Humboldt State Lumberjacks football

The Humboldt State Lumberjacks football program represented Humboldt State University, known since January 2022 as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, in college football and played its home games at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, California. Humboldt State was a football member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in NCAA Division II. Through the 2017 season, the Lumberjacks played 89 seasons and had an all-time record of 402–395–21 (.504).

Humboldt State Lumberjacks football
First season1924
Last season2018
Athletic directorDuncan Robins (interim)
Head coachCory White (interim)
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumRedwood Bowl
(capacity: 6,000 (seated))
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationArcata, California
ConferenceGreat Northwest Athletic Conference
All-time record402–395–21 (.504)
Bowl record1–1 (.500)
Conference titles11
ColorsGreen and gold[1]
   
MascotLucky Logger
WebsiteHumboldt State Lumberjacks football

In July 2018, HSU announced that the football program would be discontinued after the 2018 season.[2]

History

Starting in 1924, the first 27 years of Humboldt State football was less than successful. There were 9 winning seasons, 12 losing seasons and one .500 season over that timeframe. For most of that time, the Lumberjacks were not a member of a conference. They joined the Far Western Conference for the 1946 season but didn't have much success there until the hiring of Phil Sarboe in 1951. The Lumberjacks have had only six coaches in the subsequent 66 years, an average tenure of 11 seasons. But only two of those six compiled an overall winning record.

For decades, the Humboldt State football program was unique in the California State University system. At one point, 15 schools in the system had football programs. But starting in the 1970s, financial pressures and rulings from the NCAA changed the environment for college football. One by one, nine Cal State Schools dropped their football programs.[note 1] Three programs moved to Division I FBS.[note 2] Two programs moved to Division I FCS.[note 3] Only Humboldt State remained in Division II[3] and continued with a successful D-II program (until the announced discontinuation after the 2018 season).

Phil Sarboe era

Phil Sarboe was hired as Humboldt State head coach in January 1951 after the team had experienced two consecutive winless seasons.[4] He immediately turned the team around, compiling a winning record in his first year and in 14 of his 15 years as Humboldt State head coach. He is the winningest coach in Lumberjack history, compiling a record of 104–37–5 (.729) from 1951 through 1965. His teams won the conference title in 1952, 1956, 1960, 1961, & 1963. Playing in the "small college" era, there were no playoffs to determine a national champion. Instead, the wire services conducted polls for both major college and small college. Under Sarboe, the Lumberjacks finished the 1960 season ranked #3 in the AP poll and #8 in the UPI poll. They followed that up with another national ranking in 1961, finishing #16 in the UPI poll.

The most successful season under Sarboe came in 1960, when the team compiled a perfect regular season record of 10–0. Running Back Cecil Stephens led the way, rushing for 1,119 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns, a school record that still stands.[5] They won the NAIA semifinal game against Whitworth, then lost in the championship game against Lenoir–Rhyne.

Bud Van Deren era

Phil Sarboe resigned in January 1965, and Bud Van Deren was named his successor shortly thereafter.[6] The highlight of Van Deren's 20 year tenure was the 1968 season. The Lumberjacks finished the 1968 season ranked #16 in the AP poll and #10 in the UPI poll. The small colleges held regional finals in 1968, and Humboldt State played Fresno State in the Camellia Bowl. Defeating the Bulldogs, the Lumberjacks captured the NCAA Western Region title.

Rob Smith era

Rob Smith was the head coach of the Lumberjacks from 2008 through 2017. His teams won the conference championship in 2011 and 2015, reaching the Division II playoffs after the 2015 season. They were nationally ranked in six of his last seven years, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. He compiled an overall record of 63–44 (.589).

Conference affiliations

Conference championships
Year Conference Overall Record Conference Record
1946FWC5–3–12–0–1
19527–13–0
19569–24–1
196011–15–0
19618–24–1
19636–1–23–1–1
196810–16–0
1994NCAC8–22–1
19958–1–14–0
2011GNAC9–17–1
201510–26–0
Total Conference Titles 11

[5]

