1974 Idaho Vandals football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record2–8–1 (2–2–1 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDennis Erickson (1st season)
Offensive schemeVeer[1][2]
Defensive coordinatorAndy Christoff (1st season)
Base defense5–2[1]
Captains
  • Mark Fredback (RB)
  • Joe White (SS)
Home stadiumIdaho Stadium
1974 Big Sky Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Boise State $^ 6 0 010 2 0
Montana State 4 2 07 3 0
Idaho 2 2 12 8 1
Montana 2 3 13 6 1
Northern Arizona 2 3 03 6 0
Idaho State 2 4 05 5 0
Weber State 1 5 04 7 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA College Division AP Poll

The 1974 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. The Vandals were led by first-year head coach Ed Troxel and were members of the Big Sky Conference, then in Division II. They played their home games at new Idaho Stadium, an unlit outdoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.[3]

Troxel was promoted to head coach in December 1973,[4] after seven seasons at Idaho as an assistant under three head coaches, and several years as head coach of the track team. Before his move north to Moscow in 1967, he was very successful at the high school level at Borah in Boise.[5] Troxel had previously declined the job in 1970 and days earlier in 1973, but was persuaded to reconsider by player support.[4][6][7]

Season

With quarterbacks Dave Comstock, Dennis Ballock, and Ken Schrom running the veer offense,[1][8] the Vandals were 2–8–1 overall and 2–2–1 in the Big Sky.[9][10]

In the Battle of the Palouse, Idaho suffered a seventh straight loss to neighbor Washington State of the Pac-8, falling 17–10 at Martin Stadium in Pullman on September 21.[11] In the fourth game with new rival Boise State, the Vandals fell for the third time as the Broncos repeated as conference champions.[9][12] Idaho did not schedule Northern Arizona until the following season and both played only five games in conference this year.

This was the last year the Vandals played outdoors on campus; its new Idaho Stadium opened in October 1971 in the same footprint as its predecessor, wooden Neale Stadium (19371968), and neither venue had lights.[3] Artificial turf was installed in 1972; the 3M Tartan Turf was the first in the world produced in one continuous piece to allow it to be rolled up on a spool.[13] Following this season,[14][15] an arched roof and end walls were constructed in ten months to enclose it and the inaugural indoor game at the renamed Kibbie Dome was played on September 27, 1975.[16]

Notable players and coaches

Sophomore center John Yarno was a first-team AP All-American as a senior in 1976; he was selected in fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft and played six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, the last five as a starter. Although quarterback Ken Schrom was projected as the starter for 1976 as a redshirt junior, he opted to pursue professional baseball after the 1976 baseball draft.[17] A pitcher, he was a major leaguer for seven seasons and an all-star as a reliever in 1986.

Dennis Erickson, age 27, was in his first year as an offensive coordinator,[2][18][19] and stayed for two seasons. He left for Fresno State and later San Jose State, then returned to the UI program in 1982 as head coach and the Vandals began a streak of fifteen consecutive winning seasons.

Division I

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 maintained its upper division status in the NCAA by playing Division I non-conference opponents (and was ineligible for the Division II postseason).

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 1412:30 pmat Air Force*L 0–3732,364[20]
September 211:30 pmat Washington State*L 10–1719,300[11]
September 2810:30 amat Villanova*L 7–15  9,857[21]
October 57:00 pmat Idaho StateW 28–912,000[22]
October 121:30 pmWest Texas State*L 6–2115,200[23]
October 191:30 pmMontanadagger
T 35–3516,500[24]
October 2612:30 pmat Montana StateL 21–36  6,117[25]
November 212:30 pmUtah State*
  • Idaho Stadium
  • Moscow, ID
L 3–17  5,500[26]
November 912:30 pmWeber State
  • Idaho Stadium
  • Moscow, ID
W 38–13  6,000[27]
November 1611:30 amat Northern Illinois*L 21–27  3,712[28]
November 2312:30 pmat Boise StateL 29–5314,486[9][12]

