Grizzly Football H University Of Montana • Missoula Contents University of Montana ...................................................... 2 Administrators ................................................................... 3 Coaches ............................................................................. 4,5 1976 Grizzly Outlook........................................................ 6 1976 Grizzly Roster............................................................ 7 Greg Anderson ................................................................... 8 Player Profiles............................................................... 9-13 Freshmen to Watch ........................................................ 14 1975 Grizzly Stats.......................................................... 15 1976 Opponents ........................................................ 16-18 Coaches Thru the Y e a rs................................................ 19 Big Sky Conference .................................................. 20, 21 Grizzly Honor R oll.................................................... 22-24 Grizzly Records ........................................................ 25-27 1976-77 Grizzly Basketball.......................................... 28 P e r S O n n e l R^hard Bowers,President ................... 406-243-2311 Harley Lewis, Athletic Director........................ 243-5331 Gene Carlson, Football Coach ............................ 243-5331 Sports Information Director ............................... 243-2522 Dr. Charles Bryan, Faculty Representative .... 243-5311 John Roning, Conference Commissioner . 208-345-5393 Jim Brandenburg, Basketball Coach ................. 243-5331 Football Press Box ................................................ 243-4192 The 1976 University of Montana football press guide was prepared by George Fultz. Cover design and layout suggestion by Jacobsen Advertising. Printed by the University Printing Service. 1 The University of Montana at Missoula is located in a mountain forest setting University in Western Montana. Camping, backpacking, river floating, hunting, fishing of Montana, and skiing are popular outdoor activities. Four wilderness areas are located nearby Missoula, and Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks are within a Missoula short driving distance. The University maintains a Campus Recreation Service to promote recreation. Travel in the area is facilitated by major airline service, the Amtrak railway system and a major east-west freeway. The University of Montana was chartered February 17, 1893, and opened in September, 1895, with fifty students enrolling the first day. Throughout its history, the University has sustained a high standard of academic excellence in teaching, research and service. Today the campus has an enrollment of 8,900, a full time faculty of 450, some 600 nonacademic personnel and more than 38,000 alumni. The University of Montana is the largest of six units of the Montana University System and has been designated the state’s most comprehensive institution of higher learning. 2 President Richard Bowers Dr. Richard C. Bowers assumed duties as the 13th president of the University of Montana on July 1, 1974. Bowers came to UM from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, where he served as vice president and provost, and professor of chemistry. As Northern Illinois’ provost, he was chief academic officer of the University and had overall responsibility for many other university activities, including computer services, admissions and records, and the library. He also represented Northern Illinois University to the Illinois Board of Regents, the Board of Higher Education of the State of Illinois, and the State Legislature. Prior to being named vice president and provost in 1969, Bowers served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at NIU from 1965- 69. Bowers received his B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan in 1948 and his PhD. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1953. He taught at Northwestern University in Evanston, 111., beginning in 1954 and became Director of Chemical Laboratories and associate chairman of the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern in 1963. Athletic Director Harley W. Lewis was named athletic director at the University of Montana, effective April 14,1976. He had served as acting athletic director from July 1, 1975. Lewis also serves as the University’s cross country and track and field coach. A 1964 graduate of UM with a M.S. in health, physical education and recreation, Lewis became track and cross country coach at the University in 1966. Prior to assuming coaching responsibilities at UM, the 1959 graduate of Butte High School coached two years at the University of Portland. Montana’s cross country teams have won seven Big Sky Conference championships and the UM track teams have captured one Big Sky title and placed second six times with Lewis as head coach. The 34-year-old Lewis is currently president of the United States Cross Country Coaches Association. 3 Coaches Gene Carlson Gene Carlson was appointed 1976 Grizzly head football coach June 14 by University of Montana athletic director Harley Lewis. Carlson, 44, succeeds Jack Swarthout, who in nine years became the winningest football coach in the University’s history. Carlson served as an assistant coach in charge of the offensive backfield and as executive secretary of the University’s Century Club for two years. Carlson came to UM from Great Falls High (Mont.) where he compiled a sensational high school record. In 15 years he guided the Bison to a 108-32-8 overall record, capturing five state championships and four second place finishes in Class AA competition. His 1965 and 1969 teams were undefeated. A native of Great Falls and a 1949 graduate of Great Falls High, Carlson has a health and physical education degree from UM (1954). He earned his M.S. in public administration from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) in 1967. After graduating from Montana, he played professional baseball for two years in the New York Yankees organization and served two years in the Air Force. He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Montana Air National Guard. 4 Bill Betcher Bill Betcher joined the M ontana staff in 1967. He is offensive line coach. Betcher was born in Woodland, Wash., on Feb. 16, 1939 and attended Washougal High. After high school he enrolled at the University of Oregon for a year then transferred to Central Washington State College. As a tackle for CWSC he earned Little All-America honors in 1961. He received his B.A. in physical education from Central Washington in 1963. Betcher coached Castle Rock High (Wash.) to a 22-5 record, 1963-65, and served as an assistant at CWSC in 1966 before joining the Grizzly staff. John Smith John Smith joined the UM coaching staff in March of 1973. He will coach the defensive front during the 1976 season. Smith was born Nov. 15, 1948 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He is a 1967 graduate of Bonneville High (Idaho Falls) and a 1972 graduate of Weber State College with a B.S. in physical education. At Weber State he was Academic All-American at linebacker and the team captain. In 1971 he was a graduate assistant at Weber State and served in the same capacity at UM during the 1972 season. Wally Gaskins Wally Gaskins became a member of the Grizzly football staff in March of 1973. His assignment for the 1976 season is coaching the offensive backfield. Gaskins was born in Billings, Mont. on March 27, 1945. He attended Lewis and Clark High (Spokane, Wash.), graduating in 1963. He entered the army after two years at Columbia Basin JC (Wash.) and enrolled at UM in 1970 following three years of service in Germany and a year in Viet Nam. He played fullback for Montana and graduated with a B.S. in physical education in 1973. Pat Dolan Pat Dolan joined the University’s football coaching staff in July of 1976. He will coach the defensive backs. Dolan was born Jan. 2, 1948 in Helena, Mont. He graduated from Great Falls Central High School (Mont.) in 1966 and enrolled at the University of Montana and played in the secondary for UM’s unbeaten 1969 and 1970 teams. In 1973 he received a B.S. in health and physical education from UM. He was the defensive coordinator at Libby High School, 1973-75, before accepting the UM appointment. 5 The pronounced goal of University of Montana head football coach Gene Carlson is to improve 1976 upon last year’s 6-4 record. The Grizzlies may do it. A gigantic offensive line, a highly touted quarterback and a bevy of talented running backs are Grizzly expected to provide Carlson and his staff with a potent and powerful attack. Defensively, there are weaknesses to be doctored, but All-America candidate Greg Anderson Outlook glamorizes a fine defensive backfield and tackle Doug Betters anchors the frontline. The huge offensive line has four returning starters. The tackles are Ben Harbison (6-7, 258) and Dan Sullivan (6-5, 245). M ark Plum6 (-IV2, 235) returns to one guard position, while the center slot has two returnees in Murray Pierce 6( -8, 260) and Ron Lebsock (6-2 , 22 0 ). R edshirt T erry Falcon (6-3 V2, 285) and sophomore Jeff Smith (6-7, 235) are capable guard replacements for graduated Walt Brett. Mike Roban, a redshirt in 1975 after transferring from the Naval Academy where he was a freshman starter, gives Montana a big (6-3, 2 1 0 ) and fast (4.6 in the 40) quarterback for the switch from the wishbone to the veer offense. Roban has every quarterback skill and was listed among the nation’s