1951 Idaho Vandals football team

The 1951 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1951 college football season. Led by first-year head coach Raymond "Babe" Curfman, the Vandals were 2–7 (0–3 in PCC, last). Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College and another at Memorial Stadium in Spokane, Washington.

1951 Idaho Vandals football
ConferencePacific Coast Conference
Record2–7 (0–3 PCC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Chuck Gottfried (tackles)
  • John Nikevich (guards)
  • Mack Flenniken (ends)
Offensive schemeSplit-T[1]
Home stadiumNeale Stadium
1951 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Stanford $ 6 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. 17 UCLA 4 –1 –15 –3 –1
No. 12 California 5 –2 –08 –2 –0
USC 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
No. 18 Washington State 4 –3 –07 –3 –0
Oregon State 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
Washington 1 –5 –13 –6 –1
Oregon 1 –6 –02 –8 –0
Idaho 0 –3 –02 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Idaho was led on the field by quarterback Wayne Anderson and halfback Glen Christian;[2] they suffered a close loss in the Battle of the Palouse with heavily favored neighbor Washington State,[3][4] falling 9–6 on homecoming at Neale Stadium on November 10.[5][6] The previous edition was also competitive, with a 7–7 tie in 1950 in Pullman,[7] but the winless streak against the Cougars was up to 25 games, a record of 0–23–2 since taking three straight in from 1923 to 1925; Idaho finally won three years later in Pullman.[8]

In the rivalry game with Montana at Missoula four weeks earlier, Idaho began an eight-game winning streak over the Grizzlies with a 12–9 win to regain the Little Brown Stein.[9][10]

Prior to the season in late March, university president Jesse Buchanan requested and received the resignations of head coach Dixie Howell and two assistants, due to "lack of harmony" on the coaching staff.[11][12] One of those assistants was Curfman, who was then asked by the administration to be the interim coach during the upcoming spring drills. He made a good impression and was re-hired as head coach in mid-April.[13][14]

Coaching staff
  • John Nikcevich, guards [15]
  • Mack Flenniken, ends
  • Chuck Gottfried, tackles

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 2212:30 pmat Wyoming*
L 0–2812,000[16][17]
September 291:00 pmvs. San Francisco*
L 7–2810,000[18][19][20]
October 62:00 pmvs. Oregon State
L 6–34  8,500[21]
October 131:00 pmat Montana*
W 12–9  9,000[9][10]
October 202:00 pmSan Jose State*
W 40–7  6,500[22][23]
November 31:30 pmat Oregon
L 13–14  8,100[24][25]
November 101:30 pmNo. 17 Washington Statedagger
L 6–914,000[5][6]
November 177:00 pmat Arizona*
L 6–1316,000[26][27]
November 2212:00 pmat Utah*
L 19–4011,934[28][29][30]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Pacific time

Conference opponents not played this season: Washington, California, Stanford, UCLA, USC

All-conference

No Vandals were on the All-Coast team; tackle Don Ringe was named to the second team. Honorable mention were end Jerry Ogle and guard Steve Douglas.[31][32]

NFL Draft

One senior from the 1951 Vandals was selected in the 1952 NFL Draft:[33]

PlayerPositionRound  Pick  Franchise
Glen Christian B9th105San Francisco 49ers

One junior was selected in the 1953 NFL Draft:[34]

PlayerPositionRound  Pick  Franchise
Don Ringe       T26th303  Chicago Cardinals  

One sophomore was selected in the 1954 NFL Draft:[35]

PlayerPositionRound  Pick  Franchise
Mel Bertrand   C29th349       Detroit Lions       

References
  1. "40 Idaho gridders enroute to Wyoming for '51 opener". Idaho Argonaut. (Moscow). (University of Idaho). September 21, 1951. p. 6.
  2. "Probable starting lineups". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 6, 1951. p. 11.
  3. "Idaho, WSC renew grid rivalry today". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 10, 1951. p. 3.
  4. "Battle of the Palouse set today at Moscow; Cougars favored". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 11, 1951. p. 8.
  5. Boren, Charlie (November 11, 1951). "Spirited Vandals hold powerful Cougars to 9-6 win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 8.
  6. "Idaho slows but cannot stop WSC, and Cougars win, 9 to 6". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 11, 1951. p. 1, sports.
  7. "Vandals and Cougars scramble to muddy 7-7 tie". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 29, 1950. p. 10.
  8. Boni, Bill (October 24, 1954). "Idaho thumps WSC, 10-0". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  9. "Vandals outlast Montana 12-9 for season's first win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. October 14, 1951. p. 11.
  10. "Vandals edge Grizzlies in Stein tilt". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). October 14, 1951. p. C-1.
  11. "Idaho football coach, staff get official ouster". Bend Bulletin. Oregon. United Press. March 27, 1951. p. 1.
  12. "Dixie Howell resigns as Idaho football coach". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 27, 1951. p. 21.
  13. "Curfman promoted to head coach at U. of Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). April 16, 1951. p. 15.
  14. "Idaho selects Curfman as coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). April 17, 1951. p. 14.
  15. "Vandals appoint new line coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 20, 1951. p. 15.
  16. "Cowboys stampede Idaho 28-0". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 23, 1951. p. 8.
  17. "Geldein ruins Idaho, Cowboys triumph 28-0". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. September 23, 1951. p. 14.
  18. "U.S.F. Wallops Idaho, 28 to 7". Oakland Tribune. September 30, 1951. p. A53 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "San Francisco rolls over Vandals 28-7". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. September 30, 1951. p. 8.
  20. "San Francisco trims Idaho Vandals, 28-7". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). United Press. p. 2C.
  21. "Beavers bop Idaho 34-6". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 7, 1951. p. 13.
  22. Boren, Charlie (October 21, 1951). "Idaho tramples San Jose 40-7 with 27-point last quarter". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 11.
  23. "Idaho whacks San Jose, 40 to 7, for second straight grid win". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 21, 1951. p. 1, sports.
  24. Strite, Dick (November 4, 1951). "Oregon posts second triumph 14-13". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 13.
  25. "Oregon upsets Idaho 14-13". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 4, 1951. p. 8.
  26. "Idaho favored over Arizona in first clash". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 17, 1951. p. 8.
  27. "Arizona sinks Vandals 13-6". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 18, 1951. p. 8.
  28. Miller, Hack (November 23, 1951). "Utes have gay day; trip Idaho 40-19". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 10A.
  29. "Redskins scalp Idaho 40-19". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 23, 1951. p. 11.
  30. "Vandals beaten by Utah eleven on long drives". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 23, 1951. p. 6.
  31. "Pair of Cougars named all-stars". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 5, 1951. p. 25.
  32. "Indians dominate AP All-Coast team". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. December 5, 1951. p. 2.
  33. "1952 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  34. "1953 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  35. "1954 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
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