1983 Stanford Cardinal football team

1983 Stanford Cardinal football
ConferencePacific-10 Conference
Record1–10 (1–7 Pac-10)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJim Fassel (3rd season)
Offensive schemeWest Coast
Defensive coordinatorA. J. Christoff (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumStanford Stadium
Seasons
← 1982
1984 →
1983 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 17 UCLA $ 6 1 1 7 4 1
Washington 5 2 0 8 4 0
Washington State 5 3 0 7 4 0
USC 4 3 0 4 6 1
Arizona 4 3 1 7 3 1
Arizona State 3 3 1 6 4 1
Oregon 3 3 1 4 6 1
California 3 4 1 5 5 1
Oregon State 1 6 1 2 8 1
Stanford 1 7 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1983 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season and played home games on campus at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California. Led by alumnus Paul Wiggin, in his fourth and final season as head coach, the Cardinal won only one game,[1] the program's worst record since going winless in 1960.[2] He was fired on November 11, but was allowed to finish out the season.[2][3][4]

Stanford struggled on offense behind true freshman quarterback John Paye. Previous QB John Elway, a four-year starter, was the first selection of the 1983 NFL draft and started as a rookie for the Denver Broncos.

After the season in December, Jack Elway was hired from nearby San Jose State, where he went 35–20–1 (.634) in five seasons.[5][6] His Spartans had defeated Stanford the previous three years, the first two while his son John was the Cardinal quarterback.[7][8][9]

  1. ^ "Wiggin thrilled, Stanford wins". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire service reports. October 23, 1983. p. 7C.
  2. ^ a b "Stanford fires Paul Wiggin". Tri-City Herald. Kennewick, Washington. Associated Press. November 12, 1983. p. C1.
  3. ^ "Stanford fires Wiggin". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 12, 1983. p. 19.
  4. ^ "Wiggin fired by Stanford". Lodi News-Sentinel. UPI. November 12, 1983. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Stanford picks Elway". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 15, 1983. p. 37.
  6. ^ "Stanford's newest Elway vows winning program". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. December 15, 1983. p. D3.
  7. ^ "Willhite, San Jose St. upstage Stanford, Elway 28-6". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. September 20, 1981. p. 6C.
  8. ^ "San Jose St. triumphs 35-31 in the Battle of the Elways". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. September 19, 1982. p. 9B.
  9. ^ "San Jose upends Stanford". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. September 25, 1983. p. 7B.