1972 BYU Cougars football team
American college football season
The 1972 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University (BYU) for the 1972 NCAA University Division football season . It was their first year under head coach LaVell Edwards and the Cougars finished over .500 for the first time since 1969.
Schedule
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 16 Kansas State * W 32–931,753 [ 1]
September 23 Utah State * L 19–4235,239 [ 2]
September 30 at Oregon State * L 3–2920,065 [ 3]
October 7 at Long Beach State * W 38–2711,529 [ 4]
October 14 UTEP W 21–1431,176 [ 5]
October 21 No. 19 Arizona State L 17–4923,561 [ 6]
October 28 at Colorado State W 44–818,972 [ 7]
November 4 Wyoming W 33–1422,373 [ 8]
November 11 at Arizona L 7–2126,500 [ 9]
November 18 Utah W 16–724,917 [ 10]
November 25 at New Mexico W 21–79,490 [ 11]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[ 12]
Preseason
Defensive coordinator LaVell Edwards was promoted to head coach in January to take over for the departed Tommy Hudspeth,[ 13] who ended up as the head coach at UTEP by season's end.
BYU was returning 28 players from the previous year but Golden Richards would not be one of them. Richards claimed it was because the Cougars were still a run-oriented offense while BYU and Edwards said it was because Richards had trouble keeping with his academics.[ 14]
Game summaries
Kansas State
Pete Van Valkenburg rushed for 164 yards on 16 carries, scored on a 59-yard run in the first quarter and set up Dave Terry for BYU's second touchdown. Keith Brumley's 37-yard field goal was Kansas State's only points through the first three quarters. Henry Childs caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Morrison three minutes into the final quarter for Kansas State.
[ 15]
Utah State
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(December 2022 )
At Oregon State
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At Long Beach State
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
BYU
Long Beach State
1
Long Beach State
Drake 1-yard touchdown run, Logue kick good
0
7
1
Long Beach State
Drake 1-yard touchdown run, Logue kick good
0
14
2
BYU
Pete Van Valkenburg 3-yard touchdown run, John Monahan kick good
7
14
2
BYU
31-yard field goal by John Monahan
10
14
3
Long Beach State
Newsome 28-yard interception return, kick blocked
10
20
3
BYU
Pete Van Valkenburg 64-yard touchdown run, John Monahan kick good
17
20
3
BYU
Dave Atkinson 19-yard interception return, John Monahan kick good
24
20
4
Long Beach State
Fitzpatrick 1-yard touchdown run, Logue kick good
24
27
4
BYU
Pete Van Valkenburg 73-yard touchdown run, John Monahan kick good
31
27
4
BYU
Steve Stratton 7-yard touchdown run, John Monahan kick good
38
27
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
38
27
UTEP
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(December 2022 )
Arizona State
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(December 2022 )
At Colorado State
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(December 2022 )
Wyoming
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(December 2022 )
At Arizona
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At Utah
Game information
First quarter
BYU – Steve Stratton 4-yard run (John Monahan kick). BYU 7–0.
Second quarter
Third quarter
UTAH – Ike Spencer 70-yard run (Fleming Jensen kick). BYU 9–7.
Fourth quarter
BYU – George Gourley 24-yard interception return (John Monahan kick). BYU 16–7.
Top passers
BYU – Dave Terry – 7/13, 71 yards
UTAH – Daniel Payne – 3/17, 38 yards, 4 INT
Top rushers
BYU – Pete Van Valkenburg – 37 rushes, 158 yards
UTAH – Ike Spencer – 11 rushes, 101 yards, TD
Top receivers
BYU – John Betham – 3 receptions, 32 yards
UTAH – Stephen Odom – 2 receptions, 20 yards
BYU's first win versus Utah since 1967
At New Mexico
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(December 2022 )
Personnel
Roster
1972 BYU Cougars football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
WR
9
Dave Affleck
FB
34
Charlie Ah You
QB
7
Bill August
C
61
Joe Bailey
WR
41
John Betham
FB
36
Wayne Bower
OT
79
Dave Brooks
WR
42
Dave Clark
FB
22
Dean Conway
OT
64
Bill Critchfield
OT
62
Craig Denny
RB
36
Paul Devine
TE
80
Dennis Dorman
G
68
Harold Farnsworth
RB
Gil Gillenwater
QB
15
Brian Gunderson
C
56
Paul Gustavson
G
78
Paul Howard
WR
25
Logan Hunter
RB
20
Bryce Johnson
OL
66
Doug Maughan
QB
14
