1978 Idaho Vandals football team
1978 Idaho Vandals football | |
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Conference | Big Sky Conference |
Record | 2–9 (2–4 Big Sky) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Bill Tripp (1st season) |
Offensive scheme | Veer |
Defensive coordinator | Greg McMackin (2nd season) |
Base defense | 5–2 |
Home stadium | Kibbie Dome |
Seasons |
| Conf | Overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Northern Arizona $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. T–9 Montana State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Montana | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boise State | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weber State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Idaho | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Idaho State | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1978 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the Big Sky Conference during the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by new head coach Jerry Davitch, the Vandals played home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.
With sophomore quarterbacks Jay Goodenbour and Mike McCurdy running the veer offense,[1][2][3] the Vandals were 2–9 overall (2–4 in Big Sky, fifth).[4][5] Projected starter Rocky Tuttle injured an ankle in the final scrimmage, had tendon surgery, and redshirted;[1][6] as a fifth-year senior in 1979, he started as a running back and receiver.
The final win was an unplayed forfeit by Idaho State for a scheduled night game in Moscow in November. Flying from Pocatello to the Palouse on the afternoon of the game to forego lodging, one of ISU's two chartered Convair 440 aircraft had carburetor problems soon after takeoff and had to land. It carried the defensive players; the other with the offense landed safely at the Moscow-Pullman airport two hours later.[7][8] After difficulties in arranging a viable makeup date, a forfeit win was awarded to the Vandals.[9][10] It was the conference finale for both,[11] and ISU finished winless in the Big Sky for the second time in three seasons.
This was the first season for the newly created Division I-AA,[12][13] which the Big Sky joined. In Division I for other sports, it was previously a Division II conference for football, except for Division I member Idaho, which moved down to I-AA this season. Idaho had maintained its upper division status in the NCAA by playing Division I non-conference opponents.
Hired in January, Davitch was previously an assistant at the Air Force Academy for five seasons under longtime head coach Ben Martin, preceded by four years as a high school head coach in Tucson, Arizona.[14][15][16][17]
Season tickets for the five home games cost thirty-two dollars.[18]
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 9 | 7:00 pm | at San Jose State (Div. I-A)* |
| L 14–31 | 10,011 | |
September 16 | 1:00 pm | at Washington State (Div. I-A)* | L 0–28 | 16,950 | ||
September 23 | 5:30 pm | at Wichita State (Div. I-A)* | L 6–28 | 13,123 | [19] | |
September 30 | 7:00 pm | No. 9 Northern Arizona | L 29–34 | 8,200 | ||
October 7 | 7:30 pm | at UNLV (Div. I-A)* | L 14–53 | 18,944 | ||
October 14 | 1:00 pm | at Montana | W 34–30 | 8,286 | ||
October 21 | 7:00 pm | No. 1 Montana State |
| L 21–57 | 9,000 | |
October 28 | 2:00 pm | Weber State![]() |
| L 6–51 | 13,500 | |
November 4 | 12:30 pm | at Boise State | L 10–48 | 20,235 | ||
November 11 | 7:00 pm | Idaho State |
| W 1–0 | Forfeit | [7][8][9] [10][11] |
November 18 | 7:00 pm | Fresno State (Div. I-A)* |
| L 28–41 | 5,600 | |
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Roster
1978 Idaho Vandals football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
| Defense
| Special teams
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- Source:[20][21]
All-conference
No Vandals were chosen for All-Big Sky first team, but seven were selected for the second team; the two picks on offense were tackle Kyle Riddell and center Larry Coombs. The five on the defense were linebacker Brian Rekofke, defensive linemen Mark McNeal and Steve Parker, and defensive backs Rick Linehan and Ron Jessie.[22][23]
NFL Draft
No Vandals were selected in the 1979 NFL draft, which lasted twelve rounds (330 selections).
One Vandal junior was later selected in the 1980 NFL draft,[24][25] also twelve rounds (333 selections).
Player | Position | Round | Overall | Franchise |
Mark McNeal | DE | 6th | 153 | Seattle Seahawks |
References
- ^ a b "Goodenbour's one guy not worried". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 6, 1978. p. 21.
- ^ Stewart, Chuck (September 11, 1978). "'Future' arrives fast for young Vandal QB". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 21.
- ^ "McCurdy snares quarterback job". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 26, 1978. p. 17.
- ^ Barrows, Bob (November 20, 1978). "Idaho football". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
- ^ Payne, Bob (November 26, 1978). "Vandals kiss this sort of season goodbye". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C5.
- ^ "Vandals' QB looking fine". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). September 6, 1978. p. 22.
- ^ a b Barrows, Bob (November 12, 1978). "No Vandal game, ISU can't make it". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
- ^ a b "One platoon arrived, one did not – sorry". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 12, 1978. p. C2.
- ^ a b "Bengals forfeit to Idaho". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 14, 1978. p. 15.
- ^ a b Drosendahl, Glenn (November 12, 1978). "Vandals claim a forfeit". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
- ^ a b Barrows, Bob (November 11, 1978). "Vandals, Idaho State try to salvage something". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 3B.
- ^ "Big schools win battle". St. Petersburg Independent. Florida. Associated Press. January 13, 1978. p. 5C.
- ^ Underwood, John (January 23, 1978). "The NCAA splits its decision". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ "UI names grid boss". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). January 10, 1978. p. 18.
- ^ Emerson, Paul (January 11, 1978). "Davitch named UI coach". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. B1.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (January 11, 1978). "Davitch new Idaho football coach". Spokesman Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 15.
- ^ "Vandal cagers investigated". Spokesman Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 12, 1978. p. 25.
- ^ "UI season ticket holders have time". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). July 7, 1978. p. 3B.
- ^ "WSU trounces Idaho 28–6". The Wichita Eagle. September 24, 1978. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 16, 1978. p. 21.
- ^ Payne, Bob (November 17, 1978). "Vandals to end frustrating season". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 35.
- ^ "All Big Sky (offense)". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 21, 1978. p. 3B.
- ^ "Big Sky Defensive teams named". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 24, 1978. p. 3B.
- ^ "NFL Draft: Two Palouse players go in early rounds". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). April 30, 1980. p. 1B.
- ^ "Patera: We got the best". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 30, 1980. p. C2.
External links
- Gem of the Mountains: 1979 University of Idaho yearbook – 1978 football season
- Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1978 editions
- Game program: Idaho at Washington State – September 16, 1978