1946 Nevada Wolf Pack football team

1946 Nevada Wolf Pack football
Shrine Benefit Aloha Bowl, W 26–7 vs. Hawaii
ConferenceIndependent
Record7–2
Head coach
Home stadiumMackay Stadium
Seasons
← 1945
1947 →
1946 Western major college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Nevada   –   7 – 2 – 0
Saint Mary's   –   6 – 3 – 0
San Francisco   –   3 – 6 – 0
Santa Clara   –   2 – 5 – 1
Portland   –   1 – 4 – 1

The 1946 Nevada Wolf Pack football team was an American football team that represented the University of Nevada as an independent during the 1946 college football season. In their eighth season under head coach Jim Aiken, the Wolf Pack compiled a 7–2 record,[1][2] outscored opponents by a total of 324 to 82,[3] and defeated Hawaii, 26 to 7, in the 16th annual Shrine Benefit Aloha Bowl.[4]

The team ranked first nationally in passing offense with an average of 198.1 passing yards per game, 25 yards more on average than the second-ranked team, Georgia.[5] They also ranked third nationally in total offense with an average of 389.3 yards per game.[6]

Nevada was ranked at No. 59 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.[7]

In just eight games (not including Nevada's bowl game), quarterback Bill Mackrides also led the nation with 1,254 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes. His total of 1,254 passing yards on just 56 completions calculates to an average of 22.4 yards per completion.[8][9] In the post-season Shrine Benefit at Aloha Bowl, Mackrides added another 189 passing yards and three touchdown passes, bringing his 1946 nine-game totals to 1,443 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes.[10][11]

Mackrides, halfbacks Tommy Kalmanir and Bill Bass, end Horace Gillom, and tackle Ed Sharkey all went on to careers in professional football. Bob McClure was the team captain and also played two season in the National Football League (NFL). The team's assistant coaches were Jim Bailey, Jake Lawlor, and Dick Miller.[12]

On January 15, 1947, Aiken resigned as athletic director and head coach and left the school to become head football coach at the University of Oregon.[12] In eight years under Aiken, the Wolf Pack compiled a 38–26–4 record.

  1. ^ "Nevada Football 2018 Bowl Guide" (PDF). University of Nevada, Reno. 2018. p. 134. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  2. ^ "Nevada Yearly Results". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  3. ^ "1946 Nevada Wolf Pack Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Haw was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 75.
  6. ^ W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 73.
  7. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 15, 1946). "Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 82.
  9. ^ A. Bealmear (December 11, 1946). "Football Statistics". Petaluma Argus-Courier. Associated Press. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Nevada Defeats Hawaii 26-7 in Shrine Game". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 8, 1946. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Statistics Tell Story Of Victory". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 8, 1946. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Aiken Leaves to Coach Oregon; Nevada Coaching Position Open". January 15, 1947. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.