1972 San Diego State Aztecs football team

1972 San Diego State Aztecs football
PCAA champion
ConferencePacific Coast Athletic Association
Ranking
CoachesNo. 20
Record10–1 (4–0 PCAA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRod Dowhower (5th season)
Home stadiumSan Diego Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
San Diego State $ 4 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Pacific (CA) 3 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Fresno State 1 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Long Beach State 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
San Jose State 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1972 San Diego State Aztecs football team represented California State University San Diego[note 1] during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA).[note 2]

The Aztecs were led by head coach Don Coryell, in his twelfth (and final) year, and played home games at San Diego Stadium[note 3] in San Diego, California. They finished the season as conference champion, with a record of ten wins and one loss (10–1, 4–0 PCAA).

Coryell had an overall record of 104–19–2 (.840) in twelve seasons. The total wins, winning percentage, and games coached are all San Diego State coaching records. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999 and was the first coach to win more than 100 games at both the collegiate and professional level.[1]

After the season, Coryell left to become the head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL).

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9Oregon State*
W 17–832,829[2]
September 23at North Texas State*
W 25–010,500[3]
September 30at Kent State*
W 14–05,421[4]
October 7San Jose State
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 23–1235,030[5]
October 14at Houston*
L 14–4929,891[6]
October 21Bowling Green*
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 35–1936,121[7]
October 28Fresno State
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA (rivalry)
W 21–1429,891[8][9]
November 4West Texas State*
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 37–623,200[10]
November 11Pacific (CA)
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 20–723,200[11]
November 25at Long Beach State
W 33–1417,644[12]
December 2Iowa State*
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 27–1439,048[13]
  • *Non-conference game

[14][15]

Team players in the NFL

The following were selected in the 1973 NFL draft.[16]

Player Position Round Overall NFL Team
Isaac Curtis Wide receiver 1 15 Cincinnati Bengals
Bill Ferguson Linebacker 4 90 New York Jets
Jim Peterson Linebacker 6 133 Los Angeles Rams
Joe Lavender Defensive back 12 288 Philadelphia Eagles

The following finished their college career in 1972, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.[17]

Player Position First NFL Team
Bill Donckers Quarterback 1976 St. Louis Cardinals

Team awards

Award Player
Most Valuable Player
(John Simcox Memorial Trophy)		 Isaac Curtis
Outstanding Offensive & Defensive Linemen
(Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy)		 Chris Miller, Off
Randy Bixler, Def
Team captains
Dr. R. Hardy / C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy		 Bill Donckers, Off
Bill Ferguson, Def
Most Inspirational Player Bill Ferguson

[15]

Notes

  1. ^ San Diego State University was known as California State University, San Diego from 1972 to 1973.
  2. ^ The Big West Conference was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association from its founding in 1969 through 1987.
  3. ^ San Diego County Credit Union Stadium (SDCCU Stadium) was known as San Diego Stadium from its opening in 1967 through 1980.

References

  1. ^ "Hall of Fame Inductee Detail: Don "Air" Coryell". Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "Oregon State 2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  3. ^ Bob Anderson (September 24, 1972). "Aztecs Breeze, 25-0". Denton Record-Chronicle. Denton, Texas. p. Section D. Retrieved January 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  4. ^ "San Diego 14, Kent State 0". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. October 1, 1972. p. 6-E. Retrieved March 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ^ Arnold Wechter (October 8, 1972). "San Diego Bombs Spartans". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz, California. p. 30. Retrieved January 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ "Houston 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  7. ^ "Unbeaten Mustangs Win 11-10 Thriller". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 22, 1972. p. C-17. Retrieved January 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ^ "Fresno State 2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  9. ^ "Bulldogs Bow to San Diego Rally, 21-14". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 29, 1972. p. D-19. Retrieved February 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  10. ^ Dave Densmore (November 6, 1972). "Buffs Defend Well Despite Loss". The Amarillo Globe-Times. Amarillo, Texas. p. 30. Retrieved January 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  11. ^ "San Diego State Clinches Tie for Title With 20-7 Triumph". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. November 12, 1972. p. D-14. Retrieved January 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  12. ^ Jim McCormack (November 26, 1972). "Aztecs crunch 49ers". Independent Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. p. S-1. Retrieved January 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  13. ^ "Iowa State 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  14. ^ "San Diego State 1972 Schedule". Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  15. ^ a b "San Diego State 2016 Football Media Guide". Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  16. ^ "1973 NFL Draft". Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  17. ^ "San Diego St. Players/Alumni". Retrieved December 8, 2016.