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Football legend paves way for new records |
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Thursday, 07 September 2006 |
by KATIE ANN HENDERSON
Sports Reporter
 | Settle
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Appalachian State University 1989 graduate, John Settle left a huge impact on Mountaineer football.
Settle
finished his college career as ASU’s all-time leading rusher with 4,409
yards and a total of 43 touchdowns. He was named SoCon Player of the
Year as a senior and received All-American honors twice.
On
April 19, 2005, Settle became one of seven former Mountaineer athletes
to get their number retired for the success they achieved while
attending Appalachian.
Now Settle is influencing a new team as the running backs coach for the University of Wisconsin.
What have you been up to since graduating from Appalachian?
After playing football in the NFL (Atlanta Falcons) for six years, I
decided to go into coaching and have been doing so since 1994. Not to
mention being married to a wonderful woman that I met at ASU and
raising three teenagers.
What is your fondest ASU memory?
The whole experience of being on the ASU campus…I did a lot of growing
up. The Saturdays were awesome, especially the crisp game-day mornings.
What did you think of your number being retired and being inducted into ASU’s Hall of Fame?
Having my jersey retired was the definitely icing on the cake. I never
imagined I could play well enough that I could have something that
great happen to a small-town country boy.
Is there something you learned from the Mountaineer coaching staff that you use in your coaching today?
I still think about the people that touched my life while I was there and the ones that made this happen.
On coaching, I learned that we are still dealing with human beings and
that we must communicate in a way that does not belittle but encourages
so that we can get the desired results.
For example, there was one day [at ASU] when a young man didn’t block
correctly and the coach running the drill yelled out some things that I
thought were very unnecessary, and I watch Coach Moore to see how he
would handle it. The coach is no longer there, enough said.
What do you think is your biggest accomplishment in life to date?
My biggest accomplishment would have to be my family.
Being a husband for 16 years, father, banker, counselor and spiritual
leader are all things that I take very seriously. I’m proud to take the
responsibility.
Lastly, would you ever want to come back to ASU as a coach if the opportunity were to arise?
I’ve said before that every coach, if given an opportunity to coach at
his alma mater would jump at the chance. I am no different. I love ASU
and the people are great.
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