1977 Idaho Vandals football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record3–8 (2–4 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJohn McMahon (2nd season)
Offensive schemeVeer[1]
Defensive coordinatorGreg McMackin (1st season)
Base defense4–3[1]
Captains
Home stadiumKibbie Dome
1977 Big Sky Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–5 Boise State $ 6 –0 –09 –2 –0
No. T–5 Northern Arizona ^ 5 –1 –09 –3 –0
Montana State 3 –3 –06 –4 –0
Weber State 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Idaho State 2 –4 –03 –8 –0
Idaho 2 –4 –03 –8 –0
Montana 1 –5 –04 –6 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • Boise State concluded its regular season after the NCAA Division II playoffs started; runner-up Northern Arizona was awarded playoff bid.
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll

The 1977 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. The Vandals were led by fourth-year head coach Ed Troxel and were members of the Big Sky Conference,[1] then in Division II. They played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

Season

With quarterbacks Craig Juntunen and Rocky Tuttle running the veer offense, the Vandals were 3–8 overall and 2–4 in the Big Sky in 1977.[2][3] Idaho did not play runner-up Northern Arizona, but the Big Sky designated a non-conference home game for each to count as a sixth conference game in the standings, with both opponents from the PCAA.[4][5] The Vandals lost to Pacific in September while NAU defeated Cal State Fullerton in October.

The Vandals suffered a tenth straight loss in the Battle of the Palouse with neighbor Washington State of the Pac-8, falling 45–17 at Martin Stadium in Pullman on November 12.[6][7]

Boise State

The season concluded with a 30-point home loss to Boise State, held two days after Thanksgiving. The young rivalry took a new step in the fourth quarter, when the Broncos were up 34–14 and in control. Having thrown the ball sparingly in building its twenty-point lead, second-year head coach Jim Criner went heavily to the passing game. Boise scored a touchdown with less than two minutes left, then staged a successful onside kick and made a field goal with seconds remaining.[2][8][9][10]

Boise State went undefeated in the Big Sky, but because of the late conclusion of their regular season, they had to decline a berth in the Division II playoffs, which started earlier that day.[11] Conference runner-up Northern Arizona took their place and was shut out at home, 35–0.[9][12] In the previous season, underdog Idaho had won the rivalry game in the season opener before a record crowd in Boise in Criner's debut as head coach.[13][14] At the time, the Broncos were three-time defending conference champions, all under previous head coach Tony Knap. Idaho had agreed to move that 1976 game from November 27 up to September 11, so that BSU could participate in the D-II playoffs, but the Broncos ended at 2–5 in the Big Sky (fifth) and 5–5–1 overall.

Division I

This was the last season prior to the creation of Division I-AA,[15] which the Big Sky joined. Through 1977, the Big Sky was a Division II conference for football, except for Division I member Idaho, which moved down to I-AA in 1978. Idaho had maintained its upper division status in the NCAA by playing Division I non-conference opponents (and was ineligible for the Division II postseason). (Idaho was involuntarily dropped to the College Division in 1967,[16] then returned to the University Division in 1969.)[17]

Troxel fired

Five weeks after the season concluded, Troxel was asked for his resignation by new university president Richard Gibb on December 30.[18][19][20][21] An assistant under the preceding three head coaches and a former head coach of track and field,[22] he had been at UI for an over a decade.[3][23] Very successful at Borah High School in Boise (1958–66),[23] Troxel returned to the high school ranks in 1978 at Kennewick High School, in the Tri-Cities of eastern Washington,[24] and built the Lions into winners; he coached through 1990, and died of cancer at age 75 in 2001.[25][26]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 105:30 pmat Rice*
L 10–3114,000[27]
September 178:00 pmPacific (CA)
L 21–3112,000[28]
September 2410:00 pmat Hawaii*
L 26–4525,463[29]
October 88:00 pmIdaho State
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, ID
L 14–3411,500[30]
October 151:30 pmMontanadagger
W 31–2015,200[31]
October 2212:30 pmat No. 3 Montana State
W 17–6  8,750[32]
October 2912:30 pmat Weber State
L 27–30  3,000[33]
November 57:30 pmUNLV*
  • Kibbie Dome
  • Moscow, ID
L 21–35  7,400[34]
November 121:00 pmat Washington State*
L 17–4518,500[6][7]
November 196:00 pmat New Mexico State*
W 47–44  6,438[35]
November 267:30 pmNo. T–5 Boise State
L 14–4412,000[2][8][9]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Pacific time

