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 .
Season
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
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
Date Time Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 8 1:30 pm UTEP * W 62–14 8,500 [ 14]
September 15 1:30 pm Boise State L 24–4717,104 [ 7]
September 22 11:30 am at Iowa State * L 0–4831,000 [ 15]
September 29 1:30 pm at Washington State * L 24–5122,500 [ 6]
October 6 1:30 pm Colorado State * L 30–33 5,720 [ 16]
October 13 5:30 pm at TCU * L 14–3015,110 [ 17]
October 20 1:30 pm Weber State dagger W 17–1310,670 [ 18]
October 27 1:30 pm Montana State L 14–35 7,068 [ 19]
November 3 12:30 pm at Montana W 20–7 4,300 [ 20]
November 10 1:30 pm at Washington * L 14–4147,000 [ 21]
November 17 12:30 pm Idaho State W 43–0 6,879 [ 5]
Roster
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
Source: [ 2] [ 22] [ 23] [ 24] [ 25]
All-conference
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
Two Vandal seniors were selected in the 1974 NFL draft , which lasted seventeen rounds (442 selections).
References
↑ "Vandals will start Aug. 17" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. July 19, 1973. p. 18.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Payne, Bob (April 29, 1973). "Robbins relaxed, excited at Vandal prospects" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. p. 4, sports.
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Payne, Bob (September 2, 1973). "No title chance? Vandals aren't whining" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. p. 6, sports.
↑ "Broncos vs. Vandals: rosters" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. September 15, 1973. p. 14.
↑ 5.0 5.1 Emerson, Paul (November 18, 1973). "Idaho bruises Bengals behind rugged defense" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 17.
↑ 6.0 6.1 Missildine, Harry (September 30, 1973). "Washington State offense erupts as Cougars smash Vandals 51-24" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
↑ 7.0 7.1 Johnson, Bob (September 17, 1973). "Emotions mixed in Idaho defeat" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. p. 15.
↑ Shelledy, Jay (November 30, 1973). "Board demands Robbins resign or be fired" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 19.
↑ Brown, Bruce (November 30, 1973). "Robbins bitter as Idaho prepares for dismissal" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. p. 17.
↑ Shelledy, Jay (December 1, 1973). "Don unloads...Knecht next?...football out?" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 15.
↑ Shelledy, Jay (December 20, 1973). " 'Trox' changes mind, accepts Vandal grid challenge" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 17.
↑ "Troxel motivated by players' pleas" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. December 20, 1973. p. 27.
↑ Emerson, Paul (January 17, 1974). "Idaho AD eyes '75 for 'doming' Idaho Stadium" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 17.
↑ Payne, Bob (September 9, 1973). "Sensation! Idaho mangles Miners 62-14 in devastating grid debut" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
↑ Payne, Bob (September 23, 1973). "Iowa State crushes charitable Vandals" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
↑ Barrows, Bob (October 14, 1973). "Rams 'pass' Idaho 33-30" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 19.
↑ Henzel, Phil (October 14, 1973). "TCU toys with Vandals 30-14" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 15.
↑ Henzel, Phil (October 21, 1973). "Vandals' late touchdown cuts down Weber 17-13" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 17.
↑ Emerson, Paul (October 28, 1973). "Classy Montana State punishes Vandals, 35-14" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 19.
↑ Henzel, Phil (November 4, 1973). "UI defense halts Montana 20-7" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 13.
↑ Emerson, Paul (November 11, 1973). "Slow-starting UW raps Vandals 41-14" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. p. 13.
↑ Payne, Bob (September 7, 1974). "Vandals experienced but untested" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). p. 21.
↑ "Idaho vs UTEP: probable starters" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . (Washington). September 7, 1973. p. 14.
↑ "Rosters" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). September 15, 1973. p. 14.
↑ "Vandals' finale rated important" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . (Washington). November 16, 1973. p. 17.
↑ "Montana St. places nine on Big Sky all-star squad" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Associated Press. December 1, 1974. p. 15.
↑ "Four Vandals on Sky Squad" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . (Washington). Washington. December 1, 1973. p. 10.
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