The Venuto Football Family
A 3-sport athlete at Salem from ’72-’76, Jay was the Ram’s starting QB, earning All Group 2 honors three times, All South Jersey two times, Team MVP and South Jersey recordholder for most TD passes. Jay was also a 4 Year starter on the Ram’s baseball team and 2 year starter on the basketball team, earning All Conference and Team MVP .
Jay continued his stellar football career at Wake Forest Univ. where he was named 1979 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and two-time All ACC Quarterback, breaking several team and ACC records. Leading his upstart 8-4 Demon Deacons to the ’79 Tangerine Bowl vs. LSU, Jay also played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Blue-Gray Bowl and the Senior Bowl.
After stints with the NFL’s Baltimore Colts, NY Jets and the Birmingham Stallions (USFL), Jay embarked on a 20-yr. college coaching career with Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Georgia Southern and Cornell before retiring in 2000.
Jay’s post-career honors include inductions into the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame, Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame and ACC Legends Class of 2013.