Mark Bachtel followed his brother Kent Bachtel from Brazosport to play football at Howard Payne, earning All-Lone Star Conference honors as an offensive lineman for two years and honorable mention All-America. In his senior year, he was team captain and voted outstanding lineman. After graduation, Bachtel served as HPU head track and golf coach and assistant football coach from 1977-83. He also was head coach at Wills Point and Brownwood and an assistant at Sachse. He and his brother were the second set of brothers to be inducted into the HPU Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition, Bachtel’s sons, Kevin and Jason, were head football coaches at Howard Payne.