Utah Utes football under Wayne Howard

Wayne Howard was the 12th professional head coach of the University of Utah Utes football team. His tenure lasted five seasons from 1977–1981, during which the Utes went 30–24–2 and made no bowl appearances.

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches^#	AP^°
Utah Utes (Western Athletic Conference) (1977–1981)
1977	Utah	3–8	2–5	7th
1978	Utah	8–3	4–2	2nd
1979	Utah	6–6	5–2	2nd
1980	Utah	5–5–1	2–3–1	7th
1981	Utah	8–2–1	4–1–1	4th
Utah:		30–24–2	17–13–2
Total:		30–24–2
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
^#Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ^°Rankings from final AP Poll.

1977 season

1977 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
1977 record	3–8 (2–5 WAC)
Head coach	Wayne Howard
Offensive coordinator	Ron McBride[1]
Defensive coordinator	Tom Gadd[1]
Home stadium	Rice Stadium (32,500)

1977 WAC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#20 Brigham Young +	6	–	1	–	0			9	–	2	–	0
#18 Arizona State +	6	–	1	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Colorado State	5	–	2	–	0			9	–	2	–	1
Wyoming	4	–	3	–	0			4	–	6	–	1
Arizona	3	–	4	–	0			5	–	7	–	0
New Mexico	2	–	5	–	0			5	–	7	–	0
Utah	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
UTEP	0	–	7	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 17	1:30 PM	at #5 Oklahoma*		Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK		L 24–62	71,184[2]
September 24	7:30 PM	#19 Houston*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		L 16–34	26,232[2]
October 1	1:30 PM	at Colorado State		Hughes Stadium • Fort Collins, CO		L 3–44	23,401[2]
October 8	7:30 PM	Wyoming		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 23–13	26,428[2]
October 15	1:30 PM	Utah State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (Battle of the Brothers)		W 20–0	25,438[2]
October 22	8:30 PM	at Arizona		Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ		L 17–45	43,500[2]
October 29	1:30 PM	at Arizona State		Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ		L 19–47	16,528[2]
November 5	1:30 PM	at #14 BYU		Cougar Stadium • Provo, UT (Holy War)		L 8–38	33,828[2]
November 12	1:30 PM	UTEP		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 29–12	18,122[2]
November 19	12:00 PM	at Florida*		Florida Field • Gainesville, FL		L 29–38	56,055[2]
November 26	7:30 PM	at New Mexico		University Stadium • Albuquerque, NM (The Bowl)		L 24–41	8,296[2]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Mountain Standard Time.

^[3][4]

Game notes

Utah State

1 2 3 4 Total Utah State 0 0 0 0 0 • Utah 0 3 9 8 20 Date: October 15 Location: Rice Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT Game attendance: 25,438

Scoring summary 2 UTAH McNamara 29-yard field goal UTAH 3-0 3 UTAH Kurz 8-yard pass from Gomez (kick failed) UTAH 9-0 3 UTAH McNamara 50-yard field goal UTAH 12-0 4 UTAH Peake 4-yard run (Gomez run) UTAH 20-0

Utah recorded its first shutout in seven years.^[5]

After the season

NFL draft

No players went in the 1978 NFL Draft.

1978 season

1978 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
1978 record	8–3 (4–2 WAC)
Head coach	Wayne Howard
Offensive coordinator	Ron McBride[6]
Defensive coordinator	Tom Gadd[6]
Home stadium	Rice Stadium (32,500)

1978 WAC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
BYU $	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	4	–	0
Utah	4	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Wyoming	4	–	2	–	0			5	–	7	–	0
New Mexico	3	–	3	–	0			7	–	5	–	0
Colorado State	2	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
San Diego State	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
UTEP	1	–	5	–	0			1	–	11	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 9	7:30 PM	Idaho State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 56–0	25,822[7]
September 23	6:30 PM	at Houston*		Astrodome • Houston, TX		L 25–42	30,004[7]
September 30	7:30 PM	Colorado State		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 30–6	27,821[7]
October 7	12:00 PM	at Iowa*		Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 13–9	51,170[7]
October 14	7:30 PM	Weber State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 30–7	23,458[7]
October 21	1:30 PM	at Wyoming		War Memorial Stadium • Laramie, WY		L 21–34	20,758[7]
November 4	1:30 PM	New Mexico		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (The Bowl)		L 12–24	24,182[7]
November 11	7:30 PM	at UTEP		Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, TX		W 38–0	12,300[7]
November 18	1:30 PM	BYU		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (Holy War)		W 23–22	29,326[7]
November 25	1:30 PM	at Utah State*		Romney Stadium • Logan, UT (Battle of the Brothers)		W 23–20	16,509[7]
December 2	7:00 PM	at San Diego State		San Diego Stadium • San Diego, CA		W 20–18	30,899[7]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Mountain Standard Time.

