ENMU Head Coach Bud Elliott Records 200th Career Victory
Greyhounds Shut Out Southwestern Oklahoma, 39-0

PORTALES, N.M. — Head Coach Harold “Bud” Elliott of Eastern New Mexico University earned his 200th career victory on Saturday, Sept. 11, in Eastern’s 39-0 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Elliott is now 200-176-9 (.531) in his 37 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He is 63-46-2 (.577) in 11 seasons at ENMU.

The Greyhounds built a 22-0 lead in the first half, then used a 100-yard kickoff return by Corey White (Jr., CB, Lubbock, TX/Estacado HS) to start the second half and a 48-yard interception return by senior linebacker Jeff Howard (Portales, NM/Portales HS) to put the game out of reach. Senior free safety Ty Touchstone (Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) earned Eastern’s third interception of the game on the final play to preserve the shutout.

“It’s really great to have it,” Elliott said of the 200th win. “It’s really an honor to be in such an exclusive class among coaches. And to get it with a shutout and our team playing so well, it’s even more special.”

Elliott is the 46th head coach in NCAA college football history to reach 200 wins. He ranks third among active NCAA Division II head coaches, trailing only Ken Sparks at Carson-Newman (236) and Willard Bailey (211) at Virginia Union. He has announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

“[Two hundred wins] is quite an accomplishment,” ENMU Athletic Director Mike Maguire said. “We really appreciate all of Bud’s hard work and dedication to Eastern.”

Elliott needs three more wins to tie Al Garten (1936-37, 1939-53, no team 1942-44 due to World War II) as the winningest football coach at ENMU. Garten coached a total of 14 seasons and earned an overall record of 66-62-4 (.515) with the Greyhounds.

During his years as a collegiate head coach, Elliott has guided teams at five different colleges to at least one season with seven or more wins, and he has won eight conference championships, including two Lone Star Conference South Division titles at Eastern.

He has rebuilt programs at five of the six colleges where he has coached (Washburn, 1969-70; Emporia State, 1971-73; U. of Texas at Arlington, 1974-83; NW Missouri State, 1988-93; ENMU, 1994-Present). Only at his first college, Southwestern (Kan.) did he take over a team that was already winning. He was at Southwestern from 1964-68.

“It’s been a great supporting cast over the years,” Elliott noted. “I wanted to stay at the college level. I enjoy being a head coach. I got a shot at (NCAA) Division I for 10 years (at UT-Arlington) ... I’m just glad to be coaching.

“I’ve always been at places, except Southwestern, where we had to build from scratch,” he added. “Getting 200 wins that way makes it really enjoyable.”

Elliott’s 2004 Greyhounds are now 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in the overall Lone Star Conference standings. ENMU returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 18 at East Central University. Kickoff in Ada, Okla. is set for 5 p.m. MDT.