The 1979 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-10 Conference during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Rod Dowhower, the Cardinals had a 5–5–1 overall record (3–3–1 in Pac-10, sixth).
Senior starting quarterback Turk Schonert split time with freshman John Elway.
Dowhower was promoted to head coach in January;[2] he was previously the receivers coach for two seasons under Bill Walsh, who left for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. After the season in January 1980, Dowhower left to become the offensive coordinator with the NFL's Denver Broncos,[3][4][5][6] and was succeeded by alumnus Paul Wiggin.[7][8]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 8 | at Tulane* | No. 13 | | L 10–33 | 41,251 | [9] |
September 15 | San Jose State* | | | W 45–29 | 46,789 | [10] |
September 22 | Army* | | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| L 13–17 | 43,345 | [11] |
September 29 | Boston College* | | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| W 33–14 | 36,412 | [12] |
October 6 | UCLA | | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| W 27–24 | 70,205 | [13] |
October 13 | at No. 1 USC | | | T 21–21 | 76,067 | [14] |
October 20 | at Arizona | | | W 30–10 | 55,000 | [15] |
October 27 | at Oregon State | | | L 31–33 | 16,000 | [16] |
November 3 | Arizona State | | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| W 28–21 | 40,184 | [17] |
November 10 | Oregon | | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| L 7–16 | 45,219 | [18] |
November 17 | California | | | L 14–21 | 85,577 | [19] |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
[20]
Game summaries
Tulane
San Jose State
Mike Dotterer became the first freshman in school history to score three touchdowns in one game during Stanford's 45–29 victory.[21] The Spartans were led by first-year head coach Jack Elway, father of John, who became Stanford's head coach after the 1983 season.
At Arizona
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Stanford |
7 |
0 | 7 | 16 |
30 |
Arizona |
0 |
7 | 3 | 0 |
10 |
- Date: October 20
- Location: Tucson, Arizona
Scoring summary |
1 | | STAN | Hooper 3 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick) | STAN 7-0 |
|
2 | | ARIZ | Hersey 5 yard run (Zivic kick) | Tied 7-7 |
|
3 | | ARIZ | Zivic 27 yard field goal | ARIZ 10-7 |
|
3 | | STAN | Tyler 15 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick) | STAN 14-10 |
|
4 | | STAN | Naber 30 yard field goal | STAN 17-10 |
|
4 | | STAN | Dotterer 7 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick) | STAN 24-10 |
|
4 | | STAN | Margerum 13 yard pass from Elway (kick failed) | STAN 30-10 |
California
Game information
|
First quarter
- CAL – Jack Rose 23-yard pass from Rich Campbell (Mick Luckhurst kick). California 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 81 yards.
- CAL – Greg Woodard 28-yard pass from Rich Campbell (Mick Luckhurst kick). California 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 82 yards.
Second quarter
Third quarter
- STAN – Andre Tyler 16-yard pass from Turk Schonert (Ken Naber kick). Tie 14–14. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards.
Fourth quarter
- CAL – Jack Rose 17-yard pass from Rich Campbell (Mick Luckhurst kick). California 21–14. Drive:
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- CAL – Paul Jones – 24 rushes, 92 yards
- STAN – Vincent White – 10 rushes, 26 yards
- Top receivers
- CAL – Jack Rose – 8 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TD
- STAN – Ken Margerum – 6 receptions, 61 yards
|
|
Roster
1979 Stanford Cardinal football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
|
Defense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
DT
|
89
|
Chuck Evans
|
Sr
|
DT
|
94
|
Dan Floyd
|
Sr
|
FS
|
|
Steve Foley
|
Jr
|
CB
|
11
|
Rick Gervais
|
Jr
|
CB
|
20
|
Rod Gilmore
|
So
|
LB
|
99
|
Tom Hall
|
Jr
|
|
Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K, P
|
10
|
Ken Naber
|
Jr
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Al Lavan – Running backs
- Jim Fassel – Wide receivers
- Tom Lovat – Offensive line
- Russell Charles – Offensive line
- Bill Dutton – Defensive line
- John Godden – Inside linebackers
- Ray Handley – Linebackers
- George Seifert – Defensive back
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
[23][24]
References
- ^ "2017 Media Guide" (PDF). thesundevils.com. ASU Athletics. p. 127. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ^ "Dowhower wants Stanford exciting". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. January 10, 1979. p. 3C.
- ^ "Dowhower quits to take Broncos' post". Palm Beach Post. January 24, 1980. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Card coach resigns". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 24, 1980. p. 30.
- ^ "Dowhower suddenly leaves Stanford for NFL". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire service reports. January 24, 1980. p. 3B.
- ^ "Dowhower resigns as Stanford football coach". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. January 24, 1980. p. 18.
- ^ "Wiggin Stanford football coach". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. February 2, 1980. p. 10.
- ^ "Wiggin gets Stanford job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. February 2, 1980. p. 14.
- ^ "Stanford is stunned by Tulane, 33–10". The Los Angeles Times. September 9, 1979. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stanford outlasts San Jose". The San Francisco Examiner. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Army staggers Stanford". St. Petersburg Times. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Elway's TD passes help Stanford win". The Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Late field goal propels Cards by UCLA, 27–24". Statesman Journal. October 7, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Trojans are left in a daze". The Daily Breeze. October 14, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Three Schonert TDs, rugged defense propel Stanford". Santa Cruz Sentinel. October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stanford's hopes in Pac 10 dammed by Beavers, 33–31". The San Bernardino County Sun. October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stanford beats Arizona State". The Selma Times-Journal. November 4, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ex-Hawk preserves Oregon win". Tri-City Herald. November 11, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Campbell-paced Bears defeat Stanford 21–14". The Sunday Oregonian. November 18, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1979 Stanford Cardinal Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
- ^ Palm Beach Post. 1979 Sept 16. Retrieved 2014-Jan-20.
- ^ "Bears stop Cards at the 2 and win Big Game, 21-14". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. November 18, 1979. p. 7B.
- ^ "Starting lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). October 27, 1979. p. 2C.
- ^ "Starting lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). November 10, 1979. p. 2B.
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