Jim Bunch

Jim Bunch (born March 10, 1956) is an American former football player and businessman. He played offensive tackle for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide from 1976 through 1979 and was a member of the 1978 and 1979 national championship teams and a consensus selection to the 1979 College Football All-America Team. After his collegiate career, Bunch played one season as a semi-professional with the West Virginia Rockets. After his playing career ended, Bunch entered the hospitality business. Bunch served as an innkeeper at Winston Place, a bed and breakfast listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Valley Head, Alabama until July 2022.

Early life As a native of Mechanicsville, Virginia, Bunch played offensive guard for Lee Davis High School football team as a youth. From there, Bunch then enrolled at Fork Union Military Academy where he was recruited initially by Virginia Tech and NC State. Alabama later offered him an opportunity to play with the Crimson Tide only after Alabama assistant coach Ken Donahue noticed Bunch on film that he was viewing for a defensive back that he was recruiting at that time.

Playing career Bunch entered the Alabama starting lineup in the third game of the 1976 season against Vanderbilt. After his senior year, Bunch was named First Team All-SEC and as a consensus selection to the 1979 College Football All-America Team and was awarded the Douglas MacArthur Trophy in early 1980 in recognition for his achievements as a Virginia athlete outside the commonwealth. In recognition of his accomplishments as a student athlete, the Virginia state legislature passed a resolution that declared February 2, 1980, as "Jim Bunch Day." He was left unsigned due to NFL teams believing he was too short to be competitive as an offensive lineman as a professional.