The 1976 Purdue Boilermakers football team was an American football team that represented Purdue University in the 1976 Big Ten Conference football season. In their fourth and final season under head coach Alex Agase, the Boilermakers compiled a 5–6 record (4–4 against conference opponents) and finished in a four-way tie for third place in the Big Ten standings.[1]
Quick Facts Purdue Boilermakers football, Conference ...
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More information Conf, Overall ...
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Running back Scott Dierking led the team with 1,000 rushing yards and 66 points scored.[2] He was selected by his teammates as the team's most valuable player and finished second to Rob Lytle in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the Big Ten's most valuable player.[3] Dierking was also named by the Associated Press (AP) as a second-team All-American[4] and by the AP and United Press International (UPI) as a first-team running back on the 1976 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[5][6]
Other statistical leaders included quarterback Mark Vitali with 1,184 passing yards.[2] In addition to Dierking, three other Purdue players received honors on the 1976 All-Big Ten team: offensive guard Connie Zelencik (AP-1, UPI-2); defensive end Blane Smith (AP-1, UPI-2); and defensive back Paul Beery (AP-2, UPI-1).[5][6]
More information Date, Opponent ...
Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 11 | Northwestern | | W 31–19 | 46,311 | |
September 18 | at Notre Dame* | | L 0–23 | 59,075 | |
September 25 | No. 19 USC* | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| L 13–31 | 65,425 | |
October 2 | Miami (OH)* | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| W 42–20 | 55,102 | |
October 9 | at Wisconsin | | W 18–16 | 79,111 | |
October 16 | Illinois | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN (rivalry)
| L 17–21 | 66,716 | |
October 23 | at No. 9 Ohio State | | L 3–24 | 87,898 | |
October 30 | at Michigan State | | L 13–45 | 52,222 | |
November 6 | No. 1 Michigan | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| W 16–14 | 57,205 | [7][8] |
November 13 | at Iowa | | W 21–0 | 44,763 | |
November 20 | Indiana | | L 14–20 | 63,220 | |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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[9]
More information Players, Coaches ...
1976 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster |
Players |
Coaches |
Offense
|
Defense
Pos. | # | Name | Class |
LB |
48 |
Fred Arrington |
DT |
73 |
Chris Barr |
S |
|
Paul Beery |
DE |
96 |
Kim Cripe |
DT |
|
Cleveland Crosby |
CB |
46 |
Pat Harris |
Jr |
CB |
|
Jerome King |
MG |
|
Ken Loushin |
LB |
59 |
Bob Mannella |
LB |
|
Kevin Motts |
CB, RB |
24 |
Mike Northington |
DE |
91 |
Blane Smith (C) |
Sr |
S, K |
20 |
Rock Supan |
|
Special teams
Pos. | # | Name | Class |
P |
|
Dave Eagin |
K |
|
Scott Sovereen |
K |
|
John Turner |
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- George Catavolos (DB)
- Fred Conti
- Jack Ellis
- Bob Geiger
- Jerry Hartman
- Pat Naughton
- Tom Roggeman
- Rick Venturi
- Mike Wynn
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
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At Notre Dame
More information Quarter, Total ...
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More information Game information ...
Game information |
First quarter
- ND – Dave Reeve 39-yard field goal, 0:47. Notre Dame 3–0. Drive:
Second quarter
- ND – Mark McLane 33-yard pass from Al Hunter (Dave Reeve kick). Notre Dame 10–0. Drive:
Third quarter
- ND – Rick Slager 1-yard run (Dave Reeve kick). Notre Dame 17–0. Drive:
Fourth quarter
- ND – Al Hunter 2-yard run (kick failed). Notre Dame 23–0. Drive: 49 yards.
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- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
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[10]
USC
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Miami (OH)
- Scott Dierking 28 rushes, 211 yards
- John Skibinski 15 rushes, 121 yards
At Wisconsin
Paul Beery's fourth interception and Rock Supan's 20-yard field goal with a little over two minutes remaining lifted Purdue to victory.[11]
Illinois
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At Ohio State
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At Michigan State
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Michigan
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
#1 Michigan at Purdue
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Michigan |
7 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
14 |
• Purdue |
7 |
6 | 0 | 3 |
16 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | MICH | Leach 8-yard run (Wood kick) | MICH 7-0 |
| 1 | | PUR | Dierking 4-yard run (Supan kick) | Tied 7-7 |
| 2 | | PUR | Dierking 25-yard run (kick blocked) | PUR 13-7 |
| 3 | | MICH | Smith 65-yard pass from Leach (Wood kick) | MICH 14-13 |
| 4 | 4:20 | PUR | Supan 23-yard field goal | PUR 16-14 |
|
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- PUR: Scott Dierking 38 rushes, 162 yards
At Iowa
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Purdue |
6 |
8 | 7 | 0 |
21 |
Iowa |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
|
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | Purdue | Vitali 3-yard run (kick failed) | Purdue 6-0 |
| 2 | | Purdue | Vitali 20-yard run (Dierking run) | Purdue 14-0 |
| 3 | | Purdue | Vitali 1-yard run (Supan kick) | Purdue 21-0 |
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[12]
Indiana
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Passing
More information Player, Comp ...
Player | Comp | Att | Yards | TD | INT |
Mark Vitali | 73 | 172 | 1,184 | 0 | 16 |
Scott Dierking | | | 92 | | |
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Rushing
More information Player, Att ...
Player | Att | Yards | TD |
Scott Dierking | 201 | 1,000 | 11 |
John Skibinski | 173 | 871 | |
Mark Vitali | 100 | 317 | |
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Receiving
More information Player, Rec ...
Player | Rec | Yards | TD |
Reggie Arnold | 16 | 287 | |
Raymond Smith | 11 | 233 | |
John Skibinski | 13 | 118 | |
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[13]
Red Mackey Award: Mark Vitali
Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Sept 19. Pg. 14B. Retrieved 2021-Jan-11.
Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Oct 09. Retrieved 2018-Dec-30.
Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Nov 14.
Broyles, Bob and Paul Guido. 50 Years of College Football: A Modern History of America's Most Colorful Sport