1951 Idaho Vandals football team

1951 Idaho Vandals football
ConferencePacific Coast Conference
Record2–7 (0–3 PCC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSplit-T[1]
Home stadiumNeale Stadium
Seasons
← 1950
1952 →
1951 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 7 Stanford $ 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. 17 UCLA 4 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
No. 12 California 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
USC 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
No. 18 Washington State 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Oregon State 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Washington 1 – 5 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
Oregon 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Idaho 0 – 3 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1951 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1951 college football season. Led by first-year head coach Raymond A. Curfman, the Vandals were 2–7 (0–3 in PCC, last). Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College and another at Memorial Stadium in Spokane, Washington.

Idaho was led on the field by quarterback Wayne Anderson and halfback Glen Christian;[2] they suffered a close loss in the Battle of the Palouse with heavily favored neighbor Washington State,[3][4] falling 9–6 on homecoming at Neale Stadium on November 10.[5][6] The previous edition was also competitive, with a 7–7 tie in 1950 in Pullman,[7] but the winless streak against the Cougars was up to 25 games, a record of 0–23–2 since taking three straight in from 1923 to 1925; Idaho finally won three years later in Pullman.[8]

In the rivalry game with Montana at Missoula four weeks earlier, Idaho began an eight-game winning streak over the Grizzlies with a 12–9 win to regain the Little Brown Stein.[9][10]

Prior to the season in late March, university president Jesse Buchanan requested and received the resignations of head coach Dixie Howell and two assistants, due to "lack of harmony" on the coaching staff.[11][12] One of those assistants was Curfman, who was then asked by the administration to be the interim coach during the upcoming spring drills. He made a good impression and was re-hired as head coach in mid-April.[13][14]

  1. ^ "40 Idaho gridders enroute to Wyoming for '51 opener". Idaho Argonaut. (Moscow). (University of Idaho). September 21, 1951. p. 6.
  2. ^ "Probable starting lineups". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 6, 1951. p. 11.
  3. ^ "Idaho, WSC renew grid rivalry today". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 10, 1951. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Battle of the Palouse set today at Moscow; Cougars favored". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 11, 1951. p. 8.
  5. ^ Boren, Charlie (November 11, 1951). "Spirited Vandals hold powerful Cougars to 9-6 win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 8.
  6. ^ "Idaho slows but cannot stop WSC, and Cougars win, 9 to 6". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 11, 1951. p. 1, sports.
  7. ^ "Vandals and Cougars scramble to muddy 7-7 tie". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 29, 1950. p. 10.
  8. ^ Boni, Bill (October 24, 1954). "Idaho thumps WSC, 10-0". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  9. ^ "Vandals outlast Montana 12-9 for season's first win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. October 14, 1951. p. 11.
  10. ^ "Vandals edge Grizzlies in Stein tilt". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). October 14, 1951. p. C-1.
  11. ^ "Idaho football coach, staff get official ouster". Bend Bulletin. Oregon. United Press. March 27, 1951. p. 1.
  12. ^ "Dixie Howell resigns as Idaho football coach". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 27, 1951. p. 21.
  13. ^ "Curfman promoted to head coach at U. of Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). April 16, 1951. p. 15.
  14. ^ "Idaho selects Curfman as coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). April 17, 1951. p. 14.