The Corlew Years
William “Buddy” Corlew led Greenbrier from 1979 through 1987. The nine-year run moved from stability to an eight-win peak, through the program's winless 1984 low, back to a bowl in 1985 and finally to the 1987 handoff that preceded the Sorrells rebuild.
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The people and moments that give this era its shape.
Before the Head Job
Corlew's connection to the program predates 1979. Two surviving scrapbook pieces put him on Greenbrier's sideline during the Jerry Pearson years — evidence of the continuity that eventually led to the head-coaching job.
He opens his head-coaching tenure at .500.
A second straight 5–5 season.
The high point of the decade: eight wins and the Industrial Bowl.
The fourth Corlew season returns Greenbrier to .500.
The first sharp downturn after four stable seasons.
The winless low point of the era.
A five-win rebound from 0–10 sends Greenbrier to the Tobacco Bowl.
A 1–4 start turns into back-to-back shutouts, a 3–1 surge and one last run at .500.
Four dated game masters, Aaron Keith's 177-yard game and the close of a nine-season tenure.
Fast starts, four shutouts and the 1981 peak
Corlew’s first four seasons span 41 results, a 23–18 record, nine shutout wins and the contemporary reports behind the 1980–82 district races.
A 0–10 low, a Tobacco Bowl and one final playoff race
The last five Corlew teams went 12–39. The record keeps the 1985 five-win rebound, the 1986 double-overtime playoff path and the 1987 farewell connected to all 51 game history.