^[4][8]

Game notes

BYU

BYU at Utah

1 2 3 4 Total BYU 10 6 6 0 22 • Utah 0 0 7 16 23 Date: November 18 Location: Rice Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah Game attendance: 29,326 Game weather: 43°F

Scoring summary 1 BYU Brent Johnson 20-yard field goal BYU 3-0 1 BYU Lloyd Jones 37-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Brent Johnson kick) BYU 10-0 2 BYU Brent Johnson 42-yard field goal BYU 13-0 2 BYU Brent Johnson 21-yard field goal BYU 16-0 3 UTAH Jim Teahen 25-yard pass from Randy Gomez (Jeffrey Hucko kick) BYU 16-7 3 BYU David Francis 20-yard interception return (kick failed) BYU 22-7 4 UTAH Jeffrey Hucko 37-yard field goal BYU 22-10 4 UTAH Tony Lindsay 42-yard pass from Randy Gomez (Jeffrey Hucko kick) BYU 22-17 4 2:15 UTAH Frank Henry 19-yard pass from Randy Gomez (run failed) UTAH 23-22

After the season

NFL draft

One player went in the 1979 NFL Draft.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Rick Partridge	Punter	8	208	Green Bay Packers

1979 season

1979 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
1979 record	6–6 (5–2 WAC)
Head coach	Wayne Howard
Offensive coordinator	Ron McBride[9]
Defensive coordinator	Tom Gadd[9]
Home stadium	Rice Stadium (32,500)

1979 WAC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#13 BYU $	7	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
Utah	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	6	–	0
San Diego State	4	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Hawaii	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
New Mexico	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	6	–	0
Colorado State	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	7	–	1
Wyoming	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	8	–	0
UTEP	0	–	7	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	7:30 PM	Long Beach State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 34–10	26,238[10]
September 8	11:30 PM	at Hawaii		Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI		W 27–23	41,511[10]
September 15	2:30 PM	at #14 Washington*		Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA		L 7–41	49,416[10]
September 22	5:30 PM	at Tennessee*		Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN		L 18–51	85,783[10]
September 29	7:30 PM	Utah State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (Battle of the Brothers)		L 21–47	31,108[10]
October 6	1:30 PM	at Colorado State		Hughes Stadium • Fort Collins, CO		W 21–16	27,257[10]
October 13	7:30 PM	Wyoming		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 24–14	25,258[10]
October 20	7:30 PM	at UNLV*		Las Vegas Silver Bowl • Paradise, NV		L 41–43	24,782[10]
October 27	1:30 PM	San Diego State		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		L 13–17	22,196[10]
November 3	4:00 PM	at New Mexico		University Stadium • Albuquerque, NM (The Bowl)		W 26–7	19,093[10]
November 10	1:30 PM	UTEP		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 35–0	25,016[10]
November 17	1:30 PM	at #10 BYU		Cougar Stadium • Provo, UT (Holy War)		L 0–27	40,236[10]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Mountain Standard Time.

^[4][11]

After the season

NFL draft

One player went in the 1980 NFL Draft.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Lewis Walker	Running Back	10	268	Washington Redskins

1980 season

1980 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
1980 record	5–5–1 (2–3–1 WAC)
Head coach	Wayne Howard
Offensive coordinator	Ron McBride[12]
Defensive coordinator	Tom Gadd[12]
Home stadium	Rice Stadium (32,500)

