Year No Pos Hgt Wgt Cl Ltr Hometown 1963 86 E 6-3 200 So Atlanta, Georgia 1964 86 E 6-3 195 So-R Atlanta, Georgia 1965 86 E 6-3 200 Jr-R * Atlanta, Georgia
| Buddy Blankenship |
Full Name: Clyde Arthur Blankenship Jr.
Born: July 27, 1944, Atlanta, Georgia
Died: August 25, 2025, Birmingham, Alabama
School: O'Keefe HS, Atlanta, Georgia
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| FSU Career |
| Football | |
Year No Pos Hgt Wgt Cl Ltr Hometown 1963 86 E 6-3 200 So Atlanta, Georgia 1964 86 E 6-3 195 So-R Atlanta, Georgia 1965 86 E 6-3 200 Jr-R * Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Comments |
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From the FSU Website, seminoles.com. Clyde Arthur Blankenship Jr
Obituary. Buddy was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 27, 1944, the fourth child and only son of the late Clyde Arthur, Sr., and Bernice Carter Blankenship. He has gone on to heaven to join his parents and his three sisters - Joyce Knight, June Peterson, and Jane Johns - along with brothers-in-law, Perry Knight and Bill Johns; and niece, Sally Knight. Buddy is survived by his beloved wife, Janie Lee Hughes Blankenship; his children: son, Phil (Heidi) Blankenship, daughter, Traci Blankenship, and stepdaughter, Kristie (Scott) Barnes; his grandchildren, Ashley (Damon) Blankenship-Ryals, Ruth Ann Reason, Samantha Reason, Clay Barnes, and Camille Barnes; one little great- granddaughter on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews, their spouses, and their children. Buddy was a talented athlete. He graduated in 1962 from O'Keefe High School in Atlanta, Georgia, where he excelled in football, basketball, and track, earning many scholarship offers in each sport. As a Georgia "All-State" quarterback, Buddy accepted the scholarship offer to Florida State University in football, signing as a quarterback and playing later as a wide receiver under the tutelage of legendary (then wide receiver) coach, Bobby Bowden. Unfortunately, serious injuries in his senior year playing for FSU sidelined any professional sports aspirations. But, upon graduation in 1966 with his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, Buddy began his career as a high school football coach at Decatur High School in Decatur, Georgia. From there, he soon was hired to join the coaching staff at Jacksonville State University, in Jacksonville, Alabama. He remained an Alabama resident for the rest of his life. With a young family to support, Buddy accepted offers in the business world, first selling insurance, then selling medical products. In the early 1970's, Buddy founded Sur-Med Systems, concentrating in supplying both surgical and medical products. As the company grew to include innovative and technologically-advanced product lines, the company name was changed to Futuretech, Inc. Buddy, his business partner and great friend, Mike Campbell, and their 30 employees grew Futuretech into one of the leading suppliers in all of the southeast, just as Birmingham simultaneously grew into its own as a medical Mecca. Respect for Buddy as a businessman garnered an invitation from Harvard University to enroll in its Owner/President Management Program of study within Harvard's Graduate School of Business Administration. He completed the program in 1994. Futuretech continued to grow in stature. It attracted cross-country interest and was eventually merged with a national corporation, enabling Buddy to happily retire in 1999 at age 55. Always the athlete, Buddy enjoyed tennis, running, golf, and water and snow skiing throughout his able years. In retirement, Buddy also turned his attentions and talents back to his hobbies and to nurturing his growing family of grandchildren. He loved living in both Alabama and Colorado. He also enjoyed one of the highest honors of life: a multitude of long, wonderful friendships. Buddy was a man of sincere warmth, with a quick wit, and a heartfelt talent for coaching people... especially younger generations... especially in football! The last scrimmage of Buddy's life on earth was against amyloidosis, a rare and debilitating disease. He played that game with courage, grace, and an astounding sense of good humor. And the victory was his! For Buddy has now gone on to play for Team Jesus in paradise!
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| FSU Statistics |
| Football |
Season Statistics
Defense
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
Year GP | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
---------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
1963 | 0 0 0 0.0- | 0.0- | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
1964 2 | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
1965 9 | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
---------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot 11 | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
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Offense/Kick and Punt Returns
| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
Year GP | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
---------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
1963 | 0 0.0 | 0.0 | - - | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1964 2 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 1 10 10.0 0 | 0- 0 - 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 10
1965 9 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 15 163 10.9 0 | 0- 0 - 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 163
---------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot 11 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 16 173 10.8 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 173
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| Football |
Game Participation
| Starts
1964 | GP Off Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 19 Miami | 1
Nov 14 North Carolina State | 1
Jan 2 Oklahoma | 1
----------------------------|--------------
Tot | 3 0 0
| Starts
1965 | GP Off Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 25 Texas Christian | 1 LE
Oct 2 Baylor | 1 LE
Oct 16 Georgia | 1
Oct 23 Alabama | 1
Oct 30 Virginia Tech | 1
Nov 6 Wake Forest | 1
Nov 13 North Carolina State | 1
Nov 20 Houston | 1
Nov 27 Florida | 1
----------------------------|--------------
Tot | 9 2 0
----------------------------|--------------
Career Tot | 12 2 0
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| Football |
Game Statistics
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
1964 | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Nov 14 North Carolina State | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Jan 2 *Oklahoma | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
1965 | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep 25 Texas Christian | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Nov 6 Wake Forest | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Nov 20 Houston | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Nov 27 Florida | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
* Bowl Game stats not included
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| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
1964 | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Nov 14 North Carolina State | 0 0 0.0 0 | 1 10 10.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 10
Jan 2 *Oklahoma | 0 0 0.0 0 | 1 12 12.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 12
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot | 0 0 0.0 0 | 1 10 10.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 10
| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
1965 | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep 25 Texas Christian | 0 0 0.0 0 | 3 28 9.3 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 28
Nov 6 Wake Forest | 0 0 0.0 0 | 2 23 11.5 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 23
Nov 20 Houston | 0 0 0.0 0 | 7 87 12.4 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 87
Nov 27 Florida | 0 0 0.0 0 | 3 25 8.3 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 25
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot | 0 0 0.0 0 | 15 163 10.9 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 163
* Bowl Game stats not included
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It is with
gratitude to God that we celebrate the life of Clyde Arthur "Buddy"
Blankenship, Jr., who passed away early in the morning on Monday, August
25, 2025, at age 81.