Idaho did not play Northern Arizona, so a non-conference game was designated to count in the standings for each team. Both were home games against Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) opponents. Idaho lost to Pacific, while Northern Arizona defeated Cal State Fullerton.[4][5]

Roster

1977 Idaho Vandals football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
QB 7 Mike McCurdy Fr
SE 10 Brad Clausen
SE 11 Jett Taylor Jr
QB, P 12 Rocky Tuttle Jr
QB 14 Craig Juntunen (C) Sr
QB 15 Jay Goodenbour Fr
SE 18 Kirk Allen Jr
RB 25 Robert Brooks Injured  Sr
RB 30 Tim Lappano Jr
TE 33 Mike Supkis So
RB 35 Glenn Ford So
RB 36 Glen White Fr
RB 40 Robert Taylor Sr
TE 44 Dan Meyer So
C 50 Joe Kramer Sr
C 53 Dave Pearson Jr
OL 55 David Earl
OL 59 Mike Clark Jr
RG 61 Dick Wilkin Jr
OL 63 Bob Volke Fr
OL 64 Mark Whipps Jr
RG 65 Joe Dahlin Sr
OL 66 Doug Gisselberg So
OL 68 Brian Zimmerman Jr
LT 69 Larry Coombs So
OL 71 Mark McNeal So
LG 74 Dave Wiggum Sr
RT 77 Tom Randel Jr
FL 80 Dan Davidson Sr
TE 84 Rick Mayfield Jr
TE 87 Jeff Eucker
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB 20 Larry Barker Fr
DB 21 Mike Keogh Fr
DB 22 Ray McCanna Fr
DB 23 Marc Watts Fr
FS 24 Rick Linehan Jr
CB 26 Greg Coman Sr
DB 27 Todd McKillop Jr
LB 33 Kelly Grimes So
LB 34 Chris Frost Sr
DB 37 Dan Duncan So
DB 41 Doug Moy Sr
CB 42 Bill Clark Sr
CB 43 Brian Charles Sr
DB 45 Kevin Johnson
LB 45 Monty Elder Fr
LB 51 Chris Eads So
LB 52 Bob Cafferty Jr
LB 54 Tom Jacksha Sr
LB 57 Marty Marshall So
LB 58 Dan Cozzetto Jr
DL 60 Mark Stennfeld Jr
DT 62 Tim Sanford Sr
DL 67 Scott Whipps Jr
DL 70 Kyle Riddell So
DT 72 Joe Pellegrini Sr
DE 73 Tom Eilertson Sr
DT 75 Lynn Rice Sr
DL 76 Vic Lillquist So
DT 78 Steve Parker So
DL 79 Mark Husby
LB 81 Rick Hunt So
DL 82 Randy Ralph So
LB 83 Phil Vance So
LB 85 Chris Tormey (C) Sr
DL 86 Tom Michaud Fr
DE 89 Robert Collins Jr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
PK, P 6 Ralph Lowe Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[11][36][37][38]

