UC Riverside Highlanders football | |
---|---|
First season | 1955 |
Last season | 1975 |
Head coach | Bob Toledo (final coach) |
Stadium | Highlander Stadium |
Field surface | Grass |
Location | Riverside, California |
Conference | CCAA |
All-time record | 84–83–8 (.503) |
Bowl record | 0–0–0 (–) |
Colors | Blue and Gold [1] |
UC Riverside Highlanders football represented the University of California, Riverside from the 1955 through the 1975 college football seasons. The Highlanders originally competed as an Independent before they joined the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in 1969. They played their home game at Highlander Stadium in Riverside, California. During their 21 years of competition, the Highlanders compiled an all-time record of 84 wins, 83 losses and 8 ties (84–83–8).
In 1954, former California All-America Rod Franz was hired to serve as the first head coach of the Riverside program. [2] After only one season, Franz resigned, and Carl Selin was hired as head coach. Selin remained in his position through the 1958 season when he resigned to become an assistant coach at the Coast Guard Academy. [3]
After Gil Allan served as head coach for only the 1964 season, in March 1965, former Highlanders quarterback Pete Kettela was named head coach. [4] Kettela resigned in 1970 after he compiled an overall record of 23 wins, 19 losses and 2 ties (23–19–2) during his five-year tenure. [5] He resigned his position as he felt the school was not expending appropriate resources on the football program. [5]
After serving as an assistant coach for five seasons, in February 1970 Gary Knecht was promoted to head coach. [5] He compiled an overall record of six wins, thirteen losses and one tie (6–13–1) from 1970 through the 1971 season. [6] Knecht resigned as head coach in March 1972, just as coach Kettela had done previously, as the university had not placed enough resources into the football program. [7] Wayne Howard was hired in 1972, and prior to his resignation in December 1973 to become the head coach at Long Beach State, led the Highlanders to a record of seventeen wins and three losses (17–3). [8] Under Howard, the 1972 squad finished the season with a record of nine wins and one loss (9–1) to capture a share of the first conference championship for the Highlanders. [9]
On December 21, 1973, Bob Toledo was hired as the Highlanders' head coach. [10] As head coach, Toledo led the Highlanders to an overall record of fifteen wins and six losses (15–6) and consecutive conference championships in 1974 and 1975. [11] [12] However, on December 4, 1975, the football program was discontinued by the university with a general lack of attendance and poor gate receipts cited for its being discontinued. [11] [12] Toledo and his staff remained under contract until July 1, 1976. [12]
Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1955 | Rod Franz | 1 | 1–3-1 | .000 |
1956–1958 | Carl Selin | 3 | 4–13–3 | .275 |
1959–1963 | Jim Whitley | 5 | 17–21–2 | .450 |
1964 | Gil Allan | 1 | 2–7–0 | .222 |
1965–1969 | Pete Kettela | 5 | 23–19–2 | .545 |
1970–1971 | Gary Knecht | 2 | 6–13–1 | .325 |
1972–1973 | Wayne Howard | 2 | 17–3–0 | .850 |
1974–1975 | Bob Toledo | 2 | 15–6–0 | .714 |
Totals | 21 | 84–83–8 | .503 | |
During their 21 years of competition, the Highlanders compiled an all-time record of 84 wins, 83 losses and 8 ties (84–83–8). [13]
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rod Franz (Independent)(1955) | |||||||||
1955 | UC Riverside | 1-3-1 | — | — | |||||
Franz: | 1-3–1 | ||||||||
Carl Selin(Independent)(1956–1958) | |||||||||
1956 | UC Riverside | 1–6 | — | — | |||||
1957 | UC Riverside | 1–4–1 | — | — | |||||
1958 | UC Riverside | 2–3–2 | — | — | |||||
Selin: | 4–13–3 | ||||||||
Jim Whitley(Independent)(1955) | |||||||||
1959 | UC Riverside | 5–2 | — | — | |||||
1960 | UC Riverside | 7–0–1 | — | — | |||||
1961 | UC Riverside | 1–7–0 | — | — | |||||
1962 | UC Riverside | 3–5–0 | — | — | |||||
1963 | UC Riverside | 1–7–1 | — | — | |||||
Whitley: | 17–21–2 | ||||||||
Gil Allan(Independent)(1964) | |||||||||
1964 | UC Riverside | 2–7 | — | — | |||||
Allan: | 2–7 | ||||||||
Pete Kettela(Independent/California Collegiate Athletic Association)(1965–1969) | |||||||||
1965 | UC Riverside | 6–1 | — | — | |||||
1966 | UC Riverside | 4–5 | — | — | |||||
1967 | UC Riverside | 4–4–1 | — | — | |||||
1968 | UC Riverside | 5–1–1 | — | — | |||||
1969 | UC Riverside | 3–6 | 0–1 | 4th | — | — | |||
