S. states and 30 other countries. Studies are offered in approximately 90 different academic...
in Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Tennessee
Jefferson City is a city in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,760 at the 2000 census. The city was originally named Mossy Creek, but was changed in 1901 to honor Thomas Jefferson...
. As a senior at Carson-Newman, he received first-team NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
All-American honors in both baseball and football. Torbush graduated from Carson-Newman in 1974.
After college, Torbush coached briefly at Carter High School in Knoxville. In February 1975, he signed with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. Following his one-season pro baseball career, he went to Baylor
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
to begin his collegiate coaching career. He received his master's degree in physical education and health from Baylor in 1976.
Assistant coaching
He began his career as an assistant coach for the Baylor BearsBaylor Bears
Baylor Bears refers to the sports teams of Baylor University. Baylor's men's sports teams are nicknamed the Bears, and some women's teams are nicknamed the Lady Bears. Student athletes participate in the NCAA's Division I, and Baylor is the only private school in the Big 12 Conference...
, and later coached for the Southeastern Louisiana Lions
Southeastern Louisiana University
Southeastern Louisiana University is a state-funded public university in Hammond, Louisiana, United States. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims, the principal of Hammond High School, as Hammond Junior College, located in a wing of the high school building. Sims succeeded in getting the campus...
, the Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss Rebels
University of Mississippi sports teams, originally known as the "Mississippi Flood" , were re-named the Rebels in 1936 and compete in the twelve-member Southeastern Conference of the NCAA's Division I. The school's colors are cardinal red and navy blue , purposely chosen to mirror the school...
, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
, and the Carson-Newman Eagles.
Torbush was part of some mild success at Ole Miss, where he was defensive coordinator from 1983-86. 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. The 1986 Rebel defense allowed opponents an average of less than 13 points per game and statistically ranked as the best defense in the Southeastern Conference. It was after that 1986 season that Torbush was hired away to become head coach at Louisiana Tech.
Torbush stepped down as Defensive Coordinator at the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
on May 31, 2011 due to low grade prostate cancer. He was set to begin his 2nd Season in this role.
Louisiana Tech
Under Torbush, the team recorded a 3-8 season in 1987 highlighted by the defense and a win over Kansas.North Carolina
After only one year as head coach at Louisiana Tech, Torbush joined the UNC coaching staff in 1988 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He was the only member of Mack BrownMack Brown
William Mack Brown is head coach of The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn football team.Prior to his head coach position at Texas, Brown was head coach at Appalachian State, Tulane, and North Carolina. Brown is credited with revitalizing the Texas and North Carolina football programs...
's original coaching staff to stay throughout Brown's 10-year tenure. He recruited and coached many defensive standouts; his 1995, 1996 and 1997 units led the nation in total defense three years in a row and were often regarded as the best in the country. During his time at UNC, at least one of his linebackers went pro every year. Among his more notable players were Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Nicknamed The Freak of Nature, he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
, Brian Simmons
Brian Simmons
Brian Eugene Simmons is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals 17th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft...
, Greg Ellis
Greg Ellis (football)
Gregory Lemont Ellis is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
, and Dré Bly
Dré Bly
Donald André "Dré" Bly is a former American football cornerback who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League. After playing college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Bly was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
.
After the 1997 season, Brown announced he was moving to the University of Texas. He left the team immediately, and Torbush was named to replace him. He coached the team in the 1998 Gator Bowl
1998 Gator Bowl
The 1998 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the and the Tar Heels from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on January 1, 1998...
, capping off one of the Tar Heels' best seasons ever. The Tar Heels finished with an 11-1 record, only the second 11-win season in school history. They also finished sixth in the AP Poll and fourth in the coaches' poll—their highest ranking in the major media polls in half a century.
Despite the loss of most of the team's defensive stars of the last three years, the Tar Heels were expected to pick up right where they left off in 1998. However, they never really recovered from an unexpected loss to Miami (Ohio)
Miami RedHawks
Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, features 18 different varsity level sports teams for men and women, all of which are known as the Miami RedHawks...
to open the 1998 season, in which they barely managed to qualify for the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
. The next year was an unmitigated disaster. The team was riddled with injuries, the most devastating one occurring when quarterback Ronald Curry
Ronald Curry
Ronald Antonio Curry is an American football wide receiver, currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at North Carolina....
tore his Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. The Tar Heels were so thin at quarterback that they were forced to convert safety Antwon Black to quarterback, but he was lost after two games to mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis is an infectious, widespread viral...
. After starting the season 1-1, the Tar Heels didn't win another game until beating North Carolina State in November. They finished 3-8—UNC's first losing season since Brown's two consecutive 1-10 seasons in 1988 and 1989. School officials actually planned to fire him after the season, but an outpouring of support from players and fans led to a change of heart. He was, however, forced to fire several members of his staff, including offensive coordinator Steve Marshall, who had been criticized for being too conservative in his play calling.
The Tar Heels rebounded to finish 6-5 in 2000, but it wasn't enough to save his job; he was fired at the end of the season.