1979 Boise State Broncos football team

American college football season

1979 Boise State Broncos football

Conference| Big Sky Conference
Record| 10–1 (7–0 Big Sky)
Head coach|

* Jim Criner (4th season)

Offensive coordinator| Gene Dahlquist (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator| Chuck Banker (1st season)
Base defense| 3–4
Home stadium| Bronco Stadium

Seasons

<- 1978

1980 ->

1979 Big Sky Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Boise State *  | 7  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 9 Montana State $  | 6  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
No. 5 Nevada ^  | 5  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
No. T–10 Northern Arizona | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Weber State | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Idaho | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Montana | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Idaho State | 0  | - | 7  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 11  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
* * – Boise State was on probation

Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA AP Poll

The 1979 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games on campus at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. They were led by fourth-year head coach Jim Criner and an offensive backfield of juniors: quarterback Joe Aliotti, fullback David Hughes, halfback Cedric Minter, with halfback Terry Zahner in reserve.[1]

The Broncos were 10–1 and undefeated in the Big Sky,[2][3][4] but were on probation for a scouting violation in November 1978; they were ineligible for the league title or I-AA playoffs in 1979 and were not allowed to scouting films of upcoming opponents.[5][6][7][8][9]

Senior quarterback Hoskin Hogan dropped out of school and junior college transfer Aliotti won the starting job.[1][8]

After an opening two-point loss at home,[10] BSU won ten straight; the league opener in late September set a Big Sky attendance record at 20,712.[11] A 14–0 shutout win for BSU, it was the only blemish for Montana State (6–1) in conference play, but three non-conference losses kept them out of the four-team I-AA playoffs; the western postseason bid went again to fifth-ranked Nevada-Reno (8–3), who finished their first season in the Big Sky at 5–2.[12][13]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|

September 8| 7:30 pm| Long Beach State*|

* Bronco Stadium
* Boise, ID

| L 7–9| 19,579| [10]
September 15| 7:30 pm| at Cal State Fullerton*|

* Falcon Stadium
* Norwalk, CA

| W 22–3|  3,439| [14]
September 22| 7:30 pm| Akron*|

* Bronco Stadium
* Boise, ID

| W 31–21| 19,642| [15]
September 29| 7:30 pm| Montana State|

* Bronco Stadium
* Boise, ID

| W 14–0| 20,712| [11]
October 6| | at Montana|

* Dornblaser Field
* Missoula, MT

| W 37–35|  6,129| [16]
October 13| 8:30 pm| at Idaho|

* Kibbie Dome
* Moscow, ID (rivalry)

| W 41–17| 15,500| [9][17]
October 20| 7:30 pm| Idaho State|

* Bronco Stadium
* Boise, ID

| W 44–0| 18,639| [18]
October 27| 1:30 pm| at Weber State|

* Wildcat Stadium
* Ogden, UT

| W 23–7|  6,110| [19]
November 3| 1:30 pm| Northern Arizona|

* Bronco Stadium
* Boise, ID

| W 44–7| 20,686| [20]
November 10| 1:30 pm| at No. 10 Nevada|

* Mackay Stadium
* Reno, NV (rivalry)

| W 28–27| 14,256| [21]
November 17| 1:00 pm| No. 7 (D-II) Cal Poly*|

* Bronco Stadium
* Boise, ID

| W 56–14| 17,257| [2][3]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Mountain time

[22]

## Roster

[edit]

1979 Boise State Broncos football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

QB | `7` | Kevin McDonald | Jr
QB | `14` | Joe Aliotti | Jr
QB | `15` | Dave DeMers | Fr
TB | `20` | Cedric Minter | Jr
FL | `21` | Mike Brady | Sr
TB | `27` | Terry Zahner | Jr
FB | `33` | David Hughes | Jr
C | `55` | Randy Schrader | Jr
RT | `60` | Dennis Brady | So
LT | `67` | Bob Markovich | Sr
RG | `68` | Bill Roberds | Sr
LG | `69` | Shawn Beaton | Jr
LT | `76` | Renny Buckner | Sr
SE | `80` | Kipp Bedard | So
TE | `84` | Jim Balch | Sr
FL | `89` | Ron Harvey | Fr
TE | `90` | Duane Dlouhy | So
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