1980 WAC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#12 BYU $	6	–	1	–	0			12	–	1	–	0
Colorado State	5	–	1	–	1			6	–	4	–	1
Hawaii	3	–	3	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Wyoming	4	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
San Diego State	4	–	4	–	0			4	–	8	–	0
New Mexico	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Utah	2	–	3	–	1			5	–	5	–	1
Air Force	1	–	3	–	0			2	–	9	–	1
UTEP	1	–	6	–	0			1	–	11	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 6	7:30 PM	Boise State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		L 7–28	27,231[13]
September 13	12:30 PM	at #8 Nebraska*		Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE		L 9–55	75,526[13]
September 20	7:30 PM	UNLV*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 45–29	23,645[13]
September 27	7:30 PM	Fresno State		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 27–12	25,645[13]
October 4	1:30 PM	at Utah State*		Romney Stadium • Logan, UT (Battle of the Brothers)		W 23–19	20,166[13]
October 11	7:30 PM	at UTEP		Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, TX		W 31–17	19,700[13]
October 18	1:30 PM	at Wyoming		War Memorial Stadium • Laramie, WY		L 21–24	5,515[13]
October 25	1:30 PM	Colorado State		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		T 21–21	23,562[13]
November 8	1:30 PM	New Mexico		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (The Bowl)		W 49–21	21,248[13]
November 22	1:30 PM	#13 BYU		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (Holy War)		L 6–56	30,520[13]
November 29	8:30 PM	at San Diego State*		San Diego Stadium • San Diego, CA		L 20–21	18,050[13]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Mountain Standard Time.

^[4][14]

After the season

NFL draft

Three players went in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Dean Miraldi	Guard	2	55	Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff Griffin	Defensive back	3	61	St. Louis Cardinals
Steve Folsom	Tight end	10	261	Miami Dolphins

1981 season

1981 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
1981 record	8–2–1 (4–1–1 WAC)
Head coach	Wayne Howard
Offensive coordinator	Ron McBride[15]
Defensive coordinator	Tom Gadd[15]
Home stadium	Rice Stadium (32,500)

1981 WAC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#13 BYU $	7	–	1	–	0			11	–	2	–	0
Hawaii	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	2	–	0
Utah	4	–	1	–	1			8	–	2	–	1
Wyoming	6	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
New Mexico	3	–	4	–	1			4	–	7	–	1
Air Force	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
San Diego State	3	–	5	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
UTEP	1	–	6	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
Colorado State	0	–	8	–	0			0	–	12	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 5	7:30 PM	Utah State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (Battle of the Brothers)		W 10–0	29,010[16]
September 12	8:30 PM	at #20 Arizona State*		Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ		L 10–52	64,558[16]
September 19	7:30 PM	Portland State*		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 46–0	24,122[16]
September 26	12:00 PM	at Northwestern*		Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL		W 42–0	25,256[16]
October 2	7:30 PM	UTEP		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 38–10	26,851[16]
October 17	1:30 PM	at Colorado State		Hughes Stadium • Fort Collins, CO		W 24–13	15,933[16]
October 24	8:30 PM	at UNLV*		Las Vegas Silver Bowl • Paradise, NV		W 69–28	27,883[16]
October 31	1:30 PM	San Diego State		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 17–14	28,513[16]
November 7	7:00 PM	at New Mexico		University Stadium • Albuquerque, NM (The Bowl)	ABC	T 7–7	14,420[16]
November 14	1:30 PM	Wyoming		Rice Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT		W 30–27	28,206[16]
November 21	1:30 PM	at #18 BYU		Cougar Stadium • Provo, UT (Holy War)		L 28–56	47,163[16]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Mountain Standard Time.

^[4][17]

After the season

NFL draft

Five players went in the 1982 NFL Draft.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Darryl Haley	Offensive Tackle	2	55	New England Patriots
Del Rodgers	Running Back	3	71	Green Bay Packers
Jack Campbell	Offensive Tackle	6	144	Seattle Seahawks
Steve Clark	Defensive End	9	239	Miami Dolphins
Wayne Jones	Offensive Tackle	10	276	Miami Dolphins

See also

• List of Utah Utes football seasons

References

1. "1977 Utah Football Media Guide: Coaching Staff". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
2. "1978 Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
3. "1977 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
4. "Ute Record Book" (PDF). University of Utah. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
5. Eugene Register-Guard. 1977 Oct 15.
6. "1979 Utah Football Media Guide: Coaching Staff". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
7. "1979 Utah Football Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
8. "1978 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
9. "1979 Utah Football Media Guide: Coaching Staff". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
10. "1980 Utah Football Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
11. "1979 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
12. "1980 Utah Football Media Guide: Coaching Staff". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
13. "1981 Utah Football Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
14. "1980 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
15. "1981 Utah Football Media Guide: Coaching Staff". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
16. "1982 Utah Football Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
17. "1981 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-09-28.