Terry McEwen
G
76
Val Miller
G
71
John Monahan
QB
16
Mark Montgomery
OT
70
Paul Muklewicz
OT
53
Ken Peterson
TE
89
Mike Pistorius
OT
65
Steve Price
WR
90
Rick Powell
C
59
Sid Smith
FB
35
Steve Stratton
RB
43
Dan Taylor
QB
13
Dave Terry
RB
28
Pete Van Valkenburg
WR
22
Lynn Zwahlen
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
DE
85
Joel Adams
LB
45
Doug Adams
CB
Dave Atkinson
DT
72
Wayne Baker
LB
69
Jerry Burke
CB
18
Stan Call
LB
67
Larry Carr
DE
58
Conrad Cole
S
44
Craig Crompton
LB
54
Steve Draeger
LB
84
Greg Dunn
S
17
Fred EchoHawk
S
24
Tom EchoHawk
DB
12
Mike Epperson
DE
56
Lloyd Fairbanks
CB
31
Reed Gempler
S
33
George Gourley
S
11
Dan Hansen
LB
52
Kahlili Hunt
LB
34
Phil Jensen
Fr
CB
26
Paul Karaica
DE
87
Bob Larsen
DT
74
Paul Linford
DT
60
Wally Molifua
LB
57
Larry Nelson
DL
83
Orrin Olsen
LB
50
Mike Preston
DE
46
Roy Robbins
LB
37
Karl Rogoff
DE
88
Ed Rozeski
DT
63
Julian Smilowitz
DB
5
Bennie Smith
LB
51
Scott Stapley
LB
32
Ron Tree
DE
73
Stan Varner
DT
77
Grant Wells
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
P
14
Doug Coon
K
19
Dennis Olsen
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Starters
Offense
POS
Name
Name
QB
Dave Terry
TB
Pete Van Valkenburg
FB
Steve Stratton
Wayne Bower
WR
Logan Hunter
WR
John Betham
TE
Dennis Doman
Mike Pistorius
T
Craig Denny
G
Paul Howard
C
Joe Bailey
G
John Monahan
T
Steve Price
Dave Brooks
Defense
POS
Name
Name
DL
Ed Rozeski
DL
Paul Linford
DL
Grant Wells
Wayne Baker
DL
Orrin Olsen
Bob Larsen
LB
Ron Tree
LB
Larry Carr
Kahili Hunt
LB
Phil Jensen
Mike Preston
DB
George Gourley
Bennie Smith
DB
Dave Atkinson
DB
Craig Compton
DB
Dan Hansen
[ 16]
Statistics
Passing
Player
Comp
Att
Yards
TD
INT
Bill August
69
144
891
5
5
Dave Terry
62
122
742
2
10
Pete Van Valkenburg
2
5
32
1
John Betham
0
1
Rushing
Player
Att
Yards
TD
Pete Van Valkenburg
232
1,386
12
Steve Stratton
78
328
3
Wayne Bower
43
271
1
Dan Taylor
46
161
1
Dave Terry
61
120
2
Gil Gillenwater
3
56
Bill August
50
22
Bryce Johnson
1
0
John Betham
4
-15
Receiving
Player
Rec
Yards
TD
Logan Hunter
49
555
2
John Betham
19
345
2
Mike Pistorius
16
314
2
Pete Van Valkenburg
10
98
1
Lynn Zwahlen
5
95
1
Jay Miller
6
30
Dennis Doman
7
59
Steve Stratton
8
55
Dan Taylor
4
45
Wayne Bower
4
36
Dave Affleck
3
15
Dave Terry
1
10
Bryce Johnson
1
8
Awards
All-WAC: Dave Atkinson, Dan Hansen, Paul Howard, Paul Linford, Ron Tree, Pete Van Valkenburg [ 13]
WAC Coach of the Year: LaVell Edwards [ 17]
References
^ "BYU flattens K-State" . The Tulsa World . September 17, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tony Adams lifts Utah State to 42–19 victory over BYU" . The Ogden Standard-Examiner . September 24, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Ore. State contains BYU 29–3" . The Times-News . October 1, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU rallies to edge 49ers, 38–27" . The Los Angeles Times . October 8, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Three first half touchdowns give Brigham Young margin" . The Herald-Journal . October 15, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Slow-starting Devils drub BYU, 49–17" . The Arizona Republic . October 15, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Twitty, Mike (October 29, 1972). "Strong BYU effort stifles Ram upset plan" . Fort Collins Coloradoan . p. 23 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Pokes tumble to BYU" . Rapid City Journal . November 5, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Wildcats top Bringham Young, 21–7" . The Arizona Republic . November 12, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Cougars snuff Ute's bowl hopes, 16–7" . The Daily Herald . November 19, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "BYU posts easy win" . Tri-City Herald . November 26, 1972. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1972 NCAA Football Statistics (BYU)" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved October 8, 2024 .
^ a b "2010 BYU football media guide" . Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved November 21, 2010 .
^ Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept 1972
^ "BYU in romp." Eugene Register-Guard. p. 4B. 1972 Sep 17. Retrieved 2022-Dec-08.
^ Broyles, Bob and Paul Guido. 50 Years of College Football: A Modern History of America's Most Colorful Sport .
^ The Deseret News. 20 November 2010
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