Kettela: | 23–19–2 | 0–1 | |||||||
Gary Knecht (California Collegiate Athletic Association)(1970–1971) | |||||||||
1970 | UC Riverside | 4–6 | 0–2 | 5th | — | — | |||
1971 | UC Riverside | 2–7–1 | 0–2 | 5th | — | — | |||
Knecht: | 6–13–1 | 0–4 | |||||||
Wayne Howard (California Collegiate Athletic Association)(1972–1973) | |||||||||
1972 | UC Riverside | 9–1 | 3–0 | T-1st | — | — | |||
1973 | UC Riverside | 8–2 | 3–1 | 2nd | — | — | |||
Howard: | 17–3 | 6–1 | |||||||
Bob Toledo (California Collegiate Athletic Association)(1974–1975) | |||||||||
1974 | UC Riverside | 8–3 | 4–0 | 1st | — | — | |||
1975 | UC Riverside | 7–3 | 4–0 | 1st | — | — | |||
Toledo: | 15–6 | 8–0 | |||||||
Total: | 84–83–8 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
|
UC Riverside has seven alumni that have played in the National Football League (NFL). [14] [15]
Name | Position | Year | Overall Pick | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Basinger | DE | 1973 | Free Agent | Green Bay Packers |
Russ Bolinger [A 1] | G/T | 1976 | 68 | Detroit Lions |
Dan Bunz [A 2] | LB | 1978 | 24 | San Francisco 49ers |
Butch Johnson | WR | 1976 | 87 | Dallas Cowboys |
Frank Johnson | 1974 | 102 | Los Angeles Rams | |
Calvin Sweeney [A 3] | WR | 1979 | 110 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
Derek Williams | 1974 | 221 | Los Angeles Rams |
Robert Anthony Toledo is a former American football coach and former player. Toledo served as the head coach at University of California, Riverside (1974–1975), the University of the Pacific (1979–1982), the University of California, Los Angeles (1996–2002), and Tulane University (2007–2011). He resigned as head football coach at Tulane on October 18, 2011. On January 10, 2013, he was named offensive coordinator at San Diego State. Toledo retired from coaching after the 2014 season.
Peter P. Kettela was an American gridiron football player, coach, and executive. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Riverside from 1965 to 1969 and as the head coach for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1983.
Gary Knecht is a faculty member at Azusa Pacific University and former college football coach. Knecht has served as an assistant coach at several universities and as the head coach at UC Riverside from 1970 to 1971 and at Walla Walla Community College from 1976 to 1983. During his career as a head coach, Knecht compiled an overall record of six wins, 13 losses and one tie (6–13–1) at Riverside and 52 wins, 19 losses and one tie (52–19–1) at Walla Walla.
The 1969 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1969 NCAA College Division football season.
The 1970 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1970 NCAA College Division football season.
The 1971 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season.
The 1972 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1972 NCAA College Division football season.
The 1973 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1973 NCAA Division II football season.
The 1974 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1974 NCAA Division II football season.
The 1975 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1975 NCAA Division II football season.
The 1968 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1968 NCAA College Division football season.
The 1967 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1967 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1967.
The 1966 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1966 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1966.
The 1965 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1965 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1965.
The 1964 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1964 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1964.
The 1963 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1963 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1963.
The 1962 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1962 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1962.
The 1961 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1961 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1961.
The 1960 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1960 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1960.
The 1959 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1959 NCAA College Division football season. The Highlanders competed as an independent in 1959.