Jay venuto biography

Following back-to-back 1-10 seasons, Wake Forest put together an improbable run to the Tangerine Bowl in 1979, Wake’s first bowl appearance since 1949.

Behind record-setting quarterback Jay Venuto (’81), tailback James McDougald (’80) and a stellar defense led by James Parker (’80), Wake Forest pulled off a string of last-minute wins including upsets of 12th-ranked Georgia, 13th-ranked Auburn and 14th-ranked North Carolina to finish the regular season 8-3 and ranked 14th in the country.

Venuto, the 1979 ACC Player of the Year who was named an ACC Legend last year, talks about his teammates who refused to ever give up, his memories of the big wins and the big hit on YouTube that’s a big hit with his family. Watch the 1979 Tangerine Bowl.

John Mackovic ('65), who played quarterback alongside running back Brian Piccolo ('65) in 1964, led Wake Forest's run to the Tangerine Bowl in his second year as head coach.

You had played very little in your care