1978 Washington Huskies football team

American college football season

1978 Washington Huskies football
ConferencePacific-10
Record7–4 (6–2 Pac-10)
Head coach
  • Don James (4th season)
Offensive coordinatorDick Scesniak (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorJim Lambright (1st season)
MVPMichael Jackson (LB)
Captains
  • Michael Jackson (LB)
  • Nesby Glasgow (DB)
  • Jeff Toews (OL)
  • Scott Greenwood (TE)
Home stadiumHusky Stadium
Seasons
← 1977
1979 →
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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1978 Washington Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the University of Washington during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. Under fourth-year head coach Don James, the team compiled a 7–4 record, tied for second in the Pacific-10 Conference, and outscored its opponents 270 to 155.[1] Linebacker Michael Jackson was selected as the team's most valuable player. The team captains were Jackson, Nesby Glasgow, Scott Greenwood, and Jeff Toews.

In the newly-expanded Pac-10, the defending champion Huskies returned eighteen starters, but not at quarterback.[2] Washington defeated the two new members, Arizona and Arizona State, and did not play California. The two losses were to UCLA and USC, and the Huskies defeated Washington State in the Apple Cup for the fifth consecutive year.[3][4][5]

An unexpected non-conference loss at unranked Indiana in September likely kept Washington out of a bowl game.[6][7][8]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9No. 12 UCLANo. 11L 7–1055,780
September 16Kansas*No. 18
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 31–249,450
September 23at Indiana*No. 15
L 7–1440,244
September 30at Oregon StateW 34–030,000
October 7No. 8 Alabama*
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
L 17–2060,975[9]
October 14at No. 18 StanfordW 34–3158,079
October 21Oregon
W 20–1449,602
October 28Arizona State
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 41–754,866
November 4ArizonaNo. 20
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 31–2147,587
November 11at No. 5 USCNo. 19L 10–2854,071
November 25vs. Washington StateW 38–835,187
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1978 Washington Huskies football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR Ron Blacken
WR Gary Briggs
G 68 Dan Chavira Jr
RB Vince Coby
QB 12 Tom Flick So
G 62 Phil Foreman Jr
WR 93 Spider Gaines Sr
FB 42 Ron Gipson Jr
TE 86 Scott Greenwood (C) Sr
OT 78 Curt Marsh So
TE 80 Randy Moraga Jr
QB 7 Tom Porras Jr
WR 22 Keith Richardson Fr
RB Rob Smith
OL Joe Stanford
RB 24 Joe Steele Jr
RB 20 Kyle Stevens So
OT 63 Jeff Toews (C) Sr
RB 45 Toussaint Tyler So
C 56 Tom Turnure Jr
OT 79 Randy Van Divier So
OT 70 Roger Westlund Sr
TE R Wold
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB Bret Gagliardi
LB Willy Galoia
CB 23 Nesby Glasgow (C) Sr
S 46 Greg Grimes Jr
LB 55 Bruce Harrell Jr
S 96 Kyle Heinrich Sr
LB 5 Michael Jackson (C) Sr
LB 34 John Kerley Sr
CB 19 Mark Lee Jr
DT 61 Chris Linnin Jr
DE 73 Doug Martin Jr
NG 58 Stafford Mays Jr
LB 48 Antowaine Richardson Jr
CB 10 Lance Theoudele Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 1 Mike Lansford Jr
P 27 Aaron Wilson Sr
Head coach
  • Don James (4th year)
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[10][11][12][13]


Season summary

UCLA

Kansas

At Indiana

At Oregon State

Alabama

At Stanford

Washington Huskies (2–3) at #18 Stanford Cardinals (3–2)
Period 1 2 34Total
Washington 0 7 24334
Stanford 10 7 7731

at Stanford Stadium, Stanford, California

  • Date: October 14
  • Game attendance: 58,079
  • [14]
Game information
First quarter
  • STAN – Gordon Banks 29-yard pass from Steve Dils (Ken Naber kick). Stanford 7–0.
  • STAN – Ken Naber 25-yard field goal. Stanford 10–0.
Second quarter
  • WASH – Jeff Leeland 22-yard blocked punt return (Mike Lansford kick). Stanford 10–7.
  • STAN – Gordon Banks 3-yard run (Ken Naber kick). Stanford 17–7.
Third quarter
  • WASH – Mike Lansford 22-yard field goal. Stanford 17–10.
  • WASH – Lance Theoudele 36-yard interception return (Mike Lansford kick). Tie 17–17.
  • WASH – Greg Grimes 36-yard interception return (Mike Lansford kick). Washington 24–17.
  • WASH – Tom Porras 2-yard run (Mike Lansford kick). Washington 31–17.
  • STAN – Ken Margerum 33-yard pass from Steve Dils (Ken Naber kick), 0:00. Washington 31–24.
Fourth quarter
  • STAN – Phil Francis 6-yard run (Ken Naber kick), 5:03. Tie 31–31. Drive: 50 yards.
  • WASH – Mike Lansford 22-yard field goal, 0:22. Washington 34–31.
Top passers
Top rushers
  • WASH – Joe Steele – 17 rushes, 65 yards
  • STAN – Darrin Nelson – 20 rushes, 145 yards
Top receivers
  • WASH – Spider Gaines – 2 receptions, 41 yards
  • STAN – Ken Margerum – 5 receptions, 113 yards, TD

Oregon

Arizona State

Arizona

At USC

At Washington State


NFL draft selections

Five University of Washington Huskies were selected in the 1979 NFL draft, which lasted twelve rounds with 330 selections.

= Husky Hall of Fame[15]
Player Position Round Overall Franchise
Jeff Toews Tackle 2nd 53 Miami Dolphins
Michael Jackson Linebacker 3rd 57 Seattle Seahawks
Spider Gaines Wide receiver 6th 140 Kansas City Chiefs
Roger Westlund Tackle 7th 186 Atlanta Falcons
Nesby Glasgow Defensive back 8th 207 Baltimore Colts

References

  1. ^ "Washington Yearly Results (1975-1979)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Withers, Bud (October 21, 1978). "Brooks trying to probe Ducks' 'inner game'". Eugene register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1C.
  3. ^ Missildine, Harry (November 26, 1978). "Steele: Shades of McElhenny". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  4. ^ Drosendahl, Glenn (November 26, 1978). "Joe Steeles Jack's show - UW romps". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  5. ^ Van Sickel, Charlie (November 27, 1978). "Huskies blitz Cougars in one-sided debacle". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 21.
  6. ^ "Hoosiers ambush UW 14-7". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 24, 1978. p. F1.
  7. ^ "Huskies find way to lose to Indiana". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. September 24, 1978. p. 4C.
  8. ^ "Huskies get bowl spots". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). UPI. November 28, 1978. p. 18.
  9. ^ "Nerves of Steele fail Huskies 20–17". The News Tribune. October 8, 1978. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "The lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). September 30, 1978. p. 2C.
  11. ^ "The lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). October 21, 1978. p. 2C.
  12. ^ Missildine, Harry (November 25, 1978). "Stakes are sufficient". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 21.
  13. ^ Killen, John (November 25, 1978). "Cougs vs. Huskies". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  14. ^ "This time Huskies beat Cards on FG." Eugene Register-Guard. p. 4B. 1978 Oct 15. Retrieved 2021-Oct-12.
  15. ^ "The Husky Hall of Fame". gohuskies.com. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

External links

  • Official game program: Washington vs. Washington State at Spokane – November 25, 1978
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