Roster

1974 Idaho Vandals football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
QB 10 Ken Schrom Fr
QB 12 Dennis Ballock Sr
QB 14 Dave Comstock Jr
FL 20 Kirk Dennis Sr
TE 21 Joe Dahlin Fr
RB 23 Monty Nash So
FL 25 Collie Mack
RB 30 Mark Fredback (C) Sr
RB 33 Marshall Brantley So
RB Robert Brooks Fr
RB 42 Rob Dean
FB 44 J.C. Chadband Jr
TE 45 Kevin McAfee So
OL 50 Randy Dorn
C 56 John Yarno So
RG 51 Mike Kramer Jr
LT 62 John Adams Jr
LG 65 Kurt Nelson Sr
OL 68 Clarence Hough So
OL 72 Scott Callahan
RT 78 Wil Overgaard So
TE 82 Steve Duncanson Jr
SE 83 Tim Coles Jr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
FS, PK 11 Bill Keilty Jr
FS 27 Chuck Love Jr
CB 31 Bill Clark So
S 37 Barry Hopkins So
SS 38 Joe White (C) Sr
CB 40 Johnny Sims Jr
CB 43 Chris Mooney
LB 52 Kevin Robison
DT 53 Duke Minium Sr
DE 55 Vince Howard Sr
LB 58 Kjel Kiilsgaard So
LB 59 John Kirtland So
LB 61 Mike Siva Jr
NG 63 Dave Gallick Jr
NG 74 Jim Allen
DT 77 Craig Crnick Jr
DE 81 Doug Fisher Jr
DE 85 Chris Tormey So
LB 87 Bill Kirtland
DE 88 Mark Hodges Sr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
PK, P 7 Steve Tanner
PK 16 Chuck Filippini So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[1][29][30][31]

All-conference

Two Vandals were named to the Big Sky all-conference team: fullback J.C. Chadband and tight end Steve Duncanson.[32]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Payne, Bob (September 8, 1974). "Idaho has some bodies, now..." Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 6, sports.
  2. 1 2 "UI's Erickson 'knows'". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 24, 1974. p. 15.
  3. 1 2 Barrows, Bob (November 2, 1974). "Aggies, with 'Sweet Louie,' invade Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 11.
  4. 1 2 Shelledy, Jay (December 20, 1973). "'Trox' changes mind, accepts Vandal grid challenge". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 17.
  5. "Vandals name Ed Troxel as defensive line coach". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. January 24, 1967. p. 12.
  6. "Troxel motivated by players' pleas". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 20, 1973. p. 27.
  7. Emerson, Paul (January 17, 1974). "Idaho AD eyes '75 for 'doming' Idaho Stadium". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 17.
  8. "Vandals vs. Cougars: rosters". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 21, 1974. p. 12.
  9. 1 2 3 "Boise State rips Idaho in shootout". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 24, 1974. p. 1, sports.
  10. "Troxel hopes conqueror captures playoff honors". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 25, 1974. p. 17.
  11. 1 2 Brown, Bruce (September 23, 1974). "WSU's potential stays dormant". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 15.
  12. 1 2 Emerson, Paul (November 24, 1974). "Boise State roars past Vandals, 53-29". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  13. "Football field rolls up". Southeast Missourian. Cape Girardeau. Associated Press. February 22, 1973. p. 12.
  14. "Idaho Stadium roof near reality as 'gift' aids project approval". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 9, 1974. p. 11.
  15. Martin, Vicki (November 9, 1974). "Regents okay stadium roof". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 9.
  16. Emerson, Paul (September 28, 1975). "Early ISU burst brings down roof on Vandal debut". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
  17. Barrows, Bob (October 25, 1980). "Ken Schrom glad he switched to baseball". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 5B.
  18. "Knecht only UI aide to return". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. January 17, 1974. p. 18.
  19. "Idaho hires grid coaches". Ellensburg Daily Record. Washington. UPI. January 18, 1974. p. 6.
  20. Payne, Bob (September 15, 1974). "Falcons rip fumbly Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  21. "Safety big help; Villanova winner". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. September 29, 1974. p. 64.
  22. Drosendahl, Glenn (October 6, 1974). "Early-striking Vandals sack Idaho State 28-9". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 15.
  23. Emerson, Paul (October 13, 1974). "Buffaloes control Vandals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 15.
  24. Drosendahl, Glenn (October 20, 1974). "Idaho, Montana race to 35-35 tie". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 13.
  25. Barrows, Bob (October 27, 1974). "MSU spurt spells Idaho loss, 36-21". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 13.
  26. Barrows, Bob (November 3, 1974). "Utah St. raps Vandals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 17.
  27. Drosendahl, Glenn (November 10, 1974). "Vandals flex muscles, beat Weber 38-13". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 17.
  28. Emerson, Paul (November 17, 1974). "Idaho rallies, but not enough". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  29. "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 21, 1974. p. 12.
  30. "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 12, 1974. p. 14.
  31. "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 19, 1974. p. 12.
  32. "Boise, Montana players MVPs". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 28, 1974. p. 1B.
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