1973 Idaho Vandals football team

The 1973 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. The Vandals were led by fourth-year head coach Don Robbins 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.

1973 Idaho Vandals football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record4–7 (3–2 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDon Matthews (1st season)
Offensive schemeVeer[3]
Defensive coordinatorTom Roth [1][2] (1st season)
Base defense4–3[3]
Captains
  • Rick Seefried (QB)
  • Alan Vance (DE)
Home stadiumIdaho Stadium
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Boise State $^ 6 0 0 10 3 0
Montana State 5 1 0 7 4 0
Idaho 3 2 0 4 7 0
Northern Arizona 2 3 0 4 6 0
Montana 2 4 0 4 6 0
Weber State 2 4 0 3 8 0
Idaho State 0 6 0 2 9 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP small college poll

Season

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With quarterbacks Rick Seefried, Dave Comstock, and Dennis Ballock running the veer offense,[3][2][4] the Vandals were 4–7 overall and 3–2 in the Big Sky.[5]

In the Battle of the Palouse, Idaho suffered a sixth straight loss to neighbor Washington State of the Pac-8, falling 51–24 at Martin Stadium in Pullman on September 29.[6]

In their third game with new rival Boise State and first in Moscow, the Vandals fell at home 47–24 on September 15;[7] this was the only outdoor meeting in Moscow in the series. The Broncos went on to win the first of three consecutive conference championships. Idaho did not schedule Northern Arizona until 1975 and both played only five games in conference.

At the conclusion of the season, Robbins' contract was not renewed.[8][9][10] He was succeeded by Ed Troxel, a Vandal assistant coach since 1967 and also the head coach of the track team.[11][12][13]

Division I

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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

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DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 81:30 pmUTEP*W 62–14  8,500[14]
September 151:30 pmBoise State
L 24–4717,104[7]
September 2211:30 amat Iowa State*L 0–4831,000[15]
September 291:30 pmat Washington State*L 24–5122,500[6]
October 61:30 pmColorado State*
  • Idaho Stadium
  • Moscow, ID
L 30–33  5,720[16]
October 135:30 pmat TCU*L 14–3015,110[17]
October 201:30 pmWeber State 
  • Idaho Stadium
  • Moscow, ID
W 17–1310,670[18]
October 271:30 pmMontana State
  • Idaho Stadium
  • Moscow, ID
L 14–35  7,068[19]
November 312:30 pmat MontanaW 20–7  4,300[20]
November 101:30 pmat Washington*L 14–4147,000[21]
November 1712:30 pmIdaho State
  • Idaho Stadium
  • Moscow, ID
W 43–0  6,879[5]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • All times are in Pacific time

Roster

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1973 Idaho Vandals football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 12 Dennis Ballock Jr
QB 14 Dave Comstock So
WR 16 Jerry Williams
QB 18 Rick Seefried (C) Sr
WR, P 20 Kirk Dennis Jr
WR 21 Collie Mack Jr
RB 22 Dennis Mitchell Jr
RB 23 Monty Nash Fr
WR 27 Jerome Dowdy Jr
RB 30 Mark Fredback Jr
WR 31 Jim Welch Sr
RB 33 Marshall Brantley Fr
RB 36 Rich Brown Jr
RB 42 Rob Dean Jr
FB 44 J.C. Chadband So
TE 45 Kevin McAfee Fr
OL 51 Mike Kramer So
C 56 John Yarno Fr
LG 62 John Adams So
RG 65 Kurt Nelson Jr
C 67 Craig Pritchard Sr
OL 69 Dave Hershey Jr
LT 70 Jerry Sinclair Sr
OL 72 Scott Callahan Jr
LG 73 Pat Fee Sr
OL 75 Clarence Hough Fr
RT 76 Bob Van Duyne Sr
RG 79 Kevin Wolske Sr
WR, DB 80 Jay Curcio Sr
TE 82 Steve Duncanson So
WR 83 Tim Coles So
TE 85 Bill Kashetta Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
SS 10 Syd Lofton So
FS 11 Bucky Bruns Sr
CB 24 Ross Nelson Jr
CB 25 Randy Hall Sr
SS 26 Curt Parsons So
DB 38 Joe White Jr
DB 40 Johnny Sims So
DB 43 Chris Mooney Sr
LB 50 Randy Dorn Jr
LB 52 Kevin Robison Sr
LB 53 Duke Minium Jr
LB 54 Fred Morscheck Sr
LB 55 Vince Howard Jr
LB 58 Kjel Kiilsgaard Fr
LB 59 John Kirtland Fr
LB 60 Brian Scott Jr
LB 61 Chuck Blanck Sr
LB 63 Bill Kirtland So
DT 68 Lloyd Grimsrud Sr
DL 71 Rick Attishin Jr
DL 74 Jim Allen Jr
DT 77 Ed Arnold Fr
DT 78 Lorne Sherbina Sr
DL 81 Doug Fisher So
DE 84 Alofa Tauvage Sr
DE 86 Tom Doud Sr
DE 87 Alan Vance (C) Sr
DE 88 Mark Hodges Jr
LB 89 Chris Tormey Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
PK, P 7 Steve Tanner Jr
PK 16 Chuck Filippini
KR 31 Jim Welch Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Source:[2][22][23][24][25]

