Vince Villanucci
{{Short description|American football player (born 1964)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Vince Villanucci
| image = Vince Villanucci Bowling Green.jpg
| caption = Villanucci during his time at Bowling Green
| number = 64
| position = Nose tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date|1964|5|30}}
| birth_place = Lorain, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|4|9|1964|5|30}}
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 265
| high_school = Lorain (OH)
| college = Bowling Green (1982–1985)
| undraftedyear = 1986
| pastteams =
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1986}})*
- Ottawa Rough Riders ({{CFL Year|1987}})*
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1987}})
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 2
| pfr = VillVi20
}}
Vince Villanucci (May 30, 1964 – April 9, 2023) was an American professional football nose tackle who played one season in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers. He played college football for the Bowling Green Falcons and was also a member of the Buffalo Bills in the NFL and the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Following his playing career, he became a football and wrestling coach.
Early life
Villanucci was born on May 30, 1964, in Lorain, Ohio.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VillVi20.htm|title = Vince Villanucci Stats|website = Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=October 20, 2024}} He began playing organized sports in fourth grade and continued his sports career at Lorain High School, where he competed in football and wrestling.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lorainsportshalloffame.com/villanucci-vince/|publisher=Lorain Sports Hall of Fame|title=Villanucci, Vince}} In football, he was a guard, linebacker and placekicker.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer/157528489/|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 18, 1981|page=6|title=Lorain's Villanucci is named Golden Helmet award winner|author=Baumgartner, Paul}} {{Open access}} As a senior, he set a school record for longest field goal, and he was named second-team All-Ohio and first-team All-Buckeye Conference on both offense and defense.{{Cite news|url=https://chroniclet.com/news/348829/former-lorain-high-football-standout-vince-villanucci-dies-at-age-58-first-to-win-golden-helmet-and-lombardi-awards-made-it-to-/|newspaper=The Chronicle|title=Former Lorain High football standout Vince Villanucci dies at age 58; first to win Golden Helmet and Lombardi awards, made it to the NFL|date=April 18, 2023|author=Gebhardt, Tim}} He was the only player to be named both All-Buckeye Conference on offense and defense, and was also chosen the conference's lineman of the year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-marion-star/157529603/|newspaper=The Marion Star|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 17, 1981|page=7|title=Harding Gridder Hecker Named 2nd Team All BC}} {{Open access}}
Villanucci also won the Golden Helmet award for best senior football player in Lorain County and the Lombardi award for best lineman in the county. Additionally, in wrestling, he placed third at the state championships as a senior. He signed to play college football for the Bowling Green Falcons.
College career
Recruited to Bowling Green as a linebacker, Villanucci played both linebacker and on the defensive line for the Falcons from 1982 to 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/v/vill00600.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Vince Villanucci Stats|access-date=October 20, 2024}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news/157529941/|newspaper=The Saginaw News|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 27, 1985|page=26|title=All-MAC Team|agency=United Press International}} {{Open access}} He lettered all four years with the school, during which the team won two conference championships and made two bowl game appearances. During his senior year, he received Mid-American Conference (MAC) defensive player of the week honors and at the end, he was named second-team All-MAC at defensive lineman.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-tribune/157530361/|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 29, 1985|page=18|title=Villanucci earns honor from MAC}} {{Open access}} The Falcons were undefeated in regular season play in Villanucci's senior season.
