Bill Dupes still owns the longest coaching tenure in APSU football. He took over an APSU program in 1963 that had not enjoyed a winning season for more than a decade. After an initial 1-9 season, he led the Govs to an 8-1-1 record in 1964, earning unanimous selection as OVC Coach of the Year. He followed that up with APSU’s best-ever season from a won-loss standpoint, going 8-1 in 1965 and then 6-4 in 1966.
His overall record at APSU was 40-58-2, and he had 23 players earn first-team All-OVC during his tenure. In addition, four Governors were selected first-team Little All-America and seven more gained honorable mention.
Ten of his former players already are members of the APSU Athletics Hall of Fame, with John Ogles a member of the OVC Hall of Fame.
Loved and respected by his former players, he was paid the ultimate tribute by them when the Bill Dupes Scholarship was established in his name in 1990.
He returned to coach at the high school level in 1976, first at Tennessee Military Institute and then at his prep alma mater, Sweetwater, in 1983. He led his team to a state title in 1993. After 44 years, he retired from coaching in 1998