All-conference

Defensive tackle Tim Sanford and punter Ralph Lowe were named to the Big Sky all-conference team; Lowe was named to the second team as a placekicker. Also on the second team were tackle Larry Coombs, center Joe Kramer, running back Robert Taylor, linebacker Chris Tormey, defensive end Joe Pellegrini, and defensive back Brian Charles.[39][40]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Troxel claims defense key at Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. September 7, 1977. p. 42.
  2. 1 2 3 "Vandals finish 3-8". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 28, 1977. p. 15.
  3. 1 2 Payne, Bob (September 20, 1977). "Troxel disappointed, not leaving". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 29.
  4. 1 2 Payne, Bob (September 16, 1977). "Non-league battle counts for Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 27.
  5. 1 2 "Vandals in home debut tonight". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). September 17, 1977. p. 9.
  6. 1 2 Missildine, Harry (November 13, 1977). "Cougars bury Idaho 45-17". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
  7. 1 2 "Cougars get winning year with victory". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. November 13, 1977. p. 6C.
  8. 1 2 Payne, Bob (November 28, 1977). "Boise State burns Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 17.
  9. 1 2 3 Vaughan, Sue (November 28, 1977). "Idaho, Troxel in bitter loss". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 16.
  10. ↑ Van Sickel, Charlie (November 30, 1977). "Statesmen upset". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 36.
  11. 1 2 Payne, Bob (November 24, 1977). "'Potato Bowl' major game for Vandals". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 45.
  12. ↑ "NAU out in NCAA playoffs". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 28, 1977. p. 15.
  13. ↑ "Idaho team underdog against Boise squad". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). September 10, 1976. p. 23.
  14. ↑ Payne, Bob (September 12, 1976). "Vandals win opener". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
  15. ↑ "Big schools win battle". St. Petersburg Independent. Florida. Associated Press. January 13, 1978. p. 5C.
  16. ↑ "Ostyn says Pacific cost major status". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 9, 1967. p. 15.
  17. ↑ "NCAA ups 4 colleges". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 2, 1969. p. 22.
  18. ↑ Killen, John (January 1, 1978). "Troxel resigns Idaho football post". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  19. ↑ "Belknap seeking Troxel's replacement by Jan. 15". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). January 2, 1978. p. 16.
  20. ↑ Vaughan, Sue (January 2, 1978). "Vandals seeking air-minded man". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 24.
  21. ↑ "Troxel bitter over Idaho job loss". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). UPI. January 5, 1978. p. 7.
  22. ↑ "Aides for Troxel next Idaho task". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 20, 1973. p. 28.
  23. 1 2 "Vandals name Ed Troxel as defensive line coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokesman, Washington). January 24, 1967. p. 12.
  24. ↑ Emerson, Paul (October 26, 1978). "Football's fun again for Ed Troxel". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  25. ↑ "Former UI football coach Troxel dies". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). wire reports. January 25, 2001. p. 2B.
  26. ↑ "Idaho football coaching legend Troxel dies at 75". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). Associated Press. January 25, 2001. p. 2B.
  27. ↑ Payne, Bob (September 11, 1977). "Owls rap Vandals in opener". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
  28. ↑ English, Sue (September 19, 1977). "Idaho falls to Pacific". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 27.
  29. ↑ "Leaky Vandals yield again; Hawaii rolls to 46-25 win". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 26, 1977. p. 15.
  30. ↑ Payne, Bob (October 9, 1977). "Idaho State stuns Vandals 34-14". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
  31. ↑ "Vandals get first win". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 17, 1977. p. 17.
  32. ↑ "Idaho 'D' does job on MSU". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 23, 1977. p. D1.
  33. ↑ Payne, Bob (October 30, 1977). "Idaho's comeback foiled; Weber ekes 30-27 triumph". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
  34. ↑ Payne, Bob (November 6, 1977). "Rebels roll over Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D3.
  35. ↑ "Idaho bursts, then hangs on". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 20, 1977. p. D3.
  36. ↑ "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 8, 1977. p. 13.
  37. ↑ "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 26, 1977. p. 17.
  38. ↑ "Eight Vandals honored". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 1, 1977. p. 2B.
  39. ↑ "Big Sky tabs Lowe, Sanford". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 30, 1977. p. 36.
  40. ↑ "Eight Vandals honored". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 1, 1977. p. 2B.
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