1979 Wisconsin Badgers football team

American college football season

1979 Wisconsin Badgers football

Conference| Big Ten Conference
Record| 4–7 (3–5 Big Ten)
Head coach|

* Dave McClain (2nd season)

Offensive scheme| Triple option
Defensive coordinator| Jim Hilles (2nd season)
Base defense| 3–4
MVP| Tom Stauss
Captains|

* Dennis Christenson
* Ray Snell
* Tom Stauss

Home stadium| Camp Randall Stadium

Seasons

<- 1978

1980 ->

1979 Big Ten Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 4 Ohio State $  | 8  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 11  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 10 Purdue | 7  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 18 Michigan | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
No. 19 Indiana | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Iowa | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Minnesota | 3  | - | 5  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 1
Michigan State | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Wisconsin | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Illinois | 1  | - | 6  | - | 1 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 1
Northwestern | 0  | - | 9  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 10  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by second-year head coach Dave McClain, the Badgers compiled an overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for seventh place in the Big Ten. Wisconsin played home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 8| at No. 6 Purdue|

* Ross–Ade Stadium
* West Lafayette, IN

| L 20–41| 65,002| [1]
September 15| Air Force*|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI

| W 38–0| 66,466| [2]
September 22| No. 20 UCLA*|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI

| L 12–37| 78,830| [3]
September 29| at San Diego State*|

* San Diego Stadium
* San Diego, CA

| L 17–24| 38,633| [4]
October 6| Indiana|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI

| L 0–3| 74,188| [5]
October 13| No. 19 Michigan State|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI

| W 38–29| 77,083| [6]
October 20| at No. 6 Ohio State|

* Ohio Stadium
* Columbus, OH

| L 0–59| 87,585| [7]
October 27| Iowa|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI (rivalry)

| L 13–24| 79,026| [8]
November 3| at No. 10 Michigan|

* Michigan Stadium
* Ann Arbor, MI

| L 0–54| 104,952| [9]
November 10| Northwestern|

* Camp Randall Stadium
* Madison, WI

| W 28–3| 68,229| [10]
November 17| at Minnesota|

* Memorial Stadium
* Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)

| W 42–37| 37,827| [11]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[12]

## Roster

[edit]

1979 Wisconsin Badgers football team roster

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

|
|
|

WR | `19` | Tom Braker | Sr
RB | `23` | Chucky Davis | Fr
OT | `70` | Jerry Doerger | So
FB | `36` | Gerald Green | Fr
QB | `13` | John Josten | So
G | `71` | Leo Joyce | Jr
QB | `18` | Mike Kalasmiki | Sr
RB | `35` | Tory King | Fr
TE | `88` | Keith Krepfle | Jr
OL | `94` | Jeff Luko | So
G | `63` | Jim Martine | Sr
RB | `28` | Dave Mohapp | So
QB | `16` | Kevin Motl | Jr
G | `75` | Steve Namnick | So
WR | `22` | Marvin Neal | Fr
OT | `68` | Mark Orszula | Jr
QB | `10` | Steve Parish | Jr
C | `59` | Joe Rothbauer | Jr
TE | `87` | Joe Ruetz | Jr
DT | `76` | Mark Shumate | So
OT | `75` | Ray Snell (C) | Sr
FB | `26` | Tom Stauss (C) | Sr
WR | `42` | Tim Stracka | So
TE | `87` | Ray Sydnor | Jr
TE | `58` | Ron Versnik | So
RB | `1` | John Williams | Fr
G | `79` | Bob Winckler | Fr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

LB | `41` | Dave Ahrens | Jr
CB | `29` | Ross Anderson | Jr
DE | `85` | Curt Blaskowski | Jr
LB | `95` | Guy Boliaux | So
DT | `77` | Tom Booker | Fr
LB | `32` | Kyle Borland | Fr
LB | `65` | Richard Burney | So
CB | `30` | Mickey Casey | Sr
LB | `48` | Dennis Christenson (C) | Sr
S, P | `31` | David Greenwood | Fr
S | `22` | Ben Hable | Jr
DT | `72` | Mike Herrington | Fr
DT | `90` | Thomas Houston | Jr
DT | `91` | Joel Krein | Sr
NT | `50` | Tim Krumrie | Fr
LB | `47` | Dave Levenick | Jr
LB | `43` | Don Lorenz | Sr
CB | `45` | Von Mansfield | So
S | `11` | Dan Messenger | So
LB | `44` | Jody O'Donnell | Fr
DT | `76` | Mark Shumate | So
CB | `9` | Clint Sims | Fr
LB | `49` | Larry Spurlin | So
S | `5` | Terry Stroede | Sr
S | `27` | Vaughn Thomas | So
S | `12` | George Welch | Sr
NT | `61` | Dan Yourg | Jr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

S, P | `31` | David Greenwood | Fr
K | `3` | Pat Hady | Fr
K | `5` | Jon Kleinschmidt | Fr
K | `7` | Steve Veith | Sr

Head coach

* Dave McClain

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Jim Hilles – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
* Bill Dudley – Quarterbacks and Receivers
* Doug Graber – Defensive Backs
* Arnold Jeter – Defensive Line
* Cliff Knox – Running Backs
* Mike Nelson – Defensive Ends
* Bob Palcic – Tackles and Tight Ends
* Mario Russo – Centers and Guards
* Terry Murawski – Administrative Assistant

* * *

Legend

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

* Injured
* Redshirt

## 1980 NFL draft

[edit]

Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club

|
|
|
|

Ray Snell | Guard | 1 | 22 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ray Sydnor | Tight end | 3 | 83 | Pittsburgh Steelers
Tom Schremp | Defensive end | 6 | 152 | New York Jets

[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Purdue rocks Badgers in sloppy opener, 41–20". The La Crosse Tribune. September 9, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "Badger attack grounds Air Force, 38–0". The Post-Crescent. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "UW can't handle Edgar". The Reporter. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Halda's late bomb blows up Badgers". Daily Times-Advocate. September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Indiana shuts out Wisconsin by 3–0". Dayton Daily News. October 7, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Spirited Badgers upset MSU". Wisconsin State Journal. October 14, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Ohio State tramples Wisconsin in Big Ten". The Pantagraph. October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Mistakes ruin Badgers". Green Bay Press-Gazette. October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ Mick McCabe (November 4, 1979). "U-M buries Badgers, 54-0". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1F, 4F - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Kalasmiki keys 28–3 Badger win". The Courier. November 11, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Badgers outgun Gophers". The Winona Daily News. November 18, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "1979 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
13. ^ "1980 NFL Draft - 1980 NFL Standings and Stats". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.

* v
* t
* e

Wisconsin Badgers football

Venues|

* Randall Field (1895–1916)
* Camp Randall Stadium (1917–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Iowa
* Minnesota
* Nebraska

Culture & lore|

* Bucky Badger
* "On, Wisconsin!"
* Marching band
* "Jump Around"
* Tall Grass Game
* Crazylegs

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders
* Retired numbers

Seasons|

* 1889
* 1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number