RCB | `8` | Randy Stewart | Sr
FS | `23` | Curt Chandler | Sr
LCB | `28` | Chris Bell | So
SS | `29` | Rick Woods | So
LOLB | `57` | Ralph Esposito | Jr
ROLB | `48` | Ron Chatterton | Jr
LILB | `61` | Ray Santucci | So
RILB | `58` | Dan Williams | Jr
LDT | `70` | Randy Trautman | So
RDT | `75` | Doug Scott | Sr
NG | `88` | Willie Tufono | Sr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

K | `10` | Kenrick Camerud | Fr
PR | `21` | Mike Brady | Sr
P | `33` | Tom Spadafore | Jr
KR | `35` | Greg Ward | So

Head coach

* Jim Criner (4th year)

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Gene Dahlquist (OC)
* Chuck Banker (DC, LB)
* Dave Campo (DB)
* Dave Wasick (DL)

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

Source:[23][24]

## All-conference

[edit]

Halfback Cedric Minter was a repeat selection to the all-conference team, joined by quarterback Joe Aliotti, wide receiver Kipp Bedard, guard Shawn Beaton, defensive tackle Doug Scott, linebacker Ralph Esposito, and safety Rick Woods.[25][26][27] Second team selections were fullback David Hughes, halfback Terry Zahner, wide receiver Mike Brady, defensive tackle Randy Trautman, nose guard Willie Tufono, linebacker Dan Williams, and cornerback Chris Bell.[27]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Killen, John (October 11, 1979). "BSU's Aliotti is a big Bronco plus". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
2. ^ a b "Broncos stampede Cal-Poly SLO 56-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 18, 1979. p. 12D.
3. ^ a b "'Our bowl game,' cries Criner". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 19, 1979. p. 12D.
4. ^ "College standings". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 26, 1979. p. 4C.
5. ^ "Boise St. coach admits to scouting violation". Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Associated Press. November 16, 1978. p. 4-B.
6. ^ "Big Sky's down hard on Boise". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 17, 1978. p. B1.
7. ^ "Probation slapped on Boise State football". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). UPI. December 18, 1978. p. 7.
8. ^ a b Emerson, Paul (September 2, 1979). "Bad boy". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
9. ^ a b Killen, John (October 13, 1979). "Idaho: possibility looms for a winning season". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
10. ^ a b "Long Beach State slips by Boise 9-7". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 9, 1979. p. 4D.
11. ^ a b "Tough defenses". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 30, 1979. p. 3D.
12. ^ "Reno club awaits bid; Hake out". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 26, 1979. p. 23.
13. ^ "Reno given playoff spot". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 27, 1979. p. 25.
14. ^ "Boise State socks it to Titans". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 16, 1979. p. 4D.
15. ^ "Boise State rips Akron". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 23, 1979. p. 3D.
16. ^ "Safety lifts Boise State past Grizzlies". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 7, 1979. p. 6D.
17. ^ Killen, John (October 14, 1979). "End of a Vandal winning streak". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 2D.
18. ^ "Broncos trample ISU". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 21, 1979. p. 2D.
19. ^ "BSU 23, Weber State 7". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 28, 1979. p. 7D.
20. ^ "Boise State rips NAU". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 4, 1979. p. 12D.
21. ^ "Broncos pull out 28-27 win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 11, 1979. p. 6B.
22. ^ "Record book (football)" (PDF). Boise State University Athletics. 2016. p. 71\. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
23. ^ "Probable starters". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 13, 1979. p. 3C.
24. ^ BSU gameday program – Boise State vs. Northern Arizona (homecoming) – November 3, 1979 – Probable starters, rosters, p. 21–25
25. ^ "Alliotti heads All-Big Sky offensive team". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 6, 1979. p. 34.
26. ^ "3 Vandals honored". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 5, 1979. p. 30.
27. ^ a b "2 Vandals on stars". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 7, 1979. p. 28.

## External links

[edit]

* BSU Arbiter – student newspaper – 1979 editions

* v
* t
* e

Boise State Broncos football

Venues|

* Public School Field (1933–1939)
* College Field (1940–1949)
* Bronco Stadium (I) (1950–1969)
* Albertsons Stadium (1970–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Fresno State
* Idaho
* Nevada

Culture & lore|

* Buster Bronco

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
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*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number