1978 Washington State Cougars football team
The 1978 Washington State Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Washington State University in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. Under new head coach Jim Walden, the Cougars compiled a 4–6–1 record (2–6 in Pac-10, last), and were outscored 296 to 276.[1][2]
1978 Washington State Cougars football | |
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Conference | Pacific-10 Conference |
1978 record | 4–6–1 (2–6 Pac-10) |
Head coach |
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Home stadium | Martin Stadium, Joe Albi Stadium (Spokane) |
1978 Pacific-10 Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 2 USC $ | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 14 UCLA | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona State | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 17 Stanford | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
California | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oregon State | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Washington State | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team's statistical leaders included Jack Thompson with 2,333 passing yards, Tali Ena with 728 rushing yards, and Mike Wilson with 451 receiving yards.[3]
This was the first football season in the newly expanded Pac-10; the Cougars met the two new members, Arizona and Arizona State, but did not play the USC Trojans.
Senior quarterback Thompson was ninth in the balloting for the Heisman Trophy, and was the third overall selection of the 1979 NFL Draft, taken by the Cincinnati Bengals.[4]
The offensive backs coach in 1977 under Warren Powers, Walden was promoted that December and became the Cougars' fourth head coach in four seasons (Jim Sweeney (1975), Jackie Sherrill (1976), and Powers).[5][6][7] He led the WSU program for nine years.
After this season, the running track in Martin Stadium was removed, the playing field was lowered, and the capacity was expanded with new lower seating.[8][9][10][11]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
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September 9 | UNLV* | W 34–7 | 26,250 | |
September 16 | Idaho* | W 28–0 | 16,950 | |
September 23 | Arizona State |
| W 51–26 | 33,507 |
September 30 | Army* | T 21–21 | 31,612 | |
October 14 | at No. 14 UCLA | L 31–45 | 40,023 | |
October 21 | Stanford![]() |
| L 27–43 | 27,411 |
October 28 | at Oregon ^ | W 7–31 | 25,000 | |
November 4 | Oregon State |
| L 31–32 | 20,061 |
November 11 | at California | L 14–22 | 28,750 | |
November 18 | at Arizona | L 24–31 | 49,557 | |
November 25 | Washington |
| L 8–38 | 35,187 |
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- ^ Note: The Oregon game was later forfeited to Washington State by order of the Pacific-10 Conference
- Source:[12]
Roster
1978 Washington State Cougars football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Awards
- All-American: QB Jack Thompson (Playboy, Preseason, Sporting News, 1st)
- All-Pac-10: QB Jack Thompson (1st), C Mark Chandless
- All-West Coast: Jack Thompson (UPI, 2nd)
- Frank Butler Award: Jack Thompson
- J. Fred Bohler Award: Tom Larsen
- Laurie Niemi Award: Mark Chandless
Source:[12]
NFL Draft
One Cougar was selected in the 1979 NFL Draft.
Player | Position | Round | Overall | Franchise |
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Jack Thompson | QB | 1 | 3 | Cincinnati Bengals |
- Source:[4]
References
- "1978 Washington State Cougars Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). WSUCougars.com. Washington State Cougars Athletics. p. 76. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- "1978 Washington State Cougars Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- "Thompson 3rd in NFL draft". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). May 3, 1979. p. 37.
- Killen, John (December 19, 1977). "WSU hires Waldens, who plans to stay". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
- Missildine, Harry (December 19, 1977). "Walden's players' choice at WSU". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 19.
- Brown, Bruce (December 19, 1977). "WSU makes Walden's dreams come true". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 25.
- "Hanson directs stadium drive". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington0. October 10, 1978. p. 19.CS1 maint: location (link)
- "Martin Stadium on schedule". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). April 1, 1979. p. C3.
- "Construction to start". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 21, 1978. p. 27.
- "New Martin Stadium". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). (photo). September 7, 1979. p. 1.
- 2009 Washington State football media guide
- "Rebels vs. Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 9, 1978. p. 17.
- Van Sickel, Charlie (September 11, 1978). "Cougar QBs abound". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 21.
- "Beavers vs. Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 4, 1978. p. 19.
- "Huskies vs. Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 25, 1978. p. 21.
External links
- 1978 Washington State Cougars at College Football @ Sports-Reference.com
- Game program: UNLV vs. WSU at Spokane – September 9, 1978
- Game program: Idaho at WSU – September 16, 1978
- Game program: Arizona State vs. WSU at Spokane – September 23, 1978
- Game program: Stanford at WSU – October 21, 1978
- Game program: Oregon State at WSU – November 4, 1978
- Game program: Washington vs. WSU at Spokane – November 25, 1978
- WSU Libraries: Football game films – archive