1978 Utah Utes football team

American college football season

1978 Utah Utes football
ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
Record8–3 (4–2 WAC)
Head coach
  • Wayne Howard (2nd season)
Offensive coordinatorRon McBride (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorTom Gadd (2nd season)
Home stadiumRobert Rice Stadium
Seasons
← 1977
1979 →
1978 Western Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
BYU $ 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 4 – 0
Utah 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Wyoming 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 7 – 0
New Mexico 3 – 3 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Colorado State 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
San Diego State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
UTEP 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 11 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1978 Utah Utes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Utah as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second season under head coach Wayne Howard, the Utes compiled an overall record of 8–3 with a mark of 4–2 against conference opponents, tying for second place in the WAC. Home games were played on campus at Robert Rice Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 97:30 pmIdaho State*W 56–025,822
September 236:30 pmat Houston*L 25–4230,004
September 307:30 pmColorado State
  • Robert Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
W 30–627,821
October 712:00 pmat Iowa*W 13–951,170
October 147:30 pmWeber State*
  • Robert Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
W 30–723,458
October 211:30 pmat Wyoming
L 21–3420,758[1]
November 41:30 pmNew Mexicodagger
  • Robert Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
L 12–2424,182
November 117:30 pmat UTEP
W 38–012,300
November 181:30 pmBYU
  • Robert Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT (rivalry)
W 23–2229,326
November 251:30 pmat Utah State*W 23–2016,509
December 27:00 pmat San Diego StateW 20–1830,899

[2][3]

Personnel

1978 Utah Utes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB Randy Gomez
  Frank Henry
  Tony Lindsay
FB Mike Moseley
  James Teahan
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
  Mike Bailey
  Jeff Griffin
  Jeff Lyall
  Guy Morrell
  Tony Reed
  Derek Washington
  James Wilson
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K Jeff Hucko
Head coach
  • Wayne Howard
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

BYU

BYU Cougars (7–2) at Utah Utes (5–3)
Period 1 2 34Total
BYU 10 6 6022
Utah 0 0 71623

at Robert Rice Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Date: November 18, 1978
  • Game weather: Sunny, 43 °F (6 °C)
  • Game attendance: 29,326
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • BYU – Brent Johnson 20-yard field goal. BYU 3–0.
  • BYU – Lloyd Jones 37-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Brent Johnson kick). BYU 10–0.

Second quarter

  • BYU – Brent Johnson 52-yard field goal. BYU 13–0.
  • BYU – Brent Johnson 21-yard field goal. BYU 16–0.

Third quarter

  • UTAH – James Teahan 25-yard pass from Randy Gomez (Jeff Hucko kick). BYU 16–7.
  • BYU – Dave Francis 20-yard interception return (kick failed). BYU 22–7.

Fourth quarter

  • UTAH – Jeff Hucko 37-yard field goal. BYU 22–10.
  • UTAH – Tony Lindsay 42-yard pass from Randy Gomez (Jeff Hucko kick). BYU 22-17.
  • UTAH – Frank Henry 19-yard pass from Randy Gomez (pass failed), 2:15. Utah 23-22.
Top passers
Top rushers
  • BYU – Lloyd Jones – 1 rush, 32 yards
  • UTAH – Tony Lindsay – 30 rushes, 104 yards
Top receivers
  • BYU – Lloyd Jones – 4 receptions, 67 yards
  • UTAH – James Teahan – 5 receptions, 85 yards, TD

External videos
video icon Game highlights

NFL draft

One Utah player was selected in the 1979 NFL Draft.

Player Position Round Pick NFL team
Rick Partridge Punter 8 208 Green Bay Packers

References

  1. ^ "Wyoming Cowboys defeat Utes 34-21". Casper Star-Tribune. October 22, 1978. p. 32 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "1979 Utah Football Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  3. ^ "Ute Record Book" (PDF). University of Utah. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
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