1966 Idaho Vandals football team

The 1966 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach Steve Musseau and played a second season in the Big Sky Conference, but remained in the NCAA University Division. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College.

1966 Idaho Vandals football
Conference	Big Sky Conference
Record	4–6 (3–1 Big Sky)
Head coach	Steve Musseau (2nd season)
Captains	John Foruria Ron Porter
Home stadium	Neale Stadium
Seasons ← 1965 1967 →

1966 Big Sky Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Montana State $^	4	–	0	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Idaho	3	–	1	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Weber State	2	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Idaho State	1	–	3	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Montana	0	–	4	–	0			1	–	8	–	0
$ – Conference champion

Led on the field by quarterbacks John Foruria and Steve Garman and senior fullback Ray McDonald, the Vandals were 4–6 overall and 3–1 in conference play. Idaho nearly won the Battle of the Palouse with neighbor Washington State for the third straight year, but lost 14–7 in the chilly mud at Neale Stadium after giving up two late touchdowns.^[1][2][3] It remains the last time the rivalry was played in the state of Idaho; the Vandals dropped fourteen straight to the Cougars until consecutive wins in 1999 and 2000.

McDonald rushed for 255 yards in the season finale against Weber State and led the NCAA for the season with 1,329 yards.^[4][5][6] He was the thirteenth overall selection in the 1967 NFL Draft, the highest-ever for a Vandal, taken by the Washington Redskins.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 17	1:30 pm	at Washington*	Husky Stadium Seattle, WA	L 7–19	55,360	[7]
September 24	12:30 pm	at Montana State	Gatton Field Bozeman, MT	L 10–24	9,500	[8]
October 1	1:30 pm	Pacific (CA)*	Neale Stadium Moscow ID	W 28–7	6,700–12,500	[9]
October 8	12:30 pm	at Idaho State	Spud Bowl Pocatello, ID	W 27–20	7,000	[10]
October 15	1:30 pm	at Oregon State*	Parker Stadium Corvallis OR	L 7–14	16,141	[11][12]
October 22	1:30 pm	Washington State*	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID (Battle of the Palouse)	L 7–14	16,500	[1][2]
October 29	12:30 pm	vs. Oregon*	old Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	L 7–28	11,500	[13][14]
November 5	1:30 pm	at San Jose State*	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA	L 7–21	16,200	[15]
November 12	1:30 pm	Montana	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID (Little Brown Stein)	W 40–6	5,500	[16]
November 19	1:30 pm	Weber State	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID	W 42–12	4,800	[4][5][6]
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Pacific time

Roster

1966 Idaho Vandals football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB 10 John Foruria (C) Sr QB 14 Paul Gentle Jr QB, P 16 Joe Rodriguez Sr QB 18 Steve Garman So E 20 Jerry Skaife Sr WB 22 Joe McCollum Sr FB 32 Ray McDonald Sr WB, PK 36 Darrell Danielson Jr FB 40 Art Chubb WB 43 Jim Pearsall So HB 44 Butch Slaughter Sr C 51 Gary Atkinson So C 55 Bob Skuse Sr OL 61 Karl Kleinkopf Jr RG 65 Bob McCray Jr LG 67 Steve Ulrich Jr OL 71 Jim Thiemens Jr OL 72 Brian Evans Jr LT 79 Gary Grove So WR 81 Rich Toney Jr OL 82 Bill Bufton Sr TE 83 Tim Lavens Sr WR 88 Manny Murrell So	Defense Pos. # Name Class S 11 Jerry Ahlin Sr DB 20 Pat Davidson Jr CB 21 Dick Nelson So DB 24 Byron Strickland Jr CB 27 Kenny Dotson So DB 34 John Shelt Jr DB 38 Gayle Young Jr DB 42 Rob Young So DB 45 Rob Woodward LB 50 Al Busby Sr DT 60 John Daniel Sr LB 63 LaVerle Pratt Sr LB 66 Ron Porter (C) Sr DT 70 Gary Fitzpatrick Sr MG 73 Tom Carson So DL 74 Vic Mann Jr DT 75 Dick Arndt Sr DT 78 Bud Fernandez Sr DE, KR 80 Ray Miller Sr DE 85 Tom Stephens Sr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P 16 Joe Rodriguez Sr PK 36 Darrell Danielson Jr KR 80 Ray Miller Sr	Head coach Steve Musseau (2nd year) Coordinators/assistant coaches Herb Adams (OB) Walt Anderson (OL) Billy Hughes (DB) Jack Jacobsen (LB) John G. Smith (DL) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

Source:^[17][18]

All-conference

Fullback Ray McDonald was a unanimous selection to the all-conference team, joined by guard Steve Ulrich, center Bob Skuse, defensive end Tom Stephens, middle guard Dick Arndt, and linebacker Ron Porter.^[19][20] Second team (honorable mention) picks were guard Bob McCray, tackle Gary Fitzpatrick, tight end Tim Lavens, quarterback Steve Garman, defensive tackles John Daniel and Ray Miller, linebacker Jerry Ahlin, and defensive backs Byron Strickland and John Foruria.^[20]

McDonald was a second-team All-American (AP, UPI, NEA),^[21] and a first team selection by the Sporting News and Time.^[22][23]

NFL draft

Four Vandal seniors were selected in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, the first common draft, which lasted 17 rounds (445 selections).

Player	Position	Round	Overall	Franchise
Ray McDonald	RB	1st	13	Washington Redskins
Ron Porter	LB	5th	126	Baltimore Colts
John Foruria	QB	8th	192	Pittsburgh Steelers
Tim Lavens	TE	9th	212	New Orleans Saints

Three seniors were previously selected as future picks in the 1966 NFL draft, which lasted 20 rounds (305 selections).

Player	Position	Round	Overall	Franchise
Dick Arndt	DT	5th	77	Los Angeles Rams
Ray Miller	DE	7th	108	Green Bay Packers
LaVerle Pratt	LB	14th	210	St. Louis Cardinals