Hall of Fame
Paul "Bud" Billiard was a three-time All-WVIAC standout on West Liberty football teams of the early 1960s who went on to a legendary high school coaching career in West Virginia. Billiard had the rare distinction of earning first-team All-WVIAC honors on both sides of the football. He was a first-team defensive lineman in 1961 and an offensive line selection as a senior in 1962. Billiard served as a team captain during his senior season and helped lead the Hilltoppers to a 13-3 record over his final two seasons.
After graduation, Billiard began his teaching and coaching journey as an assistant coach at Wheeling Central Catholic. The path eventually led to a head coach job at Brooke High School. Billiard took the Bruin reins in 1979 and immediately began building a Mountain State powerhouse. In 23 years at the helm, Billiard led 15 Brooke High squads to post-season play with seven of them advancing to state championship games and three coming away with state titles. Two of his teams (1987, 1989) finished undefeated and were ranked among the national Top 25.
Billiard also led Brooke to seven OVAC Class 4A championships, coached in two OVAC All-Star Games and three West Virginia North-South Games and was a founding member and President of the Ohio Valley Football Coaches. The recipient of multiple West Virginia and OVAC Coach of the Year awards, Billiard is a member of the OVAC Hall of Fame and the Ohio Valley Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