Professional career
Villanucci signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent following the 1986 NFL draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/v/vill00600.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Vince Villanucci NFL Transactions|access-date=October 20, 2024}} Although signed to play inside linebacker, he later became a nose tackle.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brattleboro-reformer/157531430/|newspaper=The Brattleboro Reformer|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 6, 1986|agency=Associated Press|title=Marino threatens to sit out 1987 season}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-tribune/157531480/|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel-Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 28, 1986|page=43|title=Ex-Falcons in the pros}} {{Open access}} He was released by the Bills in August 1986. After being released by the Bills, Villanucci signed with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the 1987 season; although he impressed early, he was released on May 26, 1987, as the team already had extensive depth at the defensive line position.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen/157531887/|newspaper=The Ottawa Citizen|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 27, 1987|page=43|title=Glink sees camp roster shrink, four more players head home|author=Casey, Tom}} {{Open access}} He later joined the team's suspended list, remaining there until being released on September 23.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun/157582881/|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 24, 1987|page=21|title=CFL moves|agency=The Canadian Press}} {{Open access}}
In September 1987, the NFL Players Association went on strike and teams assembled rosters of replacement players; Villanucci was signed as a replacement by the Green Bay Packers the day he was released from the CFL, being signed to play nose tackle. He debuted for the team in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings and later appeared in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions, both as a backup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VillVi20/gamelog/|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|title=Vince Villanucci Career Game Log|access-date=October 21, 2024}} He was released on October 19, at the end of the strike. Although he was only with the Packers for a month, he said it had an impact on his life and led him to become a coach.{{Cite news|url=https://tucson.com/sports/football/high-school-and-prep/new-coach-has-been-there/article_bd9e28f4-b975-5b88-a7ec-92b6069688bd.html|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|url-access=subscription|title=New coach has been 'there'|date=August 19, 2007|author=Hansen, Tyler}} Recalling playing for the team under coach Forrest Gregg, he said "It was one of the best experiences of my life. [Gregg] was one of the best motivators I've ever seen. He would say, 'Let's go men!' and everyone's hair stood up. It was a biblical experience. He was a big reason why I became a coach."
Coaching career
Villanucci began his coaching career with Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was both a football and wrestling coach.{{Cite web|url=https://allsportstucson.com/2023/04/09/former-nogales-football-wrestling-track-field-coach-vince-villanucci-passes-away/|website=allsportstucson.com|date=April 9, 2023|title=Former Nogales football, wrestling & track & field coach Vince Villanucci passes away|author=Morales, Javier}} Afterwards, he became the defensive line coach with the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys in 1993.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-santa-fe-new-mexican/157586051/|newspaper=The Santa Fe New Mexican|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 18, 1993|page=28|title=Highlands}} {{Open access}} While coaching there, he studied at New Mexico Highlands University and received a master's degree in sports medicine. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1995.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal/157586160/|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 25, 1995|page=28|title=Strawberry, Yanks Hassle on Contract}} {{Open access}} In 1999, he was hired as head football coach at Baboquivari High School and led a major turnaround of a struggling program. They had previously been considered the state's "most losingest program," having even gone full seasons without scoring a point, but Villanucci led them to their first winning season ever in his first year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic/157586461/|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 28, 2000|page=39|title=Thursday is game night|author=Coro, Paul}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic/157586561/|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 22, 2000|page=53|author=Coro, Paul|title=Gifts for your favorite prep programs}} {{Open access}} The following year, he helped them reach the state playoffs.
Villanucci became the wrestling coach and assistant football coach at Nogales High School for the 2001–02 season. He later added the duty of track coach. At Nogales, he developed several state champion wrestlers and later became head football coach in 2007 after the departure of the previous person in the position. He served as Nogales football coach from 2007 to 2013 and led them to five state playoff appearances and five winning seasons, being named the Division III coach of the year and the Arizona Coach of the Year runner-up after leading them to their first state semifinals appearance in 2012. After ending his coaching career, he remained at the school as a physical education teacher until 2019.
Personal life and death
In 1990, Villanucci helped save the life of a man trapped in a burning vehicle.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer/157585719/|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 13, 1990|page=38|title=Ex-NFL player saves driver in fiery crash|author=Stephens, Scott}} {{Open access}} In addition to being a coach during the 1990s, he also took up powerlifting and ranked in the top 10 in the world, having a personal best lift of {{convert|865|lb|kg}}.
Villanucci returned to Lorain, Ohio, after retiring from Nogales. He was inducted into the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. He battled chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in his later years and died from the disease on April 9, 2023.
References
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Category:Sportspeople from Lorain, Ohio
Category:Players of American football from Lorain County, Ohio
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Bowling Green State University alumni
Category:Bowling Green Falcons football players