Clemson mourns the death of former quarterback Charlie Bussey

Charlie Bussey, the first Academic All-American in Clemson athletics history and quarterback of Clemson’s first ACC Championship football team in 1956, died Thursday at his home here at the age of 80. Bussey had suffered in recent months from a lung disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Bussey served as captain of Clemson’s 1956 ACC title team that played Colorado in the Orange Bowl. The squad finished with a 7-2-2 record and a No. 19 ranking in the final AP poll.

“When you talk about a model student-athlete, and a model representative of Clemson, that was Charlie Bussey,” said current coach Dabo Swinney. “He was our first academic All-American, successful businessman, president of IPTAY, then served as director of the Tiger Letterman’s Association when I came to Clemson. I enjoyed our many conversations about Clemson football and former players. Charlie Bussey has always been there for our football program and for me, personally. We will miss him.”

In a 28-14 victory against South Carolina in 1955, Bussey threw a 55-yard pass to Willie Smith for Clemson’s first score, kicked two extra points, and had an interception on defense. No Clemson player has had an interception on defense and threw for a touchdown pass in the same game against the Gamecocks since.

Bussey became the Executive Director of Clemson’s Lettermen’s Association in 1997, a position he held for 14 years.

Bussey is survived by his wife Joyce and three daughters, Pam, Laurie and Jenny and many grandchildren. All three daughters are Clemson graduates.

The funeral for Charlie Bussey will be held Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Clemson at 2 p.m. Visitation with the family will be held after the service.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Clemson mourns the death of former quarterback Charlie Bussey."