1968 Washington State Cougars football team

The 1968 Washington State Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Washington State University in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their first season under head coach Jim Sweeney, the Cougars compiled a 3–6–1 record (1–3–1 in Pac-8, seventh), and outscored their opponents 189 to 188.[1][2] The final two games were shutout victories.

1968 Washington State Cougars football
ConferencePacific-8 Conference
Record3–6–1 (1–3–1 Pac-8)
Head coach
Home stadiumRogers Field, Joe Albi Stadium
1968 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 USC $ 6 –0 –09 –1 –1
No. 15 Oregon State 5 –1 –07 –3 –0
Stanford 3 –3 –16 –3 –1
California 2 –2 –17 –3 –1
Oregon 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
UCLA 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
Washington State 1 –3 –13 –6 –1
Washington 1 –5 –13 –5 –2
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The team's statistical leaders included Jerry Henderson with 1,586 passing yards, Richard Lee Smith with 326 rushing yards, and Johnny Davis with 421 receiving yards.[3]

The Cougars won a second straight Apple Cup from rival Washington, shutting out the Huskies 24–0 in Spokane.[4] This was the last time that this rivalry game was played on natural grass.[5] WSU played only five conference games, missing California and USC. Of the Cougars' five home games, three were played in Spokane.

Sweeney was hired in early January; he was previously the head coach for five seasons at Montana State in Bozeman.[6][7][8] He retained alumnus Laurie Niemi on the staff, but Niemi died from cancer at age 42 in February.[9][10][11]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21Idaho*
W 14–723,612[12]
September 28at No. 8 UCLA
L 21–3141,759[13][14]
October 5Utah*
L 14–1716,503
October 12at Arizona State*
L 14–4136,226
October 19No. 14 Stanford
  • Joe Albi Stadium
  • Spokane, WA
T 21–2115,700
October 26Oregon Statedagger
  • Rogers Field
  • Pullman, WA
L 8–1620,781[15][16]
November 2at Arizona*
L 14–2831,400
November 9at Oregon
L 13–2723,000[17][18][19]
November 16at San Jose State*
W 46–08,450[20]
November 23Washington
W 24–031,986[21][22]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Conference opponents not played this season: California, USC

Roster
1968 Washington State Cougars football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
SE 42 Ed Armstrong So
FB 32 Del Carmichael Sr
QB 10 Hank Grenda Sr
OT 73 Dave Golinsky Sr
OT 70 Jim Guinn Sr
G 76 Ty Hansell Jr
C 50 Dave Harris Sr
G 62 Jim Hellyer Jr
QB 12 Jerry Henderson Sr
G 66 Bill McCain Sr
QB 11 Rich Olson So
HB 21 Richard Smith Jr
TE 81 Ron Souza Sr
SE 45 Larry Thatcher Sr
QB 13 Jack Wigmore So
OT 77 Steve Van Sinderen Sr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 21 Steve Bartelle Sr
DT 71 Dave Berger Jr
MG 65 Hank Bendix Jr
DT 75 Gary Branson Jr
DE 82 Dave Crema Jr
LB 58 Terry Durst So
CB 26 Greg Field Sr
LB 64 Jim Gorton Sr
S 31 Jim Peterson Jr
CB 23 Rick Reed Sr
DB 40 Dick Schultz Sr
S 44 Steve Shoun Jr
DE 91 J.D. Smith Sr
DE 93 Wayne Swayda Sr
CB 20 Mark Williams Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
PK, P 10 Hank Grenda Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

NFL/AFL draft

One Cougar was selected in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft.

Player Position Round Overall Franchise
Steve Van Sinderen Tackle 7 172 San Francisco 49ers

[32][33]

References
  1. "1968 Washington State Cougars Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  2. "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). WSUCougars.com. Washington State Cougars Athletics. p. 76. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  3. "1968 Washington State Cougars Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  4. Brown, Bruce (November 25, 1968). "Cougars plan talent hunt after stunning Husky foe". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 29.
  5. "Good weather but soft field seen for test". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 22, 1968. p. 19.
  6. Missildine, Harry (January 6, 1968). "New WSU coach Sweeney faces task with optimism". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 10.
  7. "Omen indicates fortune of Cougars may brighten". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). January 6, 1968. p. 13.
  8. "Sweeney new head football coach at Washington State University". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). January 6, 1968. p. 9.
  9. "Laurie Niemi dies of cancer at 42". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). February 20, 1968. p. 16.
  10. "Cancer claims Niemi; ex-Cougar dies at 42". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). February 20, 1968. p. 16.
  11. "Ex-football star dies of cancer". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). February 20, 1968. p. 1.
  12. Wilson, Mike (September 22, 1968). "Jerry Henderson passes Cougars by Vandals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 10.
  13. Brown, Bruce (September 28, 1968). "Cougars buck big odds". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 10.
  14. Brown, Bruce (September 30, 1968). "Home game next for WSU after solid UCLA showing". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 17.
  15. "Enyart paces Beavers' win". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). October 27, 1968. p. 1B.
  16. "Preece, Enyart help Beavers spoil Cougars' Homecoming". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 27, 1968. p. 15.
  17. Uhrhammer, Jerry (November 10, 1968). "Olson's passes, runs trip WSU". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1B.
  18. Missildine, Harry (November 10, 1968). "Eric Olson guides Oregon to 27–13 win over Cougars". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  19. "Olson sparks UO to win over WSU". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 10, 1968. p. 12.
  20. "WSU find formula, beats Spartans 46-0". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 17, 1968. p. 10.
  21. "Cougars clobber UW". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 24, 1968. p. 2B.
  22. Ashmun, Chuck (November 24, 1968). "Cougars surprise Huskies with Grenda, win 2nd straight". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 12.
  23. "WSU vs. Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). (probable starting lineups, rosters). September 20, 1968. p. 16.
  24. "Transplanted Battle of Palouse matches WSU-Idaho at Spokane". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). September 21, 1968. p. 11.
  25. "Cougars vs. Redskins: probable offensive starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 5, 1968. p. 11.
  26. "Indians vs. Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 19, 1968. p. 13.
  27. "WSU vs. Oregon State". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). (probable offensive starters, rosters). October 25, 1968. p. 17.
  28. "Probable lineups". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). November 8, 1968. p. 3B.
  29. "Huskies-Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 23, 1968. p. 12.
  30. Ashmun, Chuck (November 23, 1968). "Cougars, Huskies to play for Big Apple Trophy". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 10.
  31. "2008 Football media guide" (PDF). Washington State University Athletics. 2008. pp. 172–191. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  32. "San Diego, Dallas pull surprises in annual football player draft". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. January 29, 1969. p. 11.
  33. "17 are selected from NW area". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). January 30, 1969. p. 24.
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