All-conference

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Four Vandals were selected to the Big Sky all-conference team: tight end Bill Kashetta, defensive tackle Lloyd Grimsrud, cornerback Randy Hall and safety Bucky Bruns. Three were named to the second team (honorable mention): running back Mark Fredback, wide receiver Tim Coles, and offensive tackle Bob Van Duyne.[26][27]

NFL Draft

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Two Vandal seniors were selected in the 1974 NFL draft, which lasted seventeen rounds (442 selections).

Player Position Round Overall Franchise
Bob Van Duyne G 10th 240 Baltimore Colts
Randy Hall DB 13th 317 Baltimore Colts

References

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  1. ^ "Vandals will start Aug. 17". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. July 19, 1973. p. 18.
  2. ^ a b c Payne, Bob (April 29, 1973). "Robbins relaxed, excited at Vandal prospects". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 4, sports.
  3. ^ a b c Payne, Bob (September 2, 1973). "No title chance? Vandals aren't whining". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 6, sports.
  4. ^ "Broncos vs. Vandals: rosters". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 15, 1973. p. 14.
  5. ^ a b Emerson, Paul (November 18, 1973). "Idaho bruises Bengals behind rugged defense". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 17.
  6. ^ a b Missildine, Harry (September 30, 1973). "Washington State offense erupts as Cougars smash Vandals 51-24". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
  7. ^ a b Johnson, Bob (September 17, 1973). "Emotions mixed in Idaho defeat". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 15.
  8. ^ Shelledy, Jay (November 30, 1973). "Board demands Robbins resign or be fired". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 19.
  9. ^ Brown, Bruce (November 30, 1973). "Robbins bitter as Idaho prepares for dismissal". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 17.
  10. ^ Shelledy, Jay (December 1, 1973). "Don unloads...Knecht next?...football out?". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 15.
  11. ^ Shelledy, Jay (December 20, 1973). "'Trox' changes mind, accepts Vandal grid challenge". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 17.
  12. ^ "Troxel motivated by players' pleas". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 20, 1973. p. 27.
  13. ^ Emerson, Paul (January 17, 1974). "Idaho AD eyes '75 for 'doming' Idaho Stadium". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 17.
  14. ^ Payne, Bob (September 9, 1973). "Sensation! Idaho mangles Miners 62-14 in devastating grid debut". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
  15. ^ Payne, Bob (September 23, 1973). "Iowa State crushes charitable Vandals". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  16. ^ Barrows, Bob (October 14, 1973). "Rams 'pass' Idaho 33-30". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 19.
  17. ^ Henzel, Phil (October 14, 1973). "TCU toys with Vandals 30-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 15.
  18. ^ Henzel, Phil (October 21, 1973). "Vandals' late touchdown cuts down Weber 17-13". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 17.
  19. ^ Emerson, Paul (October 28, 1973). "Classy Montana State punishes Vandals, 35-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 19.
  20. ^ Henzel, Phil (November 4, 1973). "UI defense halts Montana 20-7". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 13.
  21. ^ Emerson, Paul (November 11, 1973). "Slow-starting UW raps Vandals 41-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 13.
  22. ^ Payne, Bob (September 7, 1974). "Vandals experienced but untested". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 21.
  23. ^ "Idaho vs UTEP: probable starters". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). September 7, 1973. p. 14.
  24. ^ "Rosters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 15, 1973. p. 14.
  25. ^ "Vandals' finale rated important". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 16, 1973. p. 17.
  26. ^ "Montana St. places nine on Big Sky all-star squad". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. December 1, 1974. p. 15.
  27. ^ "Four Vandals on Sky Squad". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Washington. December 1, 1973. p. 10.
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