1991 Washington Huskies football team

1991 Washington Huskies football
Coaches' Poll national champion
Pac-10 champion
Rose Bowl champion
Rose Bowl, W 34–14 vs. Michigan
Conference Pacific-10
Ranking
Coaches No. 1
AP No. 2
1991 record 12–0 (8–0 Pac-10)
Head coach Don James (17th season)
Offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson (1st season)
Defensive coordinator Jim Lambright (15th season)
MVP Mario Bailey (O)
MVP Steve Emtman (D)
Captain Mario Bailey
Captain Brett Collins
Captain Ed Cunningham
Captain Donald Jones
Home stadium Husky Stadium
capacity: 72,500
AstroTurf
1991 Pacific-10 football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 2 Washington $  8 –0     12 –0  
No. 8 California  6 –2     10 –2  
No. 19 UCLA  6 –2     9 –3  
No. 22 Stanford  6 –2     8 –4  
Arizona State  4 –4     6 –5  
Washington State  3 –5     4 –7  
Arizona  3 –5     4 –7  
USC  2 –6     3 –8  
Oregon  1 –7     3 –8  
Oregon State  1 –7     1 –10  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1991 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. Head coach Don James, in his 17th season at Washington, was assisted by coordinators Keith Gilbertson (offense) and Jim Lambright (defense), both head coaches themselves within two years.

The 1991 team was arguably the finest team in school history and split the national championship with the Miami Hurricanes, who were also 12–0, and won the AP Poll by four votes, while Washington took the coaches' poll by nine.[1] Washington could not have played Miami in a bowl game because the Pac-10 champion was bound by contract to play in the Rose Bowl against the Big Ten champion. The Huskies soundly defeated no. 4 Michigan 34–14 in the 1992 Rose Bowl; the final score differential was narrowed by a late touchdown by Tyrone Wheatley of Michigan. With a minute remaining in the game, Washington was on the Michigan five-yard line, but opted to stay on the ground and run out the clock with the third-string quarterback leading the offense.[2]

Eleven Huskies were selected in the 1992 NFL Draft, led by Steve Emtman, a dominating yet under-recruited defensive tackle from Cheney. Emtman won both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy, and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting, won by Desmond Howard of Michigan. Defensive back Dana Hall was also selected in the first round.

A fantasy article in Sports Illustrated titled "The Dream Game" had the Huskies narrowly defeat Miami in a playoff.[3]

Overview

The Huskies were ranked fourth in the 1991 pre-season. They dominated their six home games within the friendly raucous confines of Husky Stadium, which included two lopsided shutouts. The Dawgs' three closest games in 1991 were on the road: against Nebraska, California, and USC.

Behind 14–6 at halftime in Lincoln on ABC to no. 9 Nebraska in the second game of the season, UW rallied to outscore NU in Lincoln 30–7 in the second half to win by 15, and were graciously applauded at game-end by the Cornhusker fans.[4] In mid-October, the no. 7 Cal Bears were the next-best team in the Pac-10 in 1991; the Huskies won by a touchdown in Berkeley to go to 6–0. In November in Los Angeles, the Huskies entered the game against USC undefeated at 8–0 and won a 14–3 defensive struggle, a second-straight victory over the previously-dominant Trojans.

Many of the points scored against the 1991 Huskies in their other games, including the last touchdown in the Rose Bowl, came in the fourth quarter against the reserves, as head coach Don James was concerned more about meaningful game-time experience for underclassman, rather than victory margins and/or shutouts.

Like the rest of the Pac-10 in 1991, the Huskies played just eight Pac-10 conference games, missing one opponent; they did not play UCLA in 1991 or 1992. The 1991 Bruins finished at 9–3 (6–2 in conference), in the top twenty in both polls (no. 18 and no. 19). UCLA lost to Tennessee of the SEC and both Bay Area teams, Cal and Stanford, but won their bowl game.

Schedule

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 7 12:30 pm at Stanford No. 4 Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA ABC W 42–7   45,273
September 21 5:00 pm at No. 9 Nebraska* No. 4 Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE ABC W 36–21   76,304
September 28 12:30 pm Kansas State* No. 4 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA Prime W 56–3   71,638
October 5 3:30 pm Arizona No. 3 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA Prime W 54–0   72,495
October 12 12:30 pm Toledo* No. 3 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA Prime W 48–0   72,266
October 19 12:30 pm at No. 7 California No. 3 California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA ABC W 24–17   74,500
October 26 12:30 pm Oregon No. 3 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA Prime W 29–7   72,318
November 2 12:30 pm Arizona State No. 3 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA Prime W 44–16   72,405
November 9 12:30 pm at USC No. 2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA ABC W 14–3   59,320
November 16 1:00 pm at Oregon State No. 3 Parker Stadium • Corvallis, OR Prime W 58–6   31,588
November 23 12:30 pm Washington State No. 2 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA (Apple Cup) ABC W 56–21   72,581
January 1 1:45 pm vs. No. 4 Michigan* No. 2 Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) ABC W 34–14   103,566
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Pacific Time.