Postseason appearances
List of postseason games showing game played in, score, date, season, opponent, stadium, location, and head coach
# Bowl Score[A 1] Date Season[A 2] Opponent[A 3] Stadium Location Head coach
1 NAIA Semifinal Game W 13–6 December 3, 1960 1960 Whitworth Pirates Albee Stadium Eureka, CA Phil Sarboe
2 NAIA Championship Game
Holiday Bowl		 L 14–15 December 10, 1960 1960 Lenoir–Rhyne Bears Stewart Field Saint Petersburg, FL Phil Sarboe
3 College Division Western Region Final
Camellia Bowl		 W 29–14 December 14, 1968 1968 Fresno State Bulldogs Charles C. Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA Bud Van Deren
4 GNAC Championship Game W 30–21 November 12, 2011 2011 Western Oregon Wolves Redwood Bowl Arcata Rob Smith
5 Division II Playoffs W 45–31 November 21, 2015 2015 Augustana University Vikings Redwood Bowl Arcata, CA Rob Smith
6 Division II Playoffs L 7–54 November 28, 2015 2015 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO Rob Smith

Postseason table Notes

  1. Results are sortable first by whether the result was a Humboldt State win, loss or tie and then second by the margin of victory.
  2. Links to the season article for the Humboldt State team that competed in the game for that year.
  3. Links to the season article for the opponent that Humboldt State competed against in the game for that year when available or to their general page when unavailable.

All-Americans

The Lumberjacks have had one three-time All-American:

  • End Drew Roberts ('60–62)

The Lumberjacks have had five two-time All-Americans:

  • Tackle Vester Flanagan ('60–'61)
  • Nose guard Dave Rush ('82–'83)
  • Free safety Dean Diaz ('82–'83)
  • Flanker/wide receiver Eddie Pate ('82–'83)
  • Defensive back Kyle Killingsworth ('04, '06)

The Lumberjacks have had 30 one-time All-Americans.[5]

Head coaching history
Main article: List of Humboldt State Lumberjacks head football coaches

Redwood Bowl

The Lumberjacks play home games in the Redwood Bowl, a stadium located on the campus of Humboldt State. Begun as part of the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, it was opened in 1946. Redwood Bowl has a seating capacity of 6,000 people, but with standing room can accommodate up to 8,000.[7]

Humboldt State players in the NFL

A number of players from Humboldt State have gone on to play in the National Football League (NFL). Wendell Hayes was a Lumberjack in 1962 and was on the winning Kansas City Chiefs squad in Super Bowl IV. Alex Cappa was a Lumberjack in 2017 and was on the winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad in Super Bowl LV.

Players in the NFL Draft
YearPlayerPositionRoundOverallNFL Team
1961Vester FlanaganT9124Green Bay Packers
1963Drew RobertsSE18246Washington Redskins
1968Chuck BaileyT13337Detroit Lions
1970Dan HookLB11276Green Bay Packers
1971Len GotshalkT, G8186Philadelphia Eagles
1974Mike BettigaWR15382San Francisco 49ers
1990Dave HarperLB11277Dallas Cowboys
1991Scotty ReaganDT7179Minnesota Vikings
1992Freeman BaysingerWR12333New England Patriots
2018Alex CappaG394Tampa Bay Buccaneers

[8]

Undrafted players in the NFL
PlayerPositionFirst NFL Team
Wendell HayesRB1963 Dallas Cowboys
R.W. HicksC1975 Detroit Lions
Steve KincannonQB1976 Houston Oilers
Richard AsheTE1990 Los Angeles Rams
Stephen CheekP2004 Kansas City Chiefs
Lyndon RowellsRB2012 Carolina Panthers
Taylor BoggsC2011 New York Jets

[9]

Notes
  1. Cal State system schools dropping their program and last season played were Cal State Los Angeles (1977), Cal Poly Pomona (1982), Long Beach State (1991), Cal State Fullerton (1992), San Francisco State (1994), Cal State Hayward (1993), Chico State (1996), Sonoma State (1996), & Cal State Northridge (2001)
  2. Cal State system schools moving into D-I FBS were Fresno State, San Diego State & San Jose State
  3. Cal State system schools moving into D-I FCS were Cal Poly & Sacramento State

References
  1. "Visual Identity | HSU Brand". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  2. "University Announces Football Decision". July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.open access
  3. Aird, Donovan (June 5, 2008). "How the West was undone". Mustang Daily. p. 14. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  4. "Phil Sarboe Named Humboldt State Coach". Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California). January 12, 1951. p. 32. Retrieved March 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  5. Humboldt State Jacks 2014 Football Media Guide (pamphlet). Arcata, California: Humboldt State University. 2014.
  6. "Ex-JC Coach Bud Van Deren to HSC". The Press-Democrat (Santa Rosa, California). February 1, 1965. p. 15. Retrieved March 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  7. Redwood Bowl: Humboldt State University Athletics Website
  8. "Draft History: Humboldt State". Retrieved October 28, 2017.
  9. "Humboldt St. Players/Alumni". Retrieved October 28, 2017.
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