Nevada Wolf Pack football

"Nevada Sagebrushers football" redirects here. For the newspaper, see The Nevada Sagebrush.
Nevada Wolf Pack football
2024 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
First season1896; 128 years ago
Athletic directorStephanie Rempe
Head coachJeff Choate
1st season, 3–8 (.273)
StadiumMackay Stadium
(capacity: 27,000)
FieldChris Ault Field
Year built1966 (1966)
Field surfaceNatural grass (1966–1999)
FieldTurf (2000–present)
LocationReno, Nevada
NCAA divisionDivision I FBS
ConferenceMountain West
DivisionWest (2013–2019, 2021–2022)
Past conferencesIndependent (1896–1924)
Far Western (1925–1939)
Independent (1940–1953)
Far Western (1954–1968)
College Division Independent (1969–1972)
Division II Independent (1973–1977)
Division I-AA Independent (1978)
Big Sky (1979–1991)
Big West (1992–1999)
WAC (2000–2011)
All-time record577–522–33 (.524)
Bowl record7–12 (.368)
Conference titles14
RivalriesUNLV (rivalry)
Boise State (rivalry)
San Jose State
Fresno State
UC Davis
Consensus All-Americans1 (1991)
ColorsNavy blue and silver[1]
   
Fight song"Nevada Fight Song"
MascotAlphie and Wolfie Jr.
Marching bandPride of the Sierra
WebsiteNevadaWolfPack.com

The Nevada Wolf Pack football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Mountain West Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA Division I. It was founded on October 24, 1896, as the Sagebrushers in Reno, Nevada.

The Wolf Pack's home field is Mackay Stadium, located at the north end of its campus in Reno, having been moved from it original location which opened on October 23, 1909. The "new" Mackay Stadium saw its first game 58 years ago on October 1, 1966 with a seating capacity of 7,500 and has undergone several renovations. The stadium seats 27,000 and has played to crowds in excess (see attendance records), but decreased its capacity from 30,000 to 26,000 by the 2016 season to increase the quality of the experience in the stadium and later increased its capacity to 27,000 by the 2017 season.[2] The elevation of its playing field is 4,610 feet (1,410 m) above sea level.

Nevada has had three individuals inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. They are coach Chris Ault, running back Frank Hawkins, and former coach Buck Shaw. Fullback Marion Motley is the only Nevada player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Three-time Super Bowl champion Charles Mann played for Nevada from 1979 to 1982 while being named Most Valuable Defensive Lineman in 1982.[3] Mann was inducted into the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.[4] Another Nevada alumnus with a long career in the NFL was free safety Brock Marion. He was selected in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys where he played most of his career, and won two Super Bowls. Marion was selected to three Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team.

Nevada has not fielded a Heisman Trophy winner; however, Stan Heath was fifth in Heisman voting in 1948 and Colin Kaepernick (QB) was eighth among 2010 candidates. Nevada football's rich tradition has produced 40 All-Americans and 45 All-American selections. Nevada's only consensus All-American was Matt Clafton (LB) in 1991, which was Nevada's last year in the Division I-AA; the Wolf Pack is awaiting its first FBS consensus All-American. The Wolf Pack has also produced two Academic All-Americans: David Heppe (P, 1982) and Erick Streelman (TE, 2002)[5]

  1. ^ "Visual Identity – The Block N Logo". Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  2. ^ Murray, Chris (December 5, 2014). "Regents approve $11.5 million Mackay Stadium renovation". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  3. ^ "Charles Mann (1980-82/ Football)". Nevada Wolf Pack. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  4. ^ "Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame". Nevada Wolf Pack. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2009.
  5. ^ "2014 NCAA Football Records: Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Academic All-Americans by School: NCAA. p. 50. Retrieved February 22, 2015.