Source:[5]

Roster

1991 Washington Huskies football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
WR 5 Mario Bailey Jr
RB 42 Jay Berry Jr
TE 85 Mark Bruener Fr
QB 11 Mark Brunell Jr
RB 29 Beno Bryant Jr
G 79 Ed Cunningham Sr
QB 12 Billy Joe Hobert So
FB 22 Matt Jones Jr
G 56 Pete Kaligis Jr
RB 8 Napoleon Kaufman Fr
T 75 Lincoln Kennedy Jr
T 70 Siupeli Malamala Sr
WR 4 Orlando McKay Sr
T 71 Pete Pierson So
TE 84 Aaron Pierce Sr
G 72 Kris Rongen So
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
CB 23 Walter Bailey So
LB 46 Brett Collins Sr
DE 90 Steve Emtman Sr
DT 75 D'Marco Farr So
OLB 3 Jaime Fields Jr
ILB 39 Chico Frahley Sr
CB 5 Dana Hall Sr
ILB 54 Dave Hoffman Jr
OLB 48 Donald Jones Sr
DE 13 Andy Mason So
FS 21 Shane Pahukoa Jr
NG 57 Tyrone Rodgers Sr
FS 20 Tommie Smith Jr
SS 8 Paxton Tailele Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K 4 Travis Hanson Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Game summaries

Stanford

#4 Washington at Stanford
1 234Total
• Washington 0 21021 42
Stanford 0 700 7

Washington's forced five turnovers and scored four touchdowns on the ground in a 42-7 season opening victory at Stanford. Cornerback Walter Bailey had an interception and a fumble recovery, while running back Jay Barry ran for two scores. Billy Joe Hobert, making his first career start, completed 21 of 31 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

Source:[6]

Nebraska

#4 Washington at #9 Nebraska
1 234Total
• Washington 0 61020 36
Nebraska 7 770 21

Source:[7]

Kansas State

Kansas State at #4 Washington
1 234Total
Kansas State 0 300 3
• Washington 21 14714 56

Arizona

Arizona at #3 Washington
1 234Total
Arizona 0 000 0
• Washington 7 27146 54

Toledo

Toledo at #3 Washington
1 234Total
Toledo 0 000 0
• Washington 21 1377 48

California

#3 Washington at #7 California
1 234Total
• Washington 7 1007 24
California 7 370 17

Oregon

Oregon at #3 Washington
1 234Total
Oregon 0 007 7
• Washington 7 1237 29

Arizona State

Arizona State at #3 Washington
1 234Total
Arizona State 0 088 16
• Washington 14 17103 44

USC

#2 Washington at USC
1 234Total
• Washington 7 700 14
USC 0 030 3

Oregon State

#2 Washington at Oregon State
1 234Total
• Washington 16 28140 58
Oregon State 3 300 6

Washington State

Washington State at #2 Washington
1 234Total
Washington State 7 077 21
• Washington 6 22721 56

Rose Bowl

#2 Washington vs. #4 Michigan
1 234Total
• Washington 0 13813 34
Michigan 0 707 14

NFL Draft selections

The following Washington players were selected in the 1992 NFL Draft:

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL Club
Steve EmtmanDT11Indianapolis Colts
Dana HallDB118San Francisco 49ers
Ed CunninghamC361Arizona Cardinals
Siupeli MalamalaT368New York Jets
Aaron PierceTE369New York Giants
Orlando McKayWR5130Green Bay Packers
Mario BaileyWR6162Houston Oilers
Donald JonesLB9245New Orleans Saints
Kris RongenG11290Seattle Seahawks
Brett CollinsLB12314Green Bay Packers
Chico FraleyLB12319Seattle Seahawks

Source:[8]

Awards and honors

National

Conference

  • All Pac 10: Mario Bailey, Lincoln Kennedy, Ed Cunningham, Steve Emtman, Dave Hoffmann, Chico Fraley, Donald Jones, Dana Hall
  • Pacific-10 Offensive Player of the Year: Mario Bailey
  • Pacific-10 Defensive Player of the Year: Steve Emtman
  • Pacific-10 Coach of the Year: Don James

References

  1. ↑ "Stat sheet: football, final polls". Spokane Chronicle. January 2, 1992. p. E4.
  2. ↑ "Huskies crush Michigan 34-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. January 2, 1992. p. 1B.
  3. ↑ Murphy, Austin (January 13, 1992). "The Dream Game". Sports Illustrated. p. 34.
  4. ↑ Gene Wojciechowski (September 22, 1991). "Washington Wins Husker Fans, Too : Huskies: After Nebraska loses, 36-21, the Lincoln crowd musters an ovation for the stunned visitors". LA Times.
  5. ↑ 2003 UW Huskies football media guide, p. 209
  6. ↑ "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WEST/SOUTHWEST; Washington's Defense Scuttles Stanford, 42-7". The New York Times. 1991-09-07. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  7. ↑ "Washington 36 Nebraska 21". Husker Max. 1991-09-21. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  8. ↑ "1992 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  9. ↑ "Billy Joe Hobert NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  10. ↑ "Mark Brunell NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  11. ↑ Hyland, Tim. "AP College Football National Champions". Football.about.com. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
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