Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame
Athlete 1971 - 1973
Jay Buse, of the Class of 1975, is generally regarded as one of the most dominating defensive linemen in Northwest Conference football history.
A starter from the first game of his freshman year, Buse made the all-conference team all three seasons he competed for the Wildcats: 1971, 1972 and 1973. As a junior in 1973, he was named NAIA second team All-American and a second team Little All-American by the Associated Press. He elected not to return for his final year of eligibility in 1974.
Among his honors, Buse was a three-time all-Coast and all-District team selection and was voted by his Wildcats teammates as best defensive player each of his three seasons.
During Buse's reign of dominance as a defensive end, Linfield held its opponents to three points or less on six occasions. The 1971 team was NWC co-champion and the 1972 squad won the NWC title outright.
Buse was a three-sport standout at West Linn High School, earning all-state recognition in both football and basketball. His combination of size (6-3, 220 pounds) and speed made him one of Linfield's greatest football players.
He could do everything,†former Linfield coach Ad Rutschman said.
When he was a freshman, an NFL scout told Rutschman that Buse was the best pro prospect he had seen on the West Coast that year.
According to Rutschman, Buse was staunchly a team-first player and shunned individual accolades or special attention.
Today, Buse owns his own construction company, Buse Concrete in Wilsonville. He has three grown children: Stephanie, 34; Jason, 26; and Catie, 21. He has